…Says “When I met my husband years ago, it was our spirituality that connected us, as we already knew each other in the spiritual world”
• Reveals why it took Ooni so long to marry her
• How her late dad used gun to chase away her 3 boyfriends
By Damilola Fatunmise
Black, beautiful, brainy and bold. These words best describe Queen Afolashade Ashley Ogunwusi, wife of Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ojaja II.
In spite of all these attributes, however, one thing enables the Olori to build a solid relationship with the monarch’s other wives, and that’s her combination of wisdom and common sense.
But then, not many people knew that both the king and the queen have had a marriage commitment five years before the wedding took place last year.
In this rare interview, the first class accountant, entrepreneur and mother of one opened up on the reason it took so long for Ooni Ogunwusi to take her as wife. She also narrated how she couldn’t have a boyfriend until she turned 23 and in university, because her late dad would always chase away her male friends with gun. Excerpt:
You were a princess and now a queen, can you tell us about your upbringing and how it has shaped you into one of the most respectable queens in Yoruba land?
I had a very beautiful upbringing. My father did everything in his power to make sure we knew where we came from. Even though, we never visited Ile Ife growing up, we knew we were royals because my father instilled the culture in us. Though, born with a platinum spoon, we were never bratty, but appreciative of our privilege. That I would say has shaped me into a very well-cultured queen of the source today.
A lot of people see you as a person who has imbibed the culture and tradition of Ife kingdom and you are proud flaunting yourself as ‘Aya Odun’, how easy is it for you knowing that you were not born into a traditional worshippers’ family?
My late father was a Christian, my mother was a Muslim; and I was born identifying with my father’s religion, which I love. But I was a very different child with a spiritual gift. Contrary to what many believe or think, my father was also a spiritualist. He was ‘Awo Funfun’, so he was ecstatic to know he has given birth to his kind. Whenever my father did spiritual appeasing in his prayer room, he would always have me 
witness some of it, at a very young age. I was fearless and very courageous. I would touch and hold anything with no fear. One of the nicknames my father gave me was ‘Obirin bi Okunrin’ (a woman who acts like man), and to hear my husband call me ‘Obirinmesan at’abo’ (Nine women and a half) reminds me of my late father. One of the gifts I have is having things revealed to me in dreams, and this has helped me in my life journey. I have always been spiritually inclined, and my father did my divination at a very young age. I have sacred incisions on some parts of my body, which was done by my father for fortification, and none of my siblings has it. When I met my husband years ago, it was our spirituality that connected us, as we already knew each other in the spiritual world. So, it was easy for us to connect physically. My husband also helped me understand who I truly was in the spiritual realm. It was very easy for me to embrace traditional worship because it has always been in me.
Most people know that you and Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi have been in a relationship for years, how come it took him so long to pronounce you as his queen?
Hmmm… In life’s journey, sometimes you can’t choose your race. Our families had met over five years ago. That was commitment for me. At that time, my daughter was very young and she was my focus, and then there was a caveat on the throne because I was already a mother. To protect my daughter, I had to be patient. My daughter comes first and means the world to me. I knew I had my husband and he wasn’t going anywhere no matter how long it took. We knew what we had and we knew we were both reincarnation on the throne of our forefathers. The focus was not to be official, but to protect my only child, I chose that and will choose it over and over again. My husband is my crown jewel; I have always called him my husband over the years. I honour, love and adore him. It’s up to him when he chose to officially introduce me to the world. Everything comes to you at the right time, so be patient and trust the process.
You are moderately stylish, how can you describe your fashion sense?
For me, fashion is the armour to survive everyday life. My style is very different. I literally put things together in seconds and they always come together perfectly. My late father was very stylish, he was always smartly dressed and got heads turn. I also love to put Western traits in my traditional clothing so people can appreciate our cultural outfits more. I want people to see the dress, but focus on the woman wearing it. My style is a way to let people see who I am without having to speak. The secret of a great style is to feel good in what you wear. Being well dressed hasn’t much to do with having clothes; it’s a question of balance and common sense. I always have this intuition that people will stare at me, especially when I have the white spots on my face, which are ‘Odu Ifa’. I always make it worth its while.
As a UK-based successful accountant and entrepreneur, considering the distance, how challenging is it for you to perform your roles as a queen of the Ooni of Ife?
Yes, I am UK-based, that is my home and my country of birth too. I have also lived a part of my life in Nigeria as a young girl in boarding school. I have learnt how to shuttle between both countries from a young age. This has prepared me for my journey now. I was able to change my priorities over time and stayed focused on my goals. Achievers only work from clear sense of priorities. The key for me was to 
prioritize what’s on my schedule, and to get things done no matter what. Being a UK-based person does not restrict me from carrying out or delivering on my assignments as a queen of Ile-Ife. My assignments as a queen do not require me to always be in Ile Ife. Even in the UK, I am also serving my community as a Yoruba queen or African queen. Thankful, I am based in London, which is a six hours flight to Nigeria. That I make possible when there is an utmost need for it. Though, I am unable to attend all assignments as a queen because I am raising a young child in the UK.
As a mother and a wife, Olodumare (God) has blessed me with the wisdom to always strike a balance between the two people that mean heaven to me and my community.
How easy is it living or cohabiting with so many queens in the palace?
I am not based in Nigeria, so I am not living with any of my sister wives. When I visit, I see some of them, we are all mature and we cohabit in a very respectful way. I actually don’t see enough of them, I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. I was raised in a polygamous home, so I understand the dynamics and gimmicks of cohabiting with many wives.
