The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has spoken about the arrest and trial of his estranged wife, Naomi Silekunola, over the December Ibadan stampede.
The former Queen landed in trouble after her charity event organized in collaboration with Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Ibadan, owned by Oriyomi Hazmat, resulted in the death of over 32 children by way of a stampede occasioned by a massive turn out.
Alongside the former Queen, Hamzat and Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, where the charity event was scheduled to hold, were arrested and remanded by a Chief Magistrate at the Agodi Correctional Facility.
They were arraigned on a four-count charge of conspiracy, acceleration of death, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities.
However, speaking about what his estranged wife and mother of the crown prince of Ile-Ife is going through, the Ooni clearly said he would not be interfering in the case, explaining that he can only pray for her as only God and the court can decide her fate.
The Ooni spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Otunba Moses Olafere, in an interview with Saturday Punch on Friday.
He assured his former Queen that God will vindicate her, insisting that she had no ill intention of harming the children.He said,
The case is before the court. We cannot interfere with the court process; we will wait for the court’s outcome, and we will not take any step that will jeopardize the court’s process on the matter. We hope she will eventually be exonerated. We don’t know what the court has for her.
The only thing we can do for her now is to pray to God to vindicate her, and the Ooni, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, believes God will vindicate her because she had good intentions for the program. She has always cared for children, especially the underprivileged, even when she was in the palace. Nobody ever died during such events when she organized them in the past.
She must have organized about three or four editions while at the palace, and nobody died. We understand she had been doing it even before she came to the palace and continued doing it after leaving the palace. The Ibadan edition is not the first children’s program she has held since leaving the palace
Note that in the tragedy's immediate aftermath, the Ooni supported the former Queen, expressing his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
He spoke highly of her character and how she was fond of organising similar events while she was royalty.
Since the debacle hit the former Queen, many celebrities have shown their support publicly.
Actor Adeniyi Johnson, showing his support noted how the people of Ondo State are known for their kind-heartedness and generosity. He prayed that God see her through and bring her back stronger.
Actress Biola Bayo used Naomi’s case as a prayer point, praying that her good heart wouldn’t put her in trouble. She expressed how heartbroken she was as she noted how the former Queen only wanted to put a smile on people’s faces but instead ended up in a predicament.
Comedian Woli Agba, on his part, stated that he strongly believes this is not happening outside the knowledge of God. He prayed that she would be vindicated and the glory of God would shine brighter on her, and the desire of her enemies shall perish with them.