The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has responded to critics, ‎who are ridiculing him for calling Jesus his father, when he knelt to worship God during a thanksgiving after his coronation.

The picture of him on his knees, with a caption: ‘Jesus is my father’ caused a stir on the social media, with users calling him a hypocrite; but the Ooni says he is not moved by mere criticisms.

While speaking in an interview with the Punch, the Ooni said, “I will continue to do it forever and ever. Those who criticised me are ignorant of the supreme power of God Almighty before whom all kings must bow. God is the King of all kings. He appoints kings and dethrones them.

“If you remember the story of Nebuchadnezzar, who was a powerful king, when he allowed power to get to his head, God turned him into a beast. So, it is God who is the author and the finisher of everything and I will continue to worship him in humility.

“He is the God of all ‘orisas’ (deities); any deity that does not want to obey God will be crushed to powder, that is the truth. I have no regrets.

“Remember I am not the first Ooni, I am the 51st, so people have been here before me. It pleased God to put me on the throne and that is why I am here. Why will I not worship the God who made it possible?” he quizzed.

Speaking further, he said there were prophecies that he would ascend the throne.

He said, “It was predicted. The specific time and date of the week was said. It was predicted that I would be born at exactly 1:00pm on a Thursday and up to the fourth child my parents gave birth to, none was given birth to at 1:00pm and on a Thursday. I am the fifth child and to the glory of God, I was given birth to on a Thursday and at exactly 1:00pm.

“So many strange things happened after my birth. Immediately I was given birth to, my maternal grandfather left this world because he practically pushed my mother to go and have me delivered when she was not due to do so. He did so on his sick bed. He practically pushed her out to the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital here in Ife to deliver the baby she was carrying. I was not due then. Few hours after I was born, my grandfather left this world,” he recounted.