Princess Ademiluyi’s  unspoken  re-echoes women leadership

The Queen Moremi Ajasoro Global Ambassador, Princess Aderonke Ademiluyi, has officially launched the book, ‘Unspoken,’ a chronicle of women kings in Yorubaland (Oba Obirin).
  
Royalties and dignitaries, including His Imperial Majesty, Adeyeye Babatunde Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, Ooni of Ife, graced the event, which took place at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos.
  
In her keynote address, HRH Erelu Abiola Dosumu, the Erelu of Lagos, who noted that female kingship is as old as mankind itself said the book, is a celebration of womanhood in all ramifications.

She said, “Unspoken is a jumpstart renaissance of female leadership and activism, cogent activities and achievements of female kings of Yorubaland, encapsulated in it, will no doubt, be an inspiration to fledging female leadership and authorities across the land.”

“When a society is going astray as we are currently witnessing in the country, a conclave of women of all strata of the society should be conveyed as they are the defacto head of the house and the first teacher, home builder, counselor and mentor,” she said.
  
Narrating the ideology behind the book, Ademiluyi said, “I became the Moremi Global Ambassador in 2016 by His Imperial Majesty the Ooni of Ife, and while I was doing my research on the legendary Queen Moremi, I got to know about the only female Ooni of Ife Ooni Luwoo, who was the 21st Ooni of Ife.

“She succeeded Ooni Giesi and was succeeded by Ooni Lumobi. She is referred to as Lúwo Gbàgìdá, a descendant of Otaataa from Owode compound, Okerewe. His Majesty proudly talks about her and she is featured in the book as well.
  
“I just got curious about the female Ooni as the only woman who has been King in Yorubaland and I found that we had other women who had become Kings too. We had the first female Alaafin of Oyo, Alaafin Orompoto, and others.

“I discovered no one was actually saying anything about them. It was as though history deliberately swept them under the carpet and my research started from there. I started asking people if they had any knowledge of them. People in my generation knew nothing about them, and even people older than me did not even have a clue.

“It was really challenging as people were denying the fact that there were female Obas. There was even a notion that a female could never have been a King as it’s a taboo in Yorubaland. However, with the help of His Imperial Majesty and the House of Oduduwa, which is the official charity of His Imperial Majesty Ooni Of Ife, we have been able to complete and publish Unspoken.”

She noted that the book tells the story of female leadership to inspire other young women to go into leadership roles, saying one doesn’t necessarily have to be a King but ensures to be a leader in whatever one does.

“Strife to leave a legacy, the same way these women left legacies that we’re celebrating in the book, a reawakening of their legacies to inspire women of our generation and younger generations as well,” she said.
  
The great grand daughter of the 48th Ooni of Ife, Ooni Ajagun Ademiluyi said, she started writing the book in 2018, saying that it took her four years to put the book together.

“We had so many obstacles, we had to go knocking on the door with the name of His Majesty that we’re here from the Ooni of Ife, so people can give us the audience and information we needed. He also made a lot of phone calls that got us the needed details,” she added.