VIDEO: Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour’s memorable visit to Ooni of Ife misreported – Media Team
*Says Obalefun was never kicked out anywhere *As Ooni of Ife is not a politician
By KEMI KASUMU
“For the avoidance of doubt, Obalefun Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as a respected Yoruba son from the IBILE Eko of the Popo Aguda area of Lagos Island in Lagos State, was upon his arrival accorded his due respect and was as such ushered with honour into the presence of the Ojaja II. “They both had chats together and the meeting ended on good nite and the guest departed the palace and returned to his base in Lagos, safely.”
A statement from the media team of Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Obalefun of Lagos and former Governorship Candidate of Labour Party in Lagos State for the 2023 election has revealed an attempt to use false information to diverge attention from the real issue that matter in the state.
This is coming amidst general view that governments of Nigeria and Lagos State are currently being run on propaganda as some of their supporters’s latest point of call is to, through their allegedly hired bloggers, misrepresent a very successful visit of the Obalefun to the Ooni of Ife in the eyes of the people.
According to the media team, in a statement circulated along with video to the media on Thursday, they reported to those that listened to them that the Mr. Rhodes-Vivour was kicked out of the Ooni’s palace but that they were telling no more than falsehood.
It said, “It has come to our notice that visit of Obalefun of Lagos, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, on Monday April 28, 2025 to the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II is being misrepresented by some politically instigated bloggers.
“We have been inundated with several telephones calls by goodhearted Yoruba and non-Yoruba friends of the Lagos blood of the soil as what was being peddled around that he was kicked out of the Ooni’s palace on the said date.”
Continuing the state said, *While not joining issues with anyone for whatever reason, this is to assure the supporters, friends and fellow indigenous Lagosians who see and continue to see Rhodes-Vivour as their only and authentic renewed hope they believe is capable of leading them to their socio-cultural and economic destination of choice anytime now or in the near future.
“They should also be assured that at no time Obalefun will be distracted from his commitment to the people of Lagos by any malicious and mischievous rumour mongering of such enemies.
“As such, it is important for us to simply debunk and dismiss the information that he was kicked out of Ooni of Ife’s Palace during the visit not only as fake, wicked and lacking the Yoruba spirit but, more despicably, as disrespect to the position of the Ooni himself, who is custodian of the customs and traditions of The Source.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Obalefun Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, as a respected Yoruba son from the IBILE Eko of the Popo Aguda area of Lagos Island in Lagos State, was upon his arrival accorded his due respect and was as such ushered with honour into the presence of the Ojaja II.
“They both had chats together and the meeting ended on good nite and the guest departed the palace and returned to his base in Lagos, safely. It must be noted that Ooni is not a politician and no political foot-soldier or political commanders themselves must politicise any audience he grants to any bonafide Yoruba son or daughter from any part of the Ngbati South West region,” the statement said.
