The age-long aspiration, nursed by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to
install his close friend and business associate, Prince Dipo Eludoyin,
as the next Ooni of Ife, has been deflated.
The ELITES learnt that Tinubu’s candidate, Eludoyin, has bluntly
refused to be drawn into the racy race for the Ooni’s throne. When the
quiet and self-effacing billionaire was buffeted by pressure from all
angles by his friends, he left Nigeria.
Findings made by The ELITES, revealed that Eludoyin is currently
seeking a temporary respite in China, until the tension, occasioned by
the contest for the Ooni of Ife abates.
It would be recalled that Eludoyin, a bedroom-sharing confidant of
Asiwaju Tinubu, was mentioned as a likely successor to Oba Okunade
Sijuwade Olubuse II, who ascended the loft last month.
Prince Dipo Eludoyin, a holder of the Member of the Federal Republic
of Nigeria, MFR, is the Chairman of Paragon Group. His company owns the
popular Ikeja Mall. However, most of his business ventures are also
domiciled in China, which is like his second country. So influential is
he that he created and funded the platform, on which Akinwunmi Ambode’s
aspiration to become governor of Lagos State was actualised.
Sources disclosed that Eludoyin become disenchanted with the notion
of contesting for the Ooni’s stool, when it dawned on him that his
multi-faceted, multi-billion dollar business empire could crumble, since
he hasn’t prepared anyone to run it for him. Besides, Eludoyin was said
to have nursed the reservation that the Ile-Ife kingmakers and most
prominent Ife indigenes might not be enthusiastic about supporting his
intention, for reasons, which are not unconnected with his ties with
Tinubu.
It is gathered that Eludoyin had confided in some of his friends that
he would return to Nigeria until a new Ooni of Ife is selected.
The ELITES gathered that Eludoyin’s refusal to contest for the Ooni
of Ife’s throne, really rattled Asiwaju Tinubu’s camp, since they had
reposed so much confidence in his candidature. However, sources
disclosed that the camp is currently propping up another candidate,
Adebode Adefioye, to contest for the throne.
Adefioye, also known as Ade, Esq., serves as Chief Executive Officer
of IBK Services Limited. He is a Non-Executive Director of Wema Bank Plc
and a Director of Lafarge Africa.
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