Season 2 of the RHOL has been nothing short of drama and sightseeing as the ladies ended up in the palace of the Ooni of Ife. However, an experience that started with a showcase of the cultural beauty of Ile-Ife soon turned into a brawl between Toyin Lawani and Mariam Timmer.
Toyin, a royal with ties to Ekiti State, led the ladies on a cultural experience to Yoruba’s ancestral home, Ile-Ife. Her grandmother was the Adele Oba of Ikole Ekiti (Regent), so she wanted her friends to experience Yoruba royalty.
The ladies experienced the ancestral Yorubaland with all the pomp and pageantry associated with the monarchy, courtesy of HRM Queen Aderonke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi. They enjoyed everything from traditional dances to Ile-Ife delicacies including Eko, Dele, and Worowo. The episode was a vibrant celebration of the Yoruba culture.
During the cultural festivities, the ladies were treated to a crash course in adire (tie and dye) making at the Adire Oodua Textile Training Hub. The hub is an indigenous handmade vocational centre founded by Queen Aderonke to empower women and youth and train them in adire-making. The queen introduced them to Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the 51st Ooni of Ife, and they participated in the Aje Olokun festival, where the spiritual leaders and royal fathers of Ile-Ife pray for wealth and prosperity.
It all seemed fine and dandy until they decided to table Mariam exigencies and have a private conversation that ended up being a war of words and zipping up!
The ladies had a bone to pick with Mariam, so Toyin confronted her over alleged gossip and her current behaviour. This confrontation unveiled a web of conversations involving Iyabo and Mariam. Toyin claimed she heard that Mariam described her as condescending. The issue between Chioma and Mariam also came into the conversation briefly, with Iyabo reiterating that Mariam was wrong to use hurtful words and make insinuations about ‘childlessness’.
Accusations of being a “liar” and a “fake friend” between Toyin and Mariam escalated into a heated physical altercation, resulting in a broken phone and an unexpected turn of events involving a disrobed Mariam. Viewers will recall that the duo have been friends for over 16 years. However, as the episode ended, they noted that they didn’t believe their longtime friendship would recover from the brawl.
While the episode showcased the beauty of Ile-Ife and its people, it wouldn’t be The Real Housewives of Lagos without a touch of mayhem.
What do you think of the drama? Does Toyin have the right to put her hands on people, especially after she said she won’t do it again?
Catch the drama and cultural immersion in Episode 9 of The Real Housewives of Lagos, with new episodes showing Fridays exclusively on Showmax.
Join the conversation with the hashtag #RHOLagos.
