FUSENGBUWA RULING HOUSE DESCENDANTS - CAN CHIEF PROF. FASSY ADETOKUNBOH O. YUSUF SURVIVE BEEN SIDELINED?
By Tolulope Adekunbi,
A public commentator
The released letter of Prof Fassy Yusuf to the public last week, was very unexpected and shocking news. Many thought all the issues at stake were over with the alignments of Otunba Dr Hassan, Otunba Abdulateef Adebayo Owoyemi and Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba factions except for the Folagbade's Descendants claiming the referenced Ruling House in the Law. This letter was however a revelation that what we may be having is a cemetery peace with fear of several resurrections of issues at any time.
These ghosts are not unexpected as they are realities that come from deals and not principles and truth. His letter as an insider, at least before now, suggests that we can rely on his information except refuted by others. We may not need to chronicle everything, but some may determine his being ostracized away for good by the power players in the amalgamation of interests. And in respect to stakes, the Tunwase he claimed to come from is the least in the family tree with less coordination and population to fight for justice.
X-raying his letter highlights some vital truth and curiosity about this unified house already being challenged by the Folagbade's Descendants, who regards them as Ancestral Descendants Union and never as the referenced Fusengbuwa Ruling House in the laws and Ijebu Awujale Traditional Custom.
1. In the recent past, the Otunba Ajidagba's faction had disclaimed that he comes from the Tunwase family. The purported letter that Otunba Owoyemi received and refused to inform Prof Yusuf about that necessitated his letter, was also on his ancestral genealogy. His letter addressed this issue clearly with names for anyone to verify. If his account was the truth until challenged, it shows Ajidagba's faction didn't do due diligence to confirm it nor ever asked him about it.
One may wonder why the letter on his genealogy is coming up after realignment of the three factions? It may be a aftermath of self seeking interest, as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hassan's and Owoyemi's factions granted Hassan's faction the Deputy Olori Ebi in Prof Fassy Yusuf and Secretary in Pastor Salami. The alignment with Ajidagba's faction must also sacrifice some benefits in positions. We must remember that the Hassan's faction didn't care about the occupiers of the deputy Olori Ebi and Secretary in Owoyemi's faction when they aligned, so if another deal and negotiation with Ajidagba's faction demands the same, precedence has been made. Ole gbe, ole gba is perhaps the best Yoruba expression that befits their actions - a thief steals, another thief carries it away.
Rationale: Any alignment selfishly secured doesn't last as all parties' integrity is only as long as their interests are secured. Prof Fassy must face this and know that little can he do to secure relevance. He is not Otunba Dr Hassan, he was just a pawn in the chess game.
2. Prof. Fassy Yusuf stated in a radio programme that Otunba Owoyemi won at the Appeal Court as the Olori Ebi because he was not given the opportunity to clear his ancestral issue at the high court, and that Hassan's faction yielded to the alignment with Owoyemi's faction because of the court judgement. He also stated that their unified faction was appealing to others and most particularly the Ajidagba's faction to join them.
An interesting truth is if the public can hold Prof Yusuf personally as a man of integrity based on the contents in his letter:
- He admitted that Otunba Ajidagba said bad things about Otunba Owoyemi including the ancestral root. He failed to admit that the high court judgements actually confirm that Otunba Owoyemi admitted that his father's root is from Ikoro Ekiti. He was never concerned about clarity on it.
- He asserted the the appeal court judgement cannot be enforceable in his letter, and this was not mentioned by him before their alignment nor on the radio programme. If he wants to come to equity now for justice or fairness, he must justify that his hands had been clean and that he himself did the truth and equity he hopes to get.
3. He admitted that he refused to align with the Tunwase Royal Family due to their ideological differences and leadership combative and combustive (comburent) nature. This perhaps gives him away as being on adventure to represent the family in the faction of Otunba Dr Hassan that may serves his interest, irrespective of the larger family. This was the situation as we had Tunwase in all the three factions, and everyone could wonder what was causing it - lack of philosophical principles and self interests.
Without a strong Tunwase family support, does he think that Dr Hassan's faction deal of MoU will be enough to enjoy an exalted position over the majority. He should have imagined the reality and know that he that eats with the devil must have a long spoon.
4. He reemphasized the need to abide by the MoU that was signed. Since he is a lawyer, would he be able to enforce the MoU when another faction had joined with possibly an unwritten MoU? Will he be calling on Dr Hassan to lead his withdrawal threat from their unified faction, or is he not aware that Dr Hassan may have other interests? Dr Hassan is from another royal family more important than Tunwase. Prof Fassy is relatively no person as of today within the Tunwase House.
5. The letter created serious concern when he copied several offices. This was obvious as the issues he raised were internal issues within their group, and not related to issues that the government needs to take note of in respect to the Awujale's appointment procedure. As a lawyer and journalist, his inclusion of security gave him aware as suggesting his life may be in danger. He copied the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, the Director, SSS, Ogun State Directorate and the Area Commander, NPF, Igbeba, Ijebu Ode.
Is his life at risk at this time and from who? He should be protected as a citizen but what does he know that he is not saying? Is he aware of any threatening or terror squad working for their course, of which he may be a target now? Only Prof Fassy Yusuf can answer these questions. It is logical to assume that there cannot be smoke without fire. We hope the Police will avail him necessary protection.
On the other hand, if there is a threat as envisioned, where could it had come from. He didn't raise this alarm when he was safely under the Hassan's faction (one out of three factions). Neither did he expressed it when aligned with Owoyemi's faction (two out of three factions). So why now that the major three factions are united and he is being looked upon as being insignificant and irrelevant in their scheme according to him? Is it because of what he has revealed in the letter and other secrets he has that must not be disclosed?
If anything harmful happens to Prof Fassy Yusuf, the Otunba Owoyemi's Faction should be held responsible. And if there is any desperate action to intimidate any person, it should only be clearly seen and interpreted that those procuring such acts are not standing on the truth of the law and the custom. The whole scenery in this Fusengbuwa Ruling House led by Otunba Abdulateef Adebayo Owoyemi and already aligned factions of Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba and Otunba Dr Hassan, only suggest undisclosed desperacy that suggest the Yoruba proverbial deceptive philosophy likened to Ole gbe - Ole gba struggling amongst them
The Ijebu people and Government must insist on more transparency, facts of all claims and compliance with the laws and customs applicable to the Awujale