By Uche Amunike
The palace of the Osun State Monarch, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeleye Ogunwusi, has debunked the rumors of a marriage scam involving the monarch, describing it as fake news.
Speaking through a statement released to newsmen by the Director of Media and Public Affairs at the Ooni’s palace, Moses Olafare, he advised the general public to beware of internet marriage proposal scammers who take advantage of their desperation.
He addressed the claims which involved Ms Fagbule, who was allegedly swindled off $180,000 by individuals impersonating the Ooni of Ife.
The statement partly read: ‘The Palace of the Ooni of Ife is not unaware of a trending fake news about one Ms. Fagbule purportedly swindled of $180,000 allegedly by our father, Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.’
‘It is worrisome the level at which ladies have been making themselves victims of marriage frauds on the internet despite our several warnings to the general public, particularly ladies whose ultimate ambition is to become queens of the Ooni, to beware of internet marriage proposal scammers who capitalize on their gullibility and desperation.’
Olafare further stated: ‘Even though it is not in our tradition to respond to fake news like this, posted and promoted by a criminal faceless source through a Twitter (now X) account, it has become imperative to make this response for necessary clarifications in order to calm the inundation of genuine concerns expressed by subjects, friends, and lovers of the Ooni globally.’
‘The news as posted by a Twitter (now X) handle called ‘99% OPPRESSED’ is fake, untrue, and an unfounded allegation adopted as a character assassination tactic aimed at achieving cheap popularity.’
Ms. Fagbule, according to the statement, is not known to the monarch personally, or have they had any interpersonal communication ever, how much more, a marriage proposal.
The statement also highlighted the fact that the Ooni of Ife does not operate any personal Facebook account, reiterating that the so-called letter of marriage proposal shared online was fake.
Olafare continued: ‘Rather than taking her matter to appropriate agencies like the EFCC and the Police for professional investigation, she chose to make it a social media brouhaha,’ Olafare noted.
‘If she truly has a genuine case of marriage proposal fraud, she is hereby invited to the palace in Ile-Ife to physically meet the Ooni for his fatherly assistance and the help of law enforcement agencies to uncover the perpetrators.’
He made it clear that the monarch does not interact with anyone through the internet or social media, adding that unlike the fake letter posted on the media, the letterhead of the palace is unique and familiar to corporate bodies, personalities, and other recipients as it has the Ooni’s signature signed as ‘Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula’ and not ‘His Imperial Majesty.
Recall that an anonymous journalist had alleged in a post on X that the Ooni of Ife scammed a US doctor of $180,000 after the doctor showed interest in building hospitals in some southwest states in Nigeria. The monarch allegedly cut off ties with the US doctor after he failed to make the investments as both earlier agreed by them.
In May 2024, a certain man claimed in a viral video that Ooni of Ife was his father and that the Monarch, hid him with his mother with an instruction that he should remain discreet. He eventually apologized to the foremost traditional ruler.
