By Adekunle Oluwafunmilayo
Prof. Fassy Yusuf, the Vice Chairman of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, has taken legal action against 11 members of a supposed breakaway faction. In a suit filed at the Ogun State High Court, Ijebu-Ode Judicial Division, the university lecturer and legal practitioner is demanding N10 billion in damages for alleged defamation and severe reputational injury.
The legal battle stems from the publication and distribution of a contentious document titled "Report of the Fusengbuwa Fact-Finding Committee," dated August 9, 2026. Prof. Yusuf contends that the circulation of this document has inflicted substantial harm on his standing as a prominent academic and legal professional.
According to details of suit HCJ/153/2026, filed on August 24, 2026, the listed defendants include Pa Olusegun Olusoga, Mr. Ridwan Odunrye, Muyiwa Adeleye, Alhaji Taiwo Ajumo, Mr. Sikiru Adegunwa, Hon. Kehinde Lawal, Mr. Logunleko Oludare, Prince Abdul Onalaja, Mr. Ashiru Mufutau, Prince Osiyemi Johnson, and Prince Adeleke Adeyemi.
In addition to the main compensation claim, the claimant is seeking N5 million to cover legal expenses alongside an order of perpetual injunction. This restraining order aims to permanently prohibit the defendants from preparing, releasing, or disseminating further defamatory materials against him.
Prof. Yusuf is also demanding that the court order the defendants to issue a "full, unequivocal and unconditional retraction and unreserved apology." This statement must be widely published across major national daily newspapers, social media outlets, and all other channels where the original accusations were circulated.
Central to the statement of claim is a request for judicial clarity regarding the severe nature of the accusations. Specifically, the claimant is asking the court for:
“A declaration that the statements, allegations and imputations in the said report, particularly those alleging financial inducement, bribery and document manipulation are false, defamatory and gravely injurious to his reputation.”
Furthermore, the legal challenge targets the legitimacy of the panel that authored the findings, asserting that it possessed no genuine standing. Prof. Yusuf seeks:
“A declaration that the purported Fusengbuwa Fact-Finding Committee was unlawfully and improperly constituted, lacked lawful authority or mandate to investigate, adjudicate upon, or make binding findings concerning him, and that the report produced by the said Committee is invalid, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
The statement of claim emphasizes that the panel falsely purported to reach authoritative conclusions regarding Prof. Yusuf and two other key leaders, who serve as the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the official Fusengbuwa Ruling House Family Structure.
This royal dispute carries significant historical weight, as the Fusengbuwa Ruling House is next in line to present a candidate for the stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland. The throne became vacant following the passing of Oba Sikiru Adetona on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91, concluding a historic 65-year reign.
However, the selection process for the new monarch remains on hold. The Ogun State Government formally suspended all succession activities due to escalating chieftaincy tensions, competing petitions, and severe security considerations within the ruling house.
