Pomp and pageantry heralded the installation of Chief (Mrs.) Olufunso Amosun as the Yeye Moremi of Oodua on Saturday, as the ancient city of Ile-Ife stood still for the ceremony at the palace of the Ooni of Ife.
Dignitaries, cultural enthusiasts, and royal fathers from across Yorubaland converged on Ile Oodua for the rites, which blended history, music, and tradition.
Speaking at the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, described the title as ‘not a crown of beauty, but a call to sacrifice.’
‘Moremi gave herself to save her people,’ Oba Ogunwusi said. ‘Today, we install a daughter who has shown that same heart through the empowerment of women, preservation of culture, and defence of the vulnerable.’
The Ooni noted that ‘the stool of Yeye Moremi of Oodua is for those who will stand in the gap when Yorubaland needs a voice. We have found that woman.’
He charged the new Yeye Moremi to promote peace, protect Yoruba heritage, and mentor the girl-child. ‘Let your life remind our daughters that they can be both beautiful and brave,’ he added
Oba Ogunwusi said the title, ‘Yeye Moremi Oodua of the Source,’ carries historical significance and celebrates Mrs. Olufunso Amosun’s life of impact. ‘I pray for Mrs. Amosun and commend her for her philanthropic roles in Yorubaland,’ the Ooni said.
In her acceptance speech, the newly installed Yeye Moremi of Oodua, Chief (Mrs.) Olufunso Amosun, said she received the title ‘with trembling hands and a determined heart.’
‘To whom much is given, much is expected. And I, Chief Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, *Yeye Moremi Oodua*, take this title not with levity or frivolity,’ she said.
‘I fully comprehend that with recognition comes responsibility and understand this honour is a call to higher service to humanity. I, Yeye Moremi Oodua, therefore pledge to purposefully carry this title with dignity, compassion, empathy, and humility, in total submission to God’s will. I pray for the wisdom required to excel in this role, the enablement to make impact, and the grace to leave a plethora of good legacies worthy of the honour bestowed upon me by the Arole Oodua.’
Chief Amosun thanked the Ooni for the honour. ‘My profound thanks again go to the Arole Oodua for singling me out and elevating me among equals. For this honour, I shall endeavour to continually make you proud, so help me God.’
‘To everyone present, especially those who arrived before today and those who travelled from far and wide: thank you for going the extra mile to join me in celebrating my 60th birthday and witnessing history in the making,’ she added.
She pledged to establish the Moremi Legacy Foundation to support girl-child education, fight human trafficking, and document oral histories of Yoruba heroines.
‘Culture dies when we stop telling our stories. I will use this stool to tell them loudly,’ she vowed.
In his remarks, Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, said the Amosuns represent the interest of the Yoruba nation. ‘If you can bring all of us together at Ojaja’s palace, it means there is hope for Yorubaland,’ Governor Makinde said. ‘I congratulate Mrs. Amosun and charge the people present to emulate her humanitarian exploits.’
‘Yeye Moremi Oodua of the Source is newly installed, and we also wish her a happy birthday and many happy returns in good health, as well as continued service to our nation and humanity,’ Makinde stated.
‘Today at the palace of the Ooni of Ife, this is Yorubaland, where there is nothing like APC or PDP; we are all together. This is what we should strive for in the interest of the Yoruba nation, which this new chieftaincy title represents. If you can gather us all here, it means there is hope for Yorubaland,’ he added.
The ceremony featured the Edi festival dance, bata drumming, and a dramatic re-enactment of Moremi’s sacrifice by the Ife Cultural Troupe. Traditionalists offered prayers with kolanuts and gin, while the Emese of Ife declared ancestral blessings.
The Chairman of ANN Plc, Ambassador Dr Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, was represented at the event by Dr Lasisi Olagunju, Editor of Saturday Tribune.
Meanwhile, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was represented by his wife, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, amid cheers from guests and traditional enthusiasts.
Speaking during the ceremony, Obasanjo described the Yeye Moremi title as one of the most revered honours in Yorubaland, noting that it symbolises courage, sacrifice, service to humanity, and commitment to cultural preservation.
The former president commended the Ooni of Ife for sustaining the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba race and using the throne to promote unity and development across the country.
He also congratulated Chief Mrs Olufunso Amosun on her installation, describing her as a woman of virtue, compassion, and outstanding commitment to humanity through her numerous philanthropic activities.
Other notable personalities at the event included former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola; Senator Gbenga Daniel; Managing Director/CEO of the Federal Housing Authority of Nigeria, Oyetunde Olamideji Gbenga Ashafa; billionaire tycoon Chief Kessington Adebukunola Adebutu; former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and his wife, Mrs Omolola Oyinlola; and wives of former APC governors in Osun State, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola and Mrs Kafayat Oyetola.
Others were former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro; Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye II; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa; Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Abidemi Oyetunji Olanipekun Larooye II; and Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III.
Also present were the Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin; Aseyin of Iseyin, Senator Iyiola Omisore; Senator Ganiyu Solomon; and Ambassador Sarafadeen Ishola.