ONE of the candidates shortlisted to become the next Ooni of Ife Adeyeye Ogunwusi is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for forgery, fraudulent conversion and obtaining the sum of N400m (£1.3m) by false pretence.
In July, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, 85, the 50th Ooni of Ile-Ife passed away at Saint Mary’s Hospital in London where he was being treated for an illness after being hurried flown out of Nigeria. He has since been buried and the race for a successor has begun with kingmakers screening potential candidates.
Mr Ogunwusi, a royal prince is one of the candidates being looked at but over the last week, he and his firm, Metropole Interproject have come under investigation by the EFCC. In a petition written by the chambers of Rotimi Jacobs & Co dated September 7, 2015, Messrs Sijuwade Holdings (SHL) stated that in 1993, it purchased a parcel of land measuring 30,000 square metres from the Ojomu Chieftaincy Family at the Lekki peninsula, Lagos and duly obtained the governor’s consent to the transaction.
Thereafter, the company claimed it entered into an agreement with Metropole Interproject for the latter to sand-fill the entire parcel of land and that upon completion of the sand filling, Metropole would be given 7,500 square metres from the land to serve as the company’s fees. Also, the petition stated that after the completion of the sand-filling, Metropole offered to develop the remaining portion of land for SHL, adding that the offer was accepted on the condition that the development would be in phases.
According to the petition, the responsibilities of Metropole as stated in the Development Mandate Agreement included the funding of the development and procurement of all necessary permits from the federal and Lagos State governments as well as the funding/construction of 24 duplex units on the 7,500 square metres and this was to form the basis of Metropole’s equity in the project entitling the developer to 16 units out of the 24. It added, however, that Mr Ogunwusi reneged on the agreement.
It added: “To our client’s surprise, the search revealed that Mr Ogunwusi/Metropole had forged the title documents by superimposing the name of Metropole Interproject Limited as a co-owner of the parcel of land. The signature of Professor Olawoyin, who prepared the title document was also forged by Mr Ogunwusi/Metropole.
“Mr. Ogunwusi also submitted a forged Certificate of Incorporation with the name Metropole Interproject & Sijuwade Holdings Limited. He also forged some documents belonging to the Lagos State Government and uttered same to the Lagos State Physical Planning and Development Authority.”
Apart from the forgery, SHL also claimed that Mr Ogunwusi sold the eight duplex units that ought to have accrued to his client and he converted the proceeds, running into N400m, to his personal use. The petitioner, therefore, asked the EFCC to investigate the circumstances under which the title documents were allegedly forged.
In a letter with reference CR:3000/LS/EGC-1/VOL. 6/409, the EFCC asked legal firm Olawoyin & Olawoyin to confirm if the agreement allegedly submitted by Metropole for the building permits was prepared by the firm. The EFCC’s letter was signed by one Abubakar Madaki on behalf of the head of operations and stated that the request was made pursuant to Section 38 (1) (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004; and Section 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012.
