Ooni of Ife Welcomes NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown to Ancient Palace, Bestows Royal Yoruba Name ‘Babatunde’

The ancient city of Ile-Ife was bathed in royal pageantry as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, CFR, Ojaja II, hosted American basketball superstar Jaylen Brown at his palace, formally conferring on him the traditional Yoruba ancestral name “Babatunde”.

The Boston Celtics star and NBA champion, accompanied by his delegation, was received by the paramount monarch, senior palace chiefs, and fellow traditional rulers. The visit formed part of a cultural pilgrimage to the historic cradle of Yoruba civilisation, offering the international athlete a rare opportunity to reconnect with African ancestry.

In an official statement released by the Ooni’s Senior Media Officer, Sodiq Lawal, on behalf of the palace’s Directorate of Media and Public Affairs, the royal father explained that the conferment of the name carried profound cultural and spiritual weight. Translating the name as “the father has returned” or “the ancestor has returned,” the Ooni framed the naming as an ancestral identity that firmly anchors Brown to his African lineage.

Presenting the basketball star with his new identity, the Ooni officially proclaimed that the player would henceforth be recognized as Babatunde Jaylen Brown, praying that the heritage identity would usher in greater personal and professional fortunes.

The Ooni used the high-profile reception to reflect on the historic wounds that separated families across continents. He observed that the brutal legacy of transatlantic slavery and forced migration severed ties between millions of Africans in the diaspora and their ancestral homelands. Commending Brown for taking the step to visit the source of his ancestry, the monarch called on people of African descent worldwide to embark on cultural homecomings to rebuild severed bonds and reclaim their ancestral heritage.

Highlighting the unique position of Ile-Ife, Oba Ogunwusi pointed out that the palace has painstakingly preserved unbroken records and lineages tracing back through dozens of generations. He noted that opening the gates of the cradle to returning diaspora icons serves as a reminder of the shared roots linking continental Africans with Black communities globally.

Responding to the royal honor, Brown thanked the Ooni and the people of Ile-Ife for the warm hospitality and reception accorded him and his team. The NBA standout expressed deep gratitude for the ancestral naming, describing the visit as a deeply moving experience that enriched his understanding of African history. He added his voice to the call for cultural homecoming, encouraging Black communities abroad to visit the continent and rediscover their origins.