September 7, 2022

QUEEN MARIAM OGUNWUSI ..Unveiling The Latest Olori To Step Into The Ooni’s Palace + Her Love Story

The world woke to the news today that a new queen has taken the reign at the Enuwa Palace of the Ooni of Ife, HIM Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. The veil was taken off the new Olori, Queen Mariam last night, as she was officially welcomed into the palace amid pomp. This would not be the first time a new queen will be welcomed to the palace since Ooni Ogunwusi's reign began. But all eyes have been on the palace regarding the vacancy occasioned by the controversial exit of the last queen, Naomi Silekunola 10 months ago. Who is next? That has been the question on many lips. That question finally got an answer yesterday.
The new queen is from the prominent Anako family of Kogi State. Her mum is a retired top police officer and a prominent politician. Mariam, is in her mid-30s. She is a top management executive (Administrative Manager) at Nestoil Limited, the largest indigenous Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) Company in the oil and gas sector. In Nigeria.

She lost her dad at a young age and was brought up in the home of the former IGP of Police, Mohammed Dikko Abubakar (2012 to 2014). Her grandparents are of Kogi State descent (Igbira) but settled in Ilorin, Kwara state with their family house situated at Adewole Estate.
Queen Mariam and her mum.
Her elder sister, Medinat Anako is a lawyer, businesswoman and also Special Adviser to Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. While another of her elder siblings, Mrs Raliat Abdulrahman (nee Anako) is a Special Adviser to the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. Another sister of hers, Dr. Aminat Anako Odofin is based in the US.

Those in the know claimed the Ooni did everything possible to keep his relationship with Mariam secret until lately - apparently going by his past experiences with his former Queens, Zainab and Naomi. He took the relationship to the next level by meeting with the family of his lover officially in February.