Ooni of Ife Denies $180k Scam Allegations by US-Based Woman

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has firmly denied shocking allegations that he scammed a US-based woman out of $180,000.

A well-known blogger took to X, claiming the respected king deceived a woman from Osun named Fagbule in what was alleged to be a marriage scam. According to the post, filled with voice notes, the traditional ruler was close with the victim, who hailed from Ile-Ife. She was reportedly attempting to establish free medical services for women and children in her city but was allegedly tricked.

In a scathing reaction posted on Facebook by the Ooni’s spokesman, Moses Olafare, Ogunwusi labeled the claims as “fake, untrue, and completely unfounded.” The monarch vehemently denied any personal ties to Fagbule, stating she had fallen prey to clever con artists impersonating him.

Ogunwusi further warned women that their desire to become his wife made them easy targets for scammers, advising them to remain cautious.

The statement reads in part, “The news as posted by a Twitter (now X) handle called ‘99% OPPRESSED’ is fake, untrue, and absolutely an unfounded allegation, merely a tactic for character assassination aimed at gaining cheap popularity and driving traffic for monetization on Twitter (X).”

The Ooni criticized Fagbule for her approach, suggesting that she should have reported her grievances to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) rather than airing them on social media.