Prince Olusegun Babatunde Fowokan, FCNA, ACMA sets the record straight

My attention and those of the good people of Ijebu Ode has been drawn to the interview of one Dr. Fassy Yusuf where he claimed “THE OLISA OF IJEBU-ODE IS ON SUSPENSION AND ONLY A NEW AWUJALE CAN REINSTATE HIM”

Dr. Fassy Yusuf’s admission to have recently released a document purportedly suspending the Olisa of Ijebu Ode, Olisa Rasheed Adeoye Adesanya, Ademoku II, FCA and his claim of being a Deputy Family Head of Fusengbuwa, the next Ruling House to produce the Awujale, exposes him and his accomplices’ sole intent to capture the traditional architecture of Ijebuland by foisting an illegitimate Awujale on the Ijebus. It is glaring that Fassy Yusuf and his accomplices had long identified the Olisa of Ijebu Ode as a likely stumbling block to their agenda and as such repeatedly instigate campaign of calumny against the Olisa.

Ordinarily, Fassy Yusuf and his associates schemes to sustain their dependency on the office of the Awujale of Ijebuland which is an open secret, does not require a response. However, his choice of misinforming the public through interviews compels my humble self a son of the immediate past Olisa of Ijebu Ode, to address Dr. Fassy Yusuf’s false narratives. This is aimed at preventing misinformation of the public and for the sake of posterity. It is hereby clarified as follows;

1. If not for the popular Yoruba adage that says “at the demise of the Elephant, various kinds of knives will arrive”, Fassy Yusuf have no say whatsoever in the succession of the Awujale much more his pretense of belonging to a Ruling House of the Awujale.

2. The Olisa of Ijebu Ode is not only a traditional ruler but a part II Chief like the Orimolusi of Ijebu Igbo and the Dagburewe of Idowa. He is not only the next in command to the Awujale but heads Ijebuland’s Aristocrats “Ilamuren”. The Olisa is the head of Kingmakers for the Awujale Chieftaincy stool as well as the Chairman of the Ijebu Ode Town Council. See: Para. 110 Page 37 of the Intelligence Report on Ijebu Ode Town & Villages by Mr. T.B Bovell-Jones (District Officer) dated 7th May, 1943.

3. While myself and the good people of Ijebu Ode are in no doubt that Fassy Yusuf and his types are the ones misleading the Ogun State Government and dictating its recent assault on the Awujale of Ijebuland Chieftaincy Declaration in flagrant disregard for the ancient custom and tradition of Ijebuland, it is height of mischief for Fassy Yusuf, a supposed Lawyer, to boldly misrepresent Olisa’s salary to his suspension. The public is hereby informed that the Olisa of Ijebu Ode was at no time suspended.

4. Contrary, to the self-serving claims of Fassy Yusuf, the traditional Rulership of the Olisa of Ijebu Ode is backed by law, history and tradition. The Olisa is addressed by the Ijebu Traditional Council in its official correspondences spanning over twenty years as a traditional ruler “Kabiyesi or Alaiyeluwa”. It should be noted that except the Awujale and the Olisa of Ijebu Ode, no member of the Ijebu Traditional Council signs any legal document in respect of Ijebuland, as their stools never existed until its recent creation by the Awujale of Ijebuland. See: Treaty of cessation Ikosi and Area dated 6th July, 1892 and others in respect of some other parts of Ijebuland signed by the Awujale of Ijebuland, the Olisa of Ijebu Ode and the authorities of Ijebu Ode.

5. Fassy Yusuf’s claim as being a “Deputy Family Head” of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Ijebu Ode is not only sacrilegious but a joke taken much too far and smacks of ignorance as no such office exist anywhere in Ijebuland much more for a Ruling House of the Awujale.

6. While it is left for the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Ile Nla Agunsenbi Quarters, Ijebu Ode to either put impostors in their proper place or continue to condone Fassy Yusuf and his accomplices growing assault on their heritage. The general public is hereby informed that Fassy Yusuf, has no connection whatsoever to any of the four Ruling Houses of the Awujale and neither himself or his ancestors have any ancestral building at the Fusengbuwa Compound, Agunsenbi Quarters, Ijebu Ode. His pretence is compounded by his ignorance of the fact that traditionally, Alhaji Lateef Owoyemi from Idowa whom he claims to deputize also has no right to the Family Headship (Olori Ebi) of any family in Ijebu Ode much more Fusengbuwa Ruling House. Fassy Yusuf is hereby educated by referring them to para. 110 Page 37 of the Intelligence Report on Ijebu Ode Town & Villages by Mr. T.B Bovell-Jones (District Officer) dated 7th May, 1943, which declared “Persons from outside could not be regarded as Heads of families in Ijebu Ode”.

