FRAUD ALERT: Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, the Fake World Youth President

It is no more news in Nigeria that some individuals rose to power in politics bearing false claims of their previous achievements. An example of such was the recent controversies surrounding Senator Dino Melaye's certificate. It is quite certain that the “Ajekun iya Senator” will be one of many of his generations that have explored such means to establish themselves into the Nigerian political system. It is worrisome to see some youth trailing the same path. It is therefore expedient that we, as Nigerians who are interested in advocating for anti-corruption and good governance, should make every effort to stop these youths from climbing into the political system using such dubious means and tarnishing the image of our dear country.

In November 2016, news emerged on several social media platforms based in Nigeria, that Mr Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi Matthew has been elected as the President of the World Youth Organization (WYO). Later in January 2017, Mr Adeniyi claimed to have been sworn into office at the United Nations headquarter in Geneva, Switzerland in a photograph that vividly showed a room setup in Nigeria with various deceptive costumes (See attached picture). The self-proclamation of Adeniyi as the president of WYO was also covered by prominent newspapers such as Nigerian Tribune Tribune (http://tribuneonlineng.com/nigerian-emerges-president-general-world-youth-organisation/) and Vanguard News Vanguard (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/nigerian-adeyemi-heads-world-youth-organisation/). It is so shameful to see these prominent news outlets covering and feeding the Nigeria populace with such falsified stories without conducting comprehensive findings. Interestingly, one of them mentioned that Mr. Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was a former aide to former United Nations’s Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, and former Accounting Officer to the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade. Kindly check the link to read more from the inept reporters of these various news outlets.

Since then, Mr Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew Adeniyi Matthew II has been parading himself in this capacity and soliciting financial supports and political collaborations in Nigeria under the auspices of his “self-proclaimed” position at the WYO. Moreover, he is currently promoting the "World Economic Youth Summit 2017" under the disguise of this position using a self-created Facebook page World Youth Economic Summit 2017 (https://www.facebook.com/World-Youth-Economic-Summit-2017-1663101880650104/). He is also inviting people, probably gullible Nigerians, to use $600 to register for the conference in an attempt to siphon their money

(http://wyesummit.org/registration/). His folly caught up with him when we realized that the website was designed by Webline of address #2 Ogunyase Street, UI, Ibadan. Our checks showed that there is an authentic organization with the same name and based in the UK World Youth Organization. The organization is a registered charity in England and Wales, and not related to UN as Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew claimed. Information available on the WYO's website showed that the organisation does not have a president presently but headed by a Chief Executive, Kieran Max Goodwin (https://www.worldyo.org/our-organisation/staff). Interestingly, Mr. Adeniyi Matthew referenced Kieran Max Goodwin as one of those that organised the election that brought him into office and was also present at his inauguration. This prompted us to contact the WYO to make further enquiries. It is to our amazement to hear that WYO has been earlier alerted of the fraudulent activities carried out by Mr. Adeniyi Matthew and the organization released a public statement to this effect in February 2017 to denounce any link with Mr. Adeniyi Matthew (https://www.worldyo.org/news/latest-news/2017-02-12-fraud-warning-organisation-based-nigeria)

On the 5th April 2017, we further obtained a comprehensive document from the Director of Public Relations of WYO, Tom Hinchcliffe and Deputy Director Jack Meeson detailing the outcome of the organisation's investigations on the fraudulent activities of Adeniyi Matthew. Please see Under Watch Nigeria for the email correspondent and fraud compilation document sent to our organisation by Tom Hinchcliffe. Indeed, Adeniyi Matthew’s fraudulent activities have constituted an embarrassment to the fast-depleting reputation of Nigeria in the international community. He’s just another desperate Nigerian looking at exploring a charity organization established by youths (under 25) in the UK to advance education and relieve unemployment among youth.

Furthermore, our background checks with many of Adeniyi's colleagues confirmed that he studied Agronomy at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. However, they are doubtful of his graduation from the university with his cohort in 2012 because he didn’t participate in the mandatory farm year for 400 Level students due to carry-over courses exceeding 6 credit units. This information was verified by the fact that his name was missing in the 2011/2012 convocation list. Then, it is very illogical to agree to Mr. Adeniyi Matthew’s profile that stated that he earned another Bachelor and Master’s degree in Accounting Management at the The University of Western Ontario from 2011 to 2015. Our checks on the website of the The University of Western Ontario showed that the institution does not even have any program called Accounting Management. Sources close to him confirmed that he has never for once traveled out of Nigeria as he claimed in all his bogus publicity through the various social media and news outlet. Moreover, we confirmed that Adeniyi's claim as a SUG President at LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY ,OGBOMOSO Lautech from 2007 to 2012 is false. He was at no time elected into this position. He has been deleting some of his posts lately because he knows he contradicts himself on many occasions. There was a time he claimed to have created an empowerment program with the Oyo State Government but deleted the link on his Facebook account (see published Under Watch Nigeria).

A check at Adeniyi Matthew’s facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/EMPEROR2O19) showed that he has used this falsified position to extend his political collaborations across Nigeria as evident with photographs of him with former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan, Olusegun Obasanjo and Abubakar AbdulSalam as well as State governors and other eminent Nigerians such as Chief Emeka Anyaoku (former Commonwealth Secretary-General).There are strong indications to suggest that Adeniyi Matthew is actually putting up this impersonating strategy for financial gains and to boost his political ambitions in the nearest future.

Dear, fellow Nigerians and friends of Nigeria across the world, please join us in halting the fraudulent activities of such individuals, like Adeniyi Matthew, before they become irresistible to the public. Kindly spread this news and let us shame him for wanting to further tarnish our dear country’s image by his lazy, corrupt and senseless attitude and actions. Sensible and upright Nigerians are hardworking, talented and innovative; they bring solutions to world problems and a lot of them works with successful corporations and great minds across the world.

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NB: This piece has been put together by "Under Watch Nigeria” a virtual citizen-embraced investigation platform for advocating for anti-corruption and good governance in Nigeria. We have been working assiduously on this case for the past 5-6 months to unravel his claims and activities.