Ile-Ife, Osun state – A video has been shared on Facebook with claims that it shows the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, publicly performing rituals with a human head.
The first-class monarch is seen pouring gin over what looks like a decapitated human head placed on a white cloth in a box.
The video’s caption reads:
“Only in Nigeria will a known traditional ruler will be publicly performing ritual with human head without being arrested, tried and imprisoned. I give up”.
The claim can also be found in this Facebook post and another post.
But is it true that the Ooni used a real human head for festival rituals? A fact-checking platform, Africa Check, lauched a probe.
Ooni of Ife’s video shows figurine, not human head
The video had a TikTok watermark with the username @ifayomiobaeduempire. The fact-checking platform traced this back to the leading video-centric social media platform, but the original video appears to have been deleted.
The fact-checking platform said it, however, found another instance of the same video on the platform with the watermark “Obatala festival Ile Ife”—confirming its link to the event.
What is Obatala festival?
Obatala festival is a two-week annual festival programme that celebrates Yoruba religion, customs, culture, and tradition through spirituality, with the aim of bringing together a wider audience of traditional worshipers, cultural institutions, and visitors from different parts of the world such as the USA, Brazil, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Adherents believe Obatala is the kindly father of all the orishas (deities) and all humanity. According to them, he is also the owner of all heads and the creator of the world. They claim that Obatala is the source of all that is pure, wise, peaceful and compassionate.
During Obatala festival, devotees and cultural enthusiasts gather for rituals and artistic displays. White clothes and terracotta figures, representing purity and Obatala’s role in shaping humanity, are central to the celebrations.
Probe concerning claim on Ooni, Obatala, and human head
Further checks by the fact-checking platform on YouTube using the keyword ‘Obatala festival’ revealed a separate video of the Ooni pouring gin over a figure in a cart – a recognised part of the festival.
The fact-checking platform ruled that the object in the video is a figurine or model of a human head, and not a real human head.
Ooni of Ife announces creation of hospital
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Ooni of Ife announced the creation of the Equity Health Group.
A facility of the hospital opened for public use.
In a statement shared on his verified Instagram page, the top monarch stated that Equity Health Group “seeks to harness this potential by exploring and scientifically certifying alternative medicines, including herbs, through a research consortium led by Ojaja University.”
