The viral picture rumoured to be the new prince of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyey Ogunwusi was nothing but fake, the palace has revealed.
A statement signed and made available to Daily Mail by the Director, Media and Public Affairs, Ooni’s Palace, Comrade Moses Olafare states that picture of the new Prince has not been released to the public.
The statement urges Nigerians home and abroad to disregard the two viral pictures in circulation misrepresenting the newly born heir to the ancient sacred throne of the Ooni who joined the Ogunwusi royal family recently.
“His father, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife who has the sole right to make the face of the baby public is yet to do so, as essential traditional rites to formally welcome the Prince in accordance to our culture and traditions are still ongoing.
“The Arole Oduduwa wishes to unequivocally and emphatically state that the pictures are not that of his son, he wants the public to ignore the social media circulation of the pictures capable of threatening the privacy of the babies in those pictures and their parents, the statement read”.
It however enjoins journalists and bloggers to always verify sources of news materials and pictures before publishing or posting so as to avoid ‘Invasion of Privacy’ which is an actionable offense punishable by law.
