OLORI Ashley – Ogunwusi is one of the queens of the IFE OONI, Obaeyee Initan Ogunwusi Ojaja II. The culture of Olori Ashley-Gunwusi in this interview with Yetunde Ajanaku, talks about his role in the palace and what means walking in tradition and modernity.
You celebrated the Olokun and Osara festivals. What inspired your connection with these traditional festivals and what do they mean personally for you?
Celebrating Olokun and Osara is deeply spiritual to me. Olokun, the Deity of the Deep Sea, embodies the mystery, wealth and spiritual vision, echoing with my identity as a woman and mother. Osara represents the spirit of water and the sacred feminine. These festivals connect us with our ancestors and remind me of my role as custodian of Yoruba traditions.
As Queen at the Ooni Palace, what role do you play daily and how do you use their position to empower women and preserve culture?
My role is a sacred call that involves service, spiritual responsibility and cultural administration. Daily, I interact with women, tutoring and the creation of platforms for their voices. I promote traditional festivals and work with community leaders to ensure that our Yoruba heritage is held. By living our culture openly, their goal is to inspire young women to embrace their identities.
In a modern world that is quickly moving towards globalization, how important is it to preserve indigenous festivals and traditions?
Preserving our traditions is crucial; They are the beats of our identity. Globalization offers a platform to show our heritage. Festivals such as Olokun and Osara carry wisdom and ancestral values. By honoring them, we maintain our spiritual DNA and provide our children with a strong sense of identity.
Can you share an unforgettable moment or experience of the Olokun or Osara festival this year that moved you deeply?
During the Osara festival, a young woman entered trance, overwhelmed by the presence of Orisa. Guided by the divine female force of Osara, I approached her, offered her prayers and helped her return safely. This experience reaffirmed the power of our traditions and my role as Yeye Imi Oodua.
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Many Nigerian young people are disconnected from their roots. What do you think can be done to revive cultural pride, especially among young people?
We must make tradition visible and identifiable integrating it into schools, the media and daily life. Education must cover heritage, teaching meanings behind our names, ceremonies and proverbs. Leaders must exemplify cultural pride, showing that adopting the roots of one increases relevance and power.
How do you balance be a real figure, a modern Nigerian woman with ambitions, responsibilities and influence?
Balancing my role as a real figure with being a modern Nigerian woman, especially as someone born and raised in the United Kingdom, is a trip of harmony, not contradiction. I am a daughter of the diaspora and a custodian of the old tradition. And I think duality is my strength.
Being British gave me exposure to a different world, one that values ​​structure, education, ambition and individuality. But being a princess born from the source and being a real Yoruba, gave me purpose, identity and a deep spiritual connection with something much bigger than me. I do not see these two aspects of my life as opposites; I see them as complementary. My Western education allows me to navigate the global platforms with confidence, while my inheritance reminds me, reminding me who I am really.
As a woman of influence, I know many responsibilities, spiritual, cultural and personal. I am involved in community development, in the empowerment of women and children to preserve culture, and also to raise my children, grow professionally and support others who admire me. It's a lot, but I hug him completely because I know that representation is important. When young girls see me, born in British, but they are proud in my accounts, my gle, my traditional main attire and my purpose, they realize that they can also embrace each part of who they are.
What advice would you give to women who want to walk proudly both in their traditional heritage and in their contemporary life?
Know who you are and never apologize for it. Hug your dual identity as custodian of tradition and a modern winner. Honor your ancestors, learn your language and pursue your dreams. Being rooted in culture provides a solid basis for success in today's world.
What does femininity mean for you, especially the Yoruba culture and spirituality lens?
Femininity is sacred, which covers parenting, wisdom and spiritual power. In Yoruba culture, women are deeply connected with Orisa such as Yemoja, Osun and Olokun. Being a woman implies balance, leading with grace and strength, and serving as a heartbeat.
Is there any specific cultural value or teaching that feels that today's society needs to learn to our ancestors?
We need to learn respect again, for the elderly, the earth and for ourselves. Patience, wisdom, community life and spirituality are values ​​that our ancestors confirmed. Hugging these teachings can guide us towards a more harmonious and founded society.
How do you expect to be remembered: in the palace, in Nigeria and for young women who admire you?
I hope to be remembered as a bridge between tradition and modernity, someone who honored the ancestral legacies while inspiring others to embrace their inheritance. My goal is to raise women and youth, demonstrating that one can be culturally rooted as globally shocking.
Can you share a myth or cultural history linked to Olokun or Osara that more people should know and understand?
Olokun, the deity of the deep sea, once flooded the earth in a moment of sadness, serving as cleaning and renewal. Osara, the river goddess, represents healing and transformation. These stories teach us about the cycles of life and the importance of respecting nature and the sacred feminine.
Finally, what is that dream that you are still chasing? Bustas on the walls of the palace?
Beyond the walls of the palace, a dream that I am chasing is to create a platform that elevates and empowers African women worldwide, connecting them with their roots, their culture and among themselves. I imagine a space where women can share their stories, access the tutoring and find the tools they need to lead with confidence and grace in all areas of life.
Having walked both for the worlds of tradition and in modernity, I understand how important it is for women to be reflected in leadership, culture and spirituality. My dream is to unite those worlds, helping women to adopt their inheritance and also prosper in today's accelerated global society.
This is more than a project; It is a vocation. I think when women rise, communities rise. And if I can inspire a single woman to walk with pride in her identity and purpose, then I know that I am fulfilling that dream.
The palace can be my home, but my influence and hopes extend far beyond their walls, in the hearts and future of women everywhere.