AAC leader questions traditional protocol after lengthy delay at palace.
Lagos, Nigeria – Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has opened up about a past encounter with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, during which he reportedly refused to prostrate to the monarch after being kept waiting for three hours.
In a video dated February 16, 2026, and shared by Sahara TV, Sowore recounted his visit to the palace of the Ooni, one of the most revered traditional rulers in Yorubaland.
According to Sowore, he and others were made to wait for about three to four hours before the monarch eventually emerged. When the Ooni finally arrived and took his seat, palace aides instructed Sowore to go and prostrate before the king—a traditional sign of respect and homage.
Sowore said he declined.
“I stood up and took the microphone and said, ‘You kept me here for three hours and you asked me to prostrate for you?'” he recounted.
His response, he claimed, was prompted by what he perceived as a lack of mutual respect in the encounter.
The statement has since sparked mixed reactions online. While some have defended Sowore’s right to question what he saw as an unreasonable delay, others have emphasized the importance of respecting traditional institutions regardless of personal grievances.
Traditional rulers hold significant cultural and spiritual authority in Yoruba land, and protocols such as prostration are deeply symbolic acts of reverence. The Ooni of Ife, in particular, occupies a unique position as the spiritual head of the Yoruba people.
As of the time of this report, the Ooni’s palace has not issued any response to Sowore’s remarks.
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