By Muhammad Mamman
Business magnate Olasijibomi Ogundele, Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, has spoken out after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared him wanted over alleged diversion of funds and money laundering.
In a notice issued on Friday by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, the anti-graft agency appealed to Nigerians with information about Mr Ogundele’s whereabouts to come forward.
Hours later, a visibly emotional Mr Ogundele released a viral video in which he broke down in tears, insisting on his innocence. He maintained that the allegations stemmed from a contract involving his company and the Enugu State Government.
“I am not a thief, I am not a fugitive. This was a legitimate contract with the Enugu State Government. They engaged me for a number of projects, including a proposed 69-storey tower — which I designed — and later a school project. Despite the impossibly low pricing and mounting inflation, I undertook the work in good faith,” he explained.
The developer said he mobilised 42 engineers and relocated temporarily to Enugu to oversee the construction. He recalled sustaining a back injury in a road accident during the project, while his staff were occasionally attacked by armed men in rural communities.
Despite his sacrifices, he lamented, the project became frustrated by spiralling costs and prolonged delays.
“When we started, cement was ₦7,000. By the time we left, it was ₦10,000. Inflation and a five-year delay made the project almost impossible to sustain,” he said.
Mr Ogundele alleged that while the governor at the time had assured him of recovering costs from earlier projects, disagreements with the state government eventually soured relations.
Declaring that the EFCC notice had damaged his company’s reputation, he vowed to face investigators.
“They have destroyed the company I built and tarnished my name. But I will go to the EFCC office to clear my record. I told the court we were not fighting the government. I even agreed on what we owed. Yet, I was declared wanted. I will defend myself, because my conscience is clear,” he said.
