Ooni in visa-racket scandal, Oba calls on Osun govt. to investigate

The Oonirisa of Ile Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi is in the storm of controversies that are interestingly from his kinsmen. To show how things have degenerated, one of the kings in Ife, Oba Adeyeba Sikiru-Adeniji, the Akoja II, Olujudo of Ile-Ido, Ife has petititioned the Osun state government to set up a commission of inquiry to investigate numerous allegation he raised via an open letter to governor Rauf Aregbesola.

In a two-page advertorial placed in the Guardian newspaper of September 28, 2017 the Oba alleged among other things that the palace was engaged in visa racketeering. According to him “Oba Ogunwusi has done incalculable damage to the image of Ile Ife, Osun state and Nigeria when an Oba of his standing will want to travel out of the country and will start to scout for those who are interested in travelling out of the country on the basis of cash and carry using his official position to do visa racketeering”.

He continues “in return, he collects a whopping sum of money from them only to succeed in embarrassing Ile Ife, Osun state and Nigeria in general, this happened during his recent tour of the United States, United Kingdom and Canada”

The letter titled COMPLAINT OF DESECRATION, DESTRUCTION, FORGERY, COUNTERFEITING AND ABUSE OF THE SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY BY OBA ADEYEYE ENITAN OGUNWUSI, THE INCUBENT OONI OF ILE IFE. A DEMAND FOR SETTING UP OF A COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY specifically alleged that the popular Aare Crown has been sold by the Ooni, saying what was worn at the last festival was a counterfeit.

The Oba alleged “I have two important palace sources who informed me and whom I believed that Ooni Ogunwusi has sold the original ancient Aare crown being a very important artifact to some people abroad”
‘The symbol of yoruba authority will soon be displayed in a museum abroad’ he said.

Among other weighty allegations are illegal land grabbing and acquisition of government, community and private peoples properties and illegal mining.

However, a one billion Naira suit has been slammed on the Ooni Ogunwusi by Oba Sikiru Adeniji.

The suit with number HIF/48/17 filed on September 11, 2017 at The High Court of Justice of Osun State of Nigeria in the Ile-Ife Judicial Division by Barrister Edmund Z. Biriomoni of Edmund Z. Biriomoni and Co Chambers is asking among other things:

An order of the court “setting aside and / or nullifying the installation of the 1st Defendant, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife having failed to preserved the tradition, customs and cultural heritage of the Ife People ,the Yoruba race by selling and/ or destroying the AARE CROWN which was made and presented to him by the Plaintiff, Ompetu, Oba Sikiru Adeniji Adeyeba, Olojudo of Ile-Ido,Ife at Oloroke Shrine as part of his installation rites and performing the 2016 OLOJO FESTIVAL with a fake AARE CROWN”.

It is also asking for an Order “restraining the 1st Defendant, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife from being recognized as Ooni of Ife having failed to preserved the tradition, customs and cultural heritage of the Ife People, the Yoruba race by selling and/ or destroying the AARE CROWN which was made and presented to him by the Plaintiff, Ompetu, Oba Sikiru Adeniji Adeyeba, Olojudo of Ile-Ido,Ife at Oloroke Shrine as part of his installation rites”.

It is also seeking an Order “restraining the Governor of Osun State from recognizing the 1st Defendant, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi,Ojaja II,Ooni of Ife as Ooni of Ife”.

While it also seeks an order “directing the Governor of Osun State and the Ife Traditional Kingmakers to immediately commence the process of installing another credible person for the installation of a new Ooni of Ife.

It is asking the court to grant it the “sum of =N=1,000,000,000.00( One Billion Naira only) as damages against the 1st Defendant for the destruction of the Plaintiff’s ,Ompetu, Oba Sikiru Adeniji Adeyeba AARE CROWN which was presented to the 1st Defendant, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi,Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife at Oloroke Shrine as part of his installation rites”.

The suit has Oba Sikiru Adeniji Adeyeba as the Plaintiff and Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Ooni Of Ife and Chief Adekola Adeyeye, Lowa Of Ife; Chief Idowu Adediwura, Obalufe Of Ife, for themselves and on behalf of the Ife Traditional Council and Kingmakers; Governor of Osun State and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Osun State as defendants.