The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has been slammed by a group for saying that all women are witches.
A group, the Advocacy for Alleged Witches (AFAW) condemned the monarch over the recent statement.
Ooni made the statement during a recent visit by some participants of a reality show, the Real Housewives of Lagos, to his palace in Ile Ife in Osun State, southwest Nigeria.
During his interaction with the guests, the monarch said every woman has that witchcraft spirit in them because witchcraft is all about manipulation.
Following public outrage that greeted his controversial comment, Ooni clarified tthat women were good witches.
Reacting in a statement on Monday, the Director of the group, Leo Igwe accused the monarch of using his position to demean women with his comment.
Igwe said Ooni should retract his statement and apologize, saying that his comment is coming at a time when this prejudice is being used to attack, abuse, banish, and murder innocent women across the country.
He added that the clarification made by the monarch does not diminish the outrageous nature of this pronouncement but further attests to his superstitious mindset.
The statement reads: “The Advocacy for Alleged Witches regards it as strange that an educated traditional ruler like Ooni would speak about women in such an ignorant and disrespectful manner, identifying them as witches. Witches in this 21st century!
“At a time when this mistaken idea is being used to sanction and sanctify the persecution of women in the communities, Ooni should retract his statement and apologize.
At a time when this prejudice is being used to attack, abuse, banish, and murder innocent women across the country, it is insensitive and horrifying that Ooni is using his position to reinforce this vicious stereotype and incite hatred and violence against women.
“Ooni should understand that his pronouncements matter; that he should not use his position to demean or degrade women and other human beings. Ooni should know that his words have an impact and consequences.
“What he says has some weight and influences what people believe and how people behave towards each other, women in this case. Ooni should realize that he cannot afford to be reckless and irresponsible in his utterances.
“The Advocacy for Alleged Witches declares that no woman has any good or bad witchcraft spirit to manipulate positively or negatively. Witchcraft is a form of superstition. AfAW urges Ooni to be thoughtful and gender-sensitive in his statements and pronouncements.”