For years, many people simply accepted it.
He called himself Prince Adeniyi Mathew Adeyemi.
The title stuck.
Few questioned it.
Fewer still imagined that one day, the claim would become part of one of Nigeria’s biggest government controversies.
But now, as investigators dig deeper into the scandal surrounding the controversial Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC), they are uncovering a story that stretches far beyond forged documents, disputed appointments and billions of naira.
It begins in a palace.
The Search for the Truth
When security agencies launched a quiet investigation into Adeyemi’s background in early 2025, they reportedly weren’t looking for royal history.
Their assignment was straightforward.
Who exactly is the man presenting himself as the Director-General of a government agency the Presidency insists never existed?
To answer that question, investigators reportedly traced his life from childhood—examining his schools, business dealings, family history and personal connections.
Eventually, their search led them to Oyo town.
More specifically, to the palace of the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III.
What Investigators Found at the Palace
Inside the palace, investigators reportedly expected to find answers.
They did.
But not the ones many may have anticipated.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, a senior aide to the late Alaafin told officials that although Adeyemi once lived in the palace, he was never a member of the royal family.
In other words, the man widely known as “Prince” was allegedly not a prince at all.
The palace source reportedly explained that Adeniyi is his family surname, while Mathew is simply his middle name—not evidence of royal lineage.
A Royal Title Under Question
The findings became even more intriguing.
Sources claimed Adeyemi grew up within the palace walls and had, over the years, adopted the title of prince.
According to those familiar with the investigation, the late Alaafin himself allegedly became uncomfortable with the claim.
At one point, the monarch reportedly warned Adeyemi to stop presenting himself as royalty because he had no blood ties to the royal household.
If accurate, it paints the picture of a title that became accepted by repetition rather than inheritance.
But the Story Doesn’t End There
For investigators, the palace was only one chapter.
The bigger mystery remained.
How did the same man eventually become associated with an agency that appeared to enjoy the privileges of a federal government institution?
That question has become the centrepiece of the PFIPC controversy.
The Presidency insists the organisation never existed.
Yet reports suggest it allegedly operated with remarkable access to government structures.
The Agency That Officially Didn’t Exist
The controversy has left Nigerians asking questions that become more difficult to answer with every new revelation.
How did an organisation described by the Presidency as fictitious reportedly secure office space inside the Federal Secretariat in Abuja?
How was it allegedly able to operate a Treasury Single Account with the Central Bank of Nigeria?
How did it reportedly receive a ₦1.3 billion allocation in the 2026 national budget?
Those questions continue to fuel public debate as multiple investigations gather pace.
More Than One Mystery
Sources familiar with the investigation also claimed this may not be an isolated case.
According to them, federal accountability agencies had previously raised concerns about several organisations that somehow found their way into official government records despite doubts over their legitimacy.
One source described the situation as deeply troubling.
“I can confirm that several investigative agencies have in the past questioned some phony organisations appearing in government records. Curiously, some of those bodies remain there,” the source reportedly said.
The statement raises an even bigger concern.
If one disputed agency allegedly gained such access, could there be others?
A Controversy That Keeps Growing
The spotlight on Adeyemi intensified after the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, publicly distanced himself from both the man and the PFIPC.
Gbajabiamila accused Adeyemi of operating an illegal body and denied any connection to him.
Adeyemi has denied wrongdoing.
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Instead, he has insisted the council is legitimate while making a series of allegations against the Chief of Staff.
The competing claims have transformed what initially appeared to be a case of alleged impersonation into one of Nigeria’s most closely watched political controversies.
A Prince Or Nah…
Whether Adeyemi is a prince or not may eventually prove to be only a small piece of the puzzle.
The larger mystery is how a body the Federal Government says never legally existed allegedly found its way into official records, secured office space, operated government-linked accounts and appeared to function with the aura of legitimacy.
As investigators continue to piece together the story, one thing is becoming increasingly clear.
The PFIPC saga is no longer just about one man.
It has become a test of how easily public institutions can be imitated, official systems allegedly exploited and government credibility called into question.
And with fresh revelations emerging almost daily, many believe the biggest chapters of the story are yet to be written.