You’re not my son – Ooni tells self-acclaimed prince

The palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, on Thursday, disowned a claim by a man in a viral video, who said the monarch was his father.

A statement by the monarch’s spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said the man in the viral video engaged in an act of impersonation, noting that the matter had been reported to the security agencies for further action.

Olafare said Oba Ogunwusi, being a responsible father and custodian of tradition, knew and acknowledged all his children and would stop at nothing to take full responsibility for them.

He declared that the self-acclaimed prince was unknown to the palace and the Ile-Ife populace.

“He is not a child of Ooni Ogunwusi as fraudulently claimed and also never related in any way to any lineage of the Ogunwusi royal family and the Giesi royal compound of Ile-Ife at large,” the statement stated.

It reads in part: “Our attention has been drawn to an amateur video clip featuring a grown-up individual claiming to be a son of our father, Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll, the Ooni of Ife, virally trending across various online platforms.

“We categorically condemn and denounce this shameless act of impersonation in the strongest possible terms.

“It is imperative to clarify that the Ooni of Ife, as a responsible father and custodian of tradition, knows and acknowledges all his children and stops at nothing to take full responsibility for them (both those who are in Nigeria and outside the country).”

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The palace listed all the children of the traditional ruler and their respective locations.

“As all of Ooni’s children are well known to the palace and the people of Ile-Ife, the eldest child of the Ooni is Princess Adeola Ogunwusi, a Masters degree holder working and residing in Canada, followed by Princess Adewamiwa Ogunwusi, who recently relocated to further her education in Dublin, Ireland, from where she had come three years ago for her secondary school education in her home country, Nigeria.

“Princess Adesewa is doing very well, Prince Tadenikawo Ogunwusi is widely known to be with his mother, hale and hearty while the newborn twins, Prince Adebisi Kehinde and Princess Taiwo Adeayo, are being planned to formally make their historic entry into the palace in a couple of days, in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Ife palace,” it stated.

The release added, “His marauding impersonation tactics to exploit the revered status of the Ooni of Ife for fraudulent personal gains is not only sacrilegious but also criminal.

“Impersonation of any member of the royal family is a sacrilege against the sanctity of the palace and the heritage it represents.

“While the palace leaves no stone unturned to go after this criminal using all possible means to scapegoat him, with a view to making him face the law for necessary deterrence, we hereby urge the law enforcement agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police Force and Department of State Security to thoroughly investigate this matter and bring the perpetrator to justice as swiftly as possible.”

It asked that any individual with useful information about the whereabouts of the impersonator to seek an audience with the palace or the police.

It also called on the said impersonator to refrain from engaging in or promoting such deceptive practices.

The release assured that the House of Oduduwa remained committed to preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and would not tolerate any attempt to undermine or tarnish its legacy through fraudulent means.

You’re not my son – Ooni tells self-acclaimed prince

Fubara speaks on why he visited Rivers Assembly Quarters

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has offered clarification regarding his recent visit to the residential quarters of the State House of Assembly, emphasizing that the purpose was to evaluate the structures for potential rehabilitation and to ensure their habitability.

Emefiele trial: Ex-CBN director, contractor reveal more ‘secrets’

The trial of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, charged with abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud continued on Thursday with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), tendering bundles of documents before the court.

The bundles of documents were tendered through the third prosecution witness, a Compliance Officer with the Zenith Bank, Mr Clement Ngolu, by the EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

The documents were admitted into evidence following no objections from the first defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), and the second defence counsel, Mr Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN).

PlatinumPost reports that Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the original copies of Zenith Bank account opening package, statement of account of Limelight Multidimensional Services Ltd., sent to the EFCC into evidence.

“I have read the documents dated March 2024, and I admit the original certified copy of the bundles of documents which include account opening package, statement of accounts into evidence and are marked as Exhibit A,” Oshodi said.

Ngolu, in his evidence, said his department responded to regulators and law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that the bank activities were in line with banking policies and regulations .

He added that his department worked with agencies such as the EFCC, the Nigeria Police, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

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The witness said that his department in 2014 got a request from the EFCC to furnish them with statements of accounts of Limelight and two other accounts.
“The documents we sent to the EFCC was duly signed by the staff of the bank.

“The process of generating the statement was through our computer system which was in good condition.

“The documents were printed out from the company’s computer which was working well and the documents were in the bank’s custody,” the witness said.

The defence, however, said they had no question for the witness.

Also, a former Director of Information Technology of CBN, Mr John Ayoh, in the continuation of his cross-examination, said he had a confrontation with Emefiele because he asked him to do something wrong.

The witness who further confirmed that he was sidelined by the embattled governor added that his being sidelined made him not to have any relationship with him.
“I was not happy being unpopular with the former CBN governor but on a number of occasions, I signed contract letters to vendors.

“While I was a director with the CBN, my loyalty was to the bank and the Nigerian nation and my relationship with Emefiele was only formal and based on instructions.

“The governor and the four deputy governors of the bank alongside the directors make up the management of the CBN,” he said.

The fourth witness, a contractor, in his evidence , testified before the court how he was allegedly pressurised by the apex bank management to pay $600,000 for the contract which he had executed.

NAN reports that Ayoh had on April 29 narrated before the court how he allegedly collected $600,000 for contract gratification for Emefiele.

The EFCC had on April 8 arraigned Emefiele on 23 counts bordering on abuse of office, accepting gratifications, corrupt demand, receiving property fraudulently obtained and conferring corrupt advantage.

Also, his co-defendant was arraigned on three counts bordering on acceptance of gift by agents
The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The judge adjourned the case until May 17.

Emefiele trial: Ex-CBN director, contractor reveal more ‘secrets’