How would you describe your husband, the Ooni of Ife?
If I were to describe my husband, I will describe him as my crown jewel, my father, my heartbeat, and the love of my life. My husband is prodigious; he’s an amazement to me, and everyone that comes in contact with him. He’s outstanding. Though, he has been through so much in his life, it’s incomprehensible to understand how he stays strong and selfless at all times. I can never find the right word to describe my darling husband. While others search for what they can eat, my husband always hunts for what he can give as a true king. He has dedicated his entire life to humanity; I embrace and embody that from him.
Do you think being a daughter of the soil will give you an edge over the other queens in the palace?
I personally think it helps. I was born a royalty; I was raised as a blue blood, so it was very easy for me to understand what I was raised with. My existence on the throne of my forebears was ordained and I am a reincarnation of the throne, more reason I learnt to be very patient. Nobody has what I have inside. I wouldn’t say being a daughter of the soil has given me an edge over others, but it has surely prepared me for a future with my husband.
Your NGO was founded in honour of your late dad, what are the challenges of running such a huge non-governmental organization for years now?
My father was a philanthropist before his demise. I grew up watching my dad as a saviour to many. When he passed away, I didn’t want his legacy to die. I followed suit with his heroic works. Being a single mother and very successful, I knew my mission was to support children, single mothers and widows. I solely fund my Foundation compared to other non-governmental organizations that get funding. My father 
never got any funding support, so I do not wait on anyone to fund me to be able to help others in need. For me, it is a way of giving back to the community. God has really blessed me and I have to be a blessing to others.
Tell us about your drive as a mother and your greatest inspiration in wanting to deliver?
I am a self-driven accomplished woman. My greatest accomplishment is being a mother to my loving and adorable daughter. My daughter is my inspiration. Every time I look at her, I pat myself on the back and tell myself ‘as a single parent, you have done a good job’. My daughter gives me the drive I need in life because I’m her role model. She is very smart and watches my every move. With that, you have to keep the energy going, as you want her to be the best she can be. Because of my drive and enthusiasm, I have all it takes to deliver my best as the queen of the source.
It seems you are the only dark-skinned queen in the palace, do you feel intimidated by all the light-skinned queens?
No one can intimidate me, if anything I think it’s the other way round. I am a very self-confident lady who appreciates the way God has created her. I could describe myself as 5Bs: Black, Beautiful, Brainy, Bodily-set and Bold. I am very comfortable in my beautiful skin and my husband loves me that way.
What are your plans for the city of Ile Ife?
For over seven years, we haven’t had an Olori that has really embodied or taken on the Isese (traditional rites) in Ile Ife. My plan as a wife and a queen of the Arole Oduduwa, who understands the tradition of our land, is to support my husband to the fullest and rebuild the trust of our people in the culture and tradition of Ile Ife. Once our ancestors and deities are appeased the way they should, things will go smoothly in our kingdom, and Ile Ife will be liberated, as it should always be.
Can you quickly take us back to your childhood days, upbringing and life as a student?
I had a beautiful childhood; you can say I was born with a platinum spoon, but we were never bratty. My siblings and I appreciated the life our father gave us growing up. There were some bumps on the road, but only made us a strong, formidable force. My father was very strict; he was very protective of me. He didn’t allow any male friends around me till I was in the university. My father actually threatened three male friends of mine with a gun when they came visiting me. As an ex-military man, he had licensed firearms, which he once used to chase three of my male friends away. Those friends still run away from me till today, even though my father is late. My life as a student was lovely. I was in boarding in high school. I didn’t make friends as such as I love my own company. I was not allowed to have a boyfriend till I was 23. My two older sisters are my best friends and I’m so blessed to have them. My university days were full of fun. I made some amazing friends and I had lots of fun. We studied so hard, but also partied so hard. I remember during bank holidays in England, my friends and I would go clubbing for four days in a row. From Friday through to Monday, we are out every night and back in class on Tuesday, but we still came out with First Class. I really enjoyed my university days.
A lot of youths look up to you as their role model. What do you have to tell them?
With my experience, nothing comes to you easy. You have to put the hard work required into it. These days, a lot of youths want to be like this person or that person, forgetting there’s a process. You can’t build a house without a foundation. They see me up there now and want to be like me. You came at the end of the movie, darling. There was a process to get to that place you admire now. My advice is, know what you want. That is the most important thing. Then, work at it. Sometimes, you may have to be ruthless (not in a bad way), just going hard for what you want, be committed, be determined and be patient if it doesn’t come as quickly as you want it.
How well do you balance your duty as a queen, mother and sister to your socialite in-laws?
God has given me an excellent wisdom to be able to balance my life. I strike a good balance with my husband, my daughter, my businesses, my career and my families. I live away from my husband, but it doesn’t feel like it half the time. I am grateful for having a family, who understands how busy my life could be as a mother, wife and also career lady.
What should people expect from you as one of the topmost queens in Yoruba land?
The foremost expectation is unity in our kingdom. This is very important to me. Working hand in hand with my sister wives and giving my husband peace of mind on the throne is one of the topmost things on my agenda. If he has peace of mind, he’ll be focused to rule his people, and will not be distracted by any unnecessary thing that may keep him worried. Furthermore, I want to use my charity organization to change and impact lives in our communities. I want to reform the foundation level of education because foundation is very important. My plan is also to promote our culture and tradition not only in Ile Ife, but also across the world. I would love for people in the Diaspora to appreciate our culture and tradition too. There’s actually beauty in Yoruba tradition and culture, and I am out to let the world see it.