The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has said one Ms Fagbule who accused him of swindling her of the sum of $180,000 with a promise of marriage through Facebook was a victim of romance scam.

The Ooni said this while denying knowing or ever being in any form of contact, interpersonal communication or relationship whatsoever with the Ms. Fagbule.

Also read: Breaking News: Ooni of Ife Palace denounces fake romance scam allegations

The Ooni said contrary to the claim of the woman, he does not operate any Facebook accounts personally.

The traditional ruler said he manages his palace as an institutional organisation with a functional media directorate, which has a section that operates his social media handles – Instagram, Facebook etc.

He also wondered why the woman didn’t come to the palace to meet him in person throughout the so-called relationship if she is from Osun State or living in Ile Ife as she claimed in the trending story on the internet.

The revered traditional ruler therefore said the claim that he promised the woman marriage after he received the sum of $180,000 from her as alleged in a blog on the internet was spurious and baseless.

Ooni Adeyeye said this in a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare, on Wednesday evening in reaction to the alleged romance scam which has been trending on twitter.

The foremost traditional ruler said, “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 by all means.

“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 the genuine concerns expressed by subjects, friends and lovers of the Ooni globally on this matter.

“The following assertions are hereby made for necessary clarifications: That the news as posted by a Twitter (now X) handle called ‘99% OPPRESSED’ is fake, untrue and absolutely an unfounded allegation only adopted as a nugatory character assassination tactic, aimed at achieving cheap popularity with a view to drawing huge followers/traffic for avaricious monetisation from Twitter (X).

“That the so-called Ms Fagbule was and is never known to the Ooni of Ife for any interpersonal communication or relationship whatsoever, talk less of being so promised with a marriage proposal.

“Ooni Adeyeye does not operate any Facebook accounts personally. He runs the palace as an institutional organisation with a functional media directorate, which has a section that operates his social media handles – Instagram, Facebook etc,” the statement read in part.

“Rather than taking her matter to the appropriate agencies like EFCC and the Police for professional investigation, which could have adequately helped her, she chose to make it a social media brouhaha.

“If, for whatever reason, she had preferred social media to the Police and EFCC who are professionally trained, shouldn’t she have engaged a credible mainstream media organisation – print and electronic, or consulted credible Human Right crusaders like CDHR, Femi Falana Chambers and their likes in the country, who undoubtedly possess tested capacity and passion for applying principles of justice and fairness in their efforts of thorough investigation in any matter of injustice against the oppressed,” the Ooni queried.