A human rights group in Nigeria, the Centre for Human Rights and
Social Justice (CHRSJ) has called on the Inspector General of Police
(IGP), Mr. Solomon Arase to effect the arrest of Ooni-Elect, Prince
Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi over an allegation of N400 million forgery
that Ogunwusi duped the late Ooni of Ife,Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubuse
11 over Royal Estate, insisting that Prince Ogunwusi did not have
immunity from arrest and prosecution.
It also stated that the alleged offence committed by the Ooni-Elect
was contrary to the Chapter 43 section 463-465 and chapter 44 section
467 sub-section 1A&B(L.N.112 of 1964,1976 N0.27) , chapter 46 section
484-489, chapter 47, 48&49 section 490-494 of the Criminal code act
CAP ‘C’:38 and EFCC act with cases and materials, Extras of ICPC
&Money Laundering act 2010,law of the federation, Criminal code law
with questions and answers for Police College.
Addressing the Press Conference at the International Press Centre
(IPC),Ogba,Lagos on Wednesday, the Executive Chairman of the CHRSJ,
Comrade Adeniyi,Alimi Sulaiman said that the alleged N400 million
forgery offence committed by Prince Ogunwusi, attracted Capital
Punishment and jail terms, saying that Ogunwusi was not fit to be a
monarch in the ancient town of Ile-Ife.
Rights activist recalled that a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr.
Rotimi Jacobs of Rotimi Jacobs & Co Chambers, authored a Petition
Letter dated September 7th, 2015, where N400 million forgery
allegation was raised against Prince Enitan Ogunwusi that he duped the
late Ooni of Ife,Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubuse 11 over Royal Estate.
The text of speech reads thus, “It is against this background that
CHRSJ wrote a Petition Letter dated Monday 2nd November,2015 to the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) calling for immediate
prosecution of Prince Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and his Company,
Metropole Interproject Limited over an alleged N400million forgery and
we also refer the Chairman of the EFCC to the EFCC’s letter dated 17th
September,2015 to Principal Partner, Olawoyin(Legal Practitioners) and
a letter dated 23rd September,2015 from Olawoyin&Olawoyin(Legal
Practitioners) to EFCC on the subject matter.
” In view of the above analysis, the truth must be told to ourselves
that Prince Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi is not fit and aberration to be
selected as Ooni-Elect because anybody that would occupy such position
should be a person of impeccable character and morally upright. The
selection should not be based on only questionable wealth which the
source is dirty.
Comrade Sulaiman who were worried over the implication of choosing
somebody of questionable character as Ooni of Ife, noting that in no
distance time, the eyes of those who perpetrated the evil act will
soon be opened, adding the stool of Ooni of Ife should not be
jeopardized because of somebody who fraudulently acquired wealth and
see the development as barbaric, inhuman, ungodly and disheartening
which is not only heartless but a crime against humanity and God.
According to him:”Nigeria as a nation has virtually lost its values
and ethos .the offence of this nature should attract but most of the
crimes were committed by our leaders because Nigeria leaders are law
breakers like Prince Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, as evident in the
on-going forgery allegation leveled against him (Ooni-Elect).
“We cannot be economical with the truth and reality because of what we
are going to eat. People like Prince Enitan Ogunwusi emerged as
Ooni-Elect because Nigeria is morally bankrupt, instead to be facing
criminal charge of forgery and false pretence which attracted jail
terms. The stool of Ooni of Ife in Yorubaland is not an ordinary
traditional institution in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, as any
occupier of this stool after late Oba Okunade Sijuwade, should be a
man of moral upright and symbol of truth that will be above board in
all ramifications”.
CHRSJ boss added that: “While seeing the traditional stools in
Nigeria, especially, in Yorubaland as essential key to community and
national development. We (CHRSJ) are worried over the emergency of
Prince Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi as Ooni-elect of Ile-Ife,the source of
Yoruba race and we cannot also hide our disposition on the rationale
behind the faulty selection process of the Ile-Ife kingmakers where
Prince Adeyeye Ogunwusi was selected, when the allegation of
N4oomillion forgery was on his neck and Ogunwusi is yet to clear his
name till the present moment.Our people, particularly, the innocent
Nigerians should not be carried away by the kind of people that are
trooping to the ancient town to pay homage to the Prince Enitan
Adeyeye Ogunwusi during his sacred period because most of them are
birds of the same feathers”.