A high-ranking Yoruba monarch, His Royal Majesty Oba Dr. Mike Adebiyi Aderoju Adewoye, Erinjogunola I, the Alamodo of Amodo Kingdom in Ile-Ife, has issued a strongly worded condemnation of Fuji music icon Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal popularly known as K1 De Ultimate over what he described as an unwarranted, shameful, and disgraceful act of disrespect towards the revered Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, the Arole Oodua.
In a public statement titled “A Strong Condemnation of KWAM 1’s Disrespect to the Arole Oodua”, Oba Adewoye described the alleged act—believed to have occurred during the recent coronation of the Oba Osolo in Lagos—as a sacrilege of the highest order, calling it a slap on the face of all Yoruba sons and daughters who hold the sacred stool of Oduduwa in reverence.
While details of the specific action remain the subject of public discourse, various cultural watchers have pointed to K1's perceived failure to pay due homage to the Ooni of Ife during the Lagos ceremony, an act widely interpreted as a breach of cultural protocol and Yoruba traditional decorum.
“His Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, is not just a traditional ruler; he is the spiritual and ancestral head of all Yoruba people worldwide… KWAM 1’s actions—be it by word, gesture, or omission—must be regarded as a desecration of ancestral heritage.”
In his statement, the Alamodo of Amodo Kingdom issued a stern cultural and spiritual warning, asserting that no individual, regardless of fame or fortune, is above the sacred stool of Oduduwa.
“To insult the Arole Oodua is to call down generational consequences upon oneself and one’s lineage,” he wrote. “The throne he has insulted is backed by prayers, sacrifices, and ancestral authority.”
Oba Adewoye also criticized what he called “delusions of grandeur” on the part of the music legend, noting that artists who thrive on Yoruba patronage must be mindful of the very institutions that sustain their cultural relevance.
As part of his public stance, Oba Adewoye outlined three key demands from Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshal: a public, humble apology to the Ooni and the Yoruba people at large; a cultural re-education or reorientation for K1 to fully appreciate Yoruba traditional values; and a permanent end to such disrespectful conduct from public figures toward royal institutions.
“Let him undergo a cultural reorientation before he becomes a cultural outcast,” the statement warned.
In a powerful rallying call, the Alamodo urged all true sons and daughters of Oduduwa—both at home and abroad—to rise in defence of Yoruba heritage.
“We must not be silent when sacrilege is committed in our midst… Let it be known: the throne of Oduduwa is not to be disrespected. Those who attempt to do so will face not just public condemnation, but the spiritual consequences that follow such reckless audacity.”