Ooni of Ife not under EFCC investigation – Royal families

*** Accuse enemies of trying to spread campaign of calumny against a well-respected royalty

*** Urges public to disregard reports of alleged fraud against Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi

Two royal families in Ile Ife have dismissed rumours that the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi is under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N400 million forgery involving his company.

In a joint release which  was made available to CityMirrorNews by the royal families on Friday February 26, Prince Adetokunbo Sijuwade and Prince Adesina Ogunwusi for Sijuwade and Ogunwusi ruling houses respectively described the claims that the Ooni was under investigation by the anti-graft agency as untrue and unfounded.

The royal families accused one Comrade Alimi Sulaiman of colluding with a politician in the town who has refused to accept the enthronement of Ooni Ogunwusi as a likely sponsor of the campaign of calumny against the Ooni.

They urged the public to ignore what it described as a sponsored campaign of calumny against a well-respected royalty, noting that the rumour was being spread by enemies to “disrupt the peace that Ile-Ife has enjoyed”.

They warned the promoter of the ‘sacrilegious statement’ to desist from an attempt capable of embarrassing the Ooni and causing needless acrimony between the two royal families which may bear grave consequences on generations unborn.

The statement reads in part: “The relationship between the late great personalities, Ooni Okunade Sijuwade and the Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi then a prince was a father and son relationship which translated to a business relationship through their companies.”

“It is pertinent to say that the cordiality that existed between the late Ooni Okunade sijuwade (Olubuse II) and Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) has rather gone better subsequent to Ooni Ogunwusi’s coronation as Kabiyesi almost on daily basis communicates with members of Sijuwade family led by Prince Tokunbo, who is in charge of the business empire left behind by the late Ooni Sijuwade.”

“The family head of the entire Sijuwades Prince Adekunle Sijuwade, two weeks ago, led other members of the royal family including Prince Tokunbo and Prince Aderemi on a homage to Kabiyesi Ogunwusi where they pledged their loyalty and readiness to actively key into his agenda of progress for Ile-Ife.”

They described the rumours of the N400 million naira frauds as a hoax incapable of bringing the much valuable hard-earned name of the Ooni to disrepute before the general public