7. Contrary to Fassy Yusuf’s false claim that the Olisa of Ijebu Ode is an ordinary chief, a claim which might have been informed by a popular saying in Ijebu Ode that “Oba mi dade Olisa mi de Aboro” interpreted as the King (Awujale) adorns a Crown while the Olisa adorns a Coronet. Had Fassy Yusuf had simple understanding of the foregoing, he should have chosen another route in his desperate attempt at denigrating the ancient stool of the Olisa. It is pertinent to note that only the Awujale was originally addressed as an Oba throughout the Ijebu country which gave rise to the above Ade and Aboro saying. According to the renowned historian and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor E.A Ayandele, at page 3 of his book ” The Ijebu of Yorubaland 1850 – 1950″, the Awujale wore a crown, an honor he shared only with a “brother” King Lenuwa of Ode Omi, the latter in charge of the waterside.

8. Before and after the Awujale’s creation of junior Obas in the outlying districts, the Olisa of Ijebu Ode had maintained his Royal status without any challenge to his rights and privileges in deferrence to the Awujale, his only superior in Ijebuland. While a few youths may be misled by the outlying districts usual copying of the Ijebu Ode model of administration which had giving rise to Olisas in the various Ijebu communities. To this day only the OLISA of Ijebu-Ode adorns Crown, own a palace and Royal attendants called Odis. It need be noted that originally only the Awujale and the Olisa of Ijebu Ode shared the privilege of owning Odis in the entire Ijebuland.

9. Failing to expose Fassy Yusuf’s pretentious claims to the Awujale Royal House, is to subscribe to his arrogant posture that everyone like himself are ignorant of Ijebuland’s history. For the records; only the direct and biological descendants of the Awujale of Ijebuland, HRM Oba Fusengbuwa Adejoko have legal claims to the Awujale throne under the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, Ile Nla Agunsenbi Quarters, Ijebu Ode. Fassy Yusuf and his associates are hereby challenged to present to the general public ANY OUTLYING DISTRICT OBAS OR BAALES, RELATION OR NON DIRECT OFFSPRING OF THE AWUJALE who have contributed, participated in the transition, aspired or contested for the stool of the Awujale of Ijebuland during the era of the LAST TEN AWUJALES OF IJEBULAND.

10. The interview under review exposes Dr. Fassy Yusuf and his accomplices attacks on the Olisa of Ijebu Ode, as a deliberate attempt to blackmail and prevent the Olisa from his official duties at this period of the transition of the Awujale mindful that non-Ijebu Ode people and non-direct descendants of the Awujale Fusengbuwa (1790 – 1819) who Fassy Yusuf and his men had recently being parading as parallel Fusengbuwa Ruling House, may not endorsed by the Olisa of Ijebu Ode who by virtue of his age, years of reign, educational and professional background would know better.

11. Fassy Yusuf is hereby educated that the traditional status of the Olisa of Ijebu Ode and the actual lineages of the four Ruling Houses of the Awujale had being identified as long as over one hundred (100) years ago and kept at the archives. Hence, himself and associates’ very recent attempt to re-write the history of Ijebuland is merely an academic exercise bound to fail the test of time.

12. It is unfortunate that ongoing self-serving affront of the likes of Fassy Yusuf on the status of the Olisa of Ijebu Ode have since the demise of Awujale Sikiru Olukayode Adetona GCON, being exploited by mischievous foreign elements who though are not unaware of the Awujale’s ancient radical title to Ijebuland but driven by sudden overambition mute the derogatory an diminishing idea of an “Awujale of Ijebu Ode and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland” against his ancient legitimate Royal status, THE AWUJALE AND PARAMOUNT RULER OF IJEBULAND.

13. It is imperative to state that Fassy Yusuf’s suggestion that the Olisa of Ijebu Ode being the Head of the Ijebuland’s Aristocrats “Ilamuren” makes him a chief emerged from his shallow knowledge of the history and tradition of Ijebuland. For the records, The following Obas in Ijebuland are Ilamuren members and Kingmakers for the appointment of the Oba Oloko of Ijebu Imushin;
i. Obelu of Ensure.
ii. Magunsen of Ita-Marun
iii. Lapoekun(Elesugbon) of Esugbon
See: Chieftaincy Declaration of the Oloko Chieftaincy, 1957.

14. While every right thinking Ijebus keep watching as events unfold with the Ogun State Government’s macabre dance to the whims and caprice of extraneous interests over the Olisa of Ijebu Ode’s legal and customary rights and attempts to infiltrate the Awujale Royal House. Impostors like Fassy Yusuf should rather concentrate their efforts at exonerating themselves from the various illegalities which they abused the late Awujale’s name and office to perpetrate towards the tale end of his reign and be ready to give account of how the collective patrimony of the Ijebu people were connered by a few non-royals bloods whose desperation to hold on to the stool of the Awujale, now lobbies political office holders to ridicule and destroy the ancient custom and tradition of Ijebuland.

Long live the Awujale of Ijebuland
Long live the Olisa of Ijebu Ode
Long live Ijebuland
Long live Ogun State.

Prince Olusegun Babatunde Fowokan FCNA, ACMA, is the son of the former Olisa of ljebu Ode, descendant of Awujale Fidipote,
His Royal Highness
Olisa Henry Taiwo Adesubomi Fowokan, Matuluko II
1981 – 1991.