Ooni of Ife Denies Rumors of Visiting Godwin Emefiele in Prison, Clarifies Purpose of Correctional Facility Visit

Ooni of Ife Clarifies Visit to Correctional Facility, Dismisses Allegations of Meeting Emefiele

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, through his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, vehemently denied the recent rumors circulating about his visit to Kuje prison to meet the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

According to Olafare, the monarch's visit was on behalf of a Non-Governmental Organisation, led by Queen Temitope, one of his wives. The NGO focuses on advocating for the welfare and rehabilitation of inmates, partnering with the Kuje correctional authority. The purpose of the visit centered around offering hope to incarcerated individuals for their successful reintegration into society after completing their sentences, coinciding with the celebration of the Ooni's eighth anniversary.

In an official statement, Olafare highlighted, "The allegations circulating aimed to tarnish the monarch's image; however, the event was transparent and publicized. Moreover, the Ooni did not have any personal encounter with Emefiele as the visit was part of an official program orchestrated by the NGO in collaboration with the Kuje Correction Centre."

He further clarified, "The primary focus was instilling hope among the inmates, reassuring them about their potential for societal reintegration post-incarceration. The Arole Ooni presided over the event in honor of his eight-year reign. The event was attended by various public figures and inmate representatives. Therefore, the notion of the Ooni meeting Emefiele during this public affair is baseless."

Expressing concern over the spread of false information, Olafare remarked, "There is publicly available video footage of the event. Additionally, Emefiele is currently in detention and not yet an inmate. Hence, linking his name to this program is an attempt to defame without basis."

The Ooni's office emphasized the importance of accuracy in disseminating information and condemned the unfounded attempt to associate the monarch with unauthorized claims.