AMERICAN VENTRILOQUIST WHO BECAME NIGERIAN MONARCH’S WIFE: Shares mind-staggering and jaw shifting story
The essence of diversity is what makes us who we are and what we are.
We all cannot love the same thing, be the same person, fight for the same course or get along with the same people.
With the essence of this diversity comes our strength and tenacity towards achieving what we really want for ourselves and the people around us, regardless of the location we find ourselves, the people around us or the circumstances presenting itself. Regardless, we thrive and stand up to be who we are and do what we want to do.
A woman of many parts and a body of creativity, Angelique-Monet Gureje -Thompson, the American ex-beauty queen, actress, producer, musician and wife of the monarch, Oba Dokun Thompson, the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Osun State, can be said to be a role model, more than a role model even to people.
Through her sheer interest in Humanitarianism, the Yeyeluwa Olori of Eti-Oni met her now husband and king, Oba Dokun Thompson.
When been asked about how she combines being an actress, musician and a monarch’s wife, the Yeyeluwa Olori said; “Well first and foremost as the wife of a Monarch, and Yeyeluwa Olori meaning “Helper to God’s representative on Earth”, I take this seriously as a God-fearing woman, the monarch comes first and the needs of my husband and supporting His Majesty and the visions for our Kingdom, and humanitarian goals are a top priority…I enjoy working hard and using my skills to serve for the greater good.”
She said she’s mostly retired from acting and music, seeing the greater course ahead of her. However, she is still open to taking on roles in Nollywood if her position as a monarch’s wife would permit.
From how she has successfully built herself with grace and enviable poise, one would think life was a bed of roses of the Yeyeluwa Olori. But then, she had her fair share of bad days and bad times.
“I was raised by my mother and her parents. Interestingly enough, I didn’t talk until five because I had a learning issue. Music and ventriloquism gave me a voice and all the children that bullied me; I was able to become their friends because my puppet actually talked to them. The puppet stopped them from bullying which makes me enjoy working with children.
That gave me a voice and made me a champion in my political home…I talked to my grandmother, and we created a puppet. I didn’t want to scare my mother. That was why we came up with human beings instead of animals or animated things because the ones that look like humans are kind of scary.”
Asides from being a humanitarian and everything highlighted above, Yeyeluwa Olori says she can’t wait to turn Eti-Oni into a smart community. As the President of the Eti-Oni Development group, she has revealed that she has some projects incubated for her community and Africa at large.
As for her, V is for Victory and not Victim so she is very prepared to impact the world through everything she represents, and not enjoy the goodies that comes with being the Yeyeluwa Olori of Eti-Oni.
Review by: Awogbami Tomisin
Video: BBC News | Africa