The 10th coronation anniversary of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, on Sunday, December 7, 2025, witnessed a dramatic moment in Ile-Ife, Osun State, when Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, interrupted Governor Ademola Adeleke’s singing and dancing on the stage and urged him to proceed with his formal address.
The event, held at Afewonro Park, Enuwa Square, also featured the installation of the First Lady as Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua, and drew a large gathering of traditional rulers, political leaders and dignitaries from across the country.
Governor Adeleke, who had mounted the podium to deliver his goodwill message, began with his trademark display of song and dance, drawing initial cheers from the audience. However, as the performance lingered, Senator Tinubu walked to the stage and firmly told him to conclude the music and deliver his speech.
“I’m giving you five minutes to finish your speech. The music is enough,” she said. When the governor continued, she returned and added, “I will turn off the microphone. Stop the music.”
The brief exchange, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media, sparking widespread reactions.
Oba Ogunwusi, who ascended the throne on December 7, 2015, has marked a decade on the throne with initiatives focused on youth empowerment, cultural diplomacy and Yoruba unity, including the launch of a N100 million youth entrepreneurship fund in 2020.
As part of the anniversary events, the Ooni on Saturday, December 6, 2025, unveiled the Ile-Ife campus of Ojaja University, a private institution he founded to promote academic excellence and cultural renewal.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who attended the ceremony, said he was grateful to witness both the beginning of the monarch’s reign and its 10th anniversary. Other prominent guests included the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar; former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun.
Governor Adeleke, elected in November 2022 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is widely known for incorporating music and dance into official functions. However, his political future has become uncertain following his resignation from the PDP on November 4, 2025, citing a crisis in the party’s national leadership.
The PDP subsequently, on December 2, 2025, named Adedamola Adebayo as its candidate for the 2026 Osun governorship election, effectively ending Adeleke’s bid for a second term and fuelling speculation about a possible party switch.
In conferring the Yeye Asiwaju title on Senator Tinubu, the Ooni described her as “the mother of the nation,” praising her role in supporting his early years on the throne. In her acceptance speech, the First Lady expressed gratitude for the honour and declared optimism about Nigeria’s future, saying the country would experience increased prosperity by 2026.
The ceremony combined tradition and pageantry with cultural performances, prayers, and the cutting of a ceremonial cake, as dignitaries reflected on a decade of the Ooni’s reign.