Ooni: Group Debunks Fraud Allegation Against Ife Prince

An interest group, Ife Concerned Citizens (ICC), has denied the allegation of fraud and forgery against one of the contenders for the stool of Ooni of Ife, Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi, describing it as a “calculated and deliberate attempt to smear, malign and assassinate the character of the prince.”

The group specifically denied claims by SHL that Prince Ogunwusi forged the title document of a land property at Lekki Peninsula, Lagos, and wonders why the allegation is being made when it appears odds favour the prince to succeed the late Ooni.

It would be recalled that some national dailies, not The Guardian, reported that Metropole Interproject Limited (MIL), a company owned by Prince Ogunwusi, was involved in forgery, fraudulent conversion and obtaining the sum of N400m by false pretence from Sijuwade Holding Limited (SHL), a company owned by the late Ooni, Oba Sijuwade.

According to the report, MIL was commissioned by SHL to develop an estate in Lekki Peninsula Lagos, a task, which the former allegedly failed to discharge as the terms of contract stipulated. The report claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was investigating the prince over the alleged fraud.

But in a statement signed by the President of ICC, Prince Leke Ijiyode, the group stated that Prince Ogunwusi has never committed forgery or fraud against any individual or corporate entity, adding that the report is the handiwork of fifth columnists, who are on a mission to smear the image of the prince, being a frontline contender for the stool of Ooni of Ife.

“Prince Ogunwusi was not the author of the purported forged documents. He did not know about its existence until very recently when SHL brought it to his attention,” the group stated.

According to ICC, the project, for which Prince Ogunwusi is being purportedly investigated, started in 2011 and has since been completed.

The statement reads in part: “In the joint venture/business relationship, the late Oba had a stronger bargaining power and position. On most occasions, he simply gave instruction of what was to be done while Ogunwusi would go and execute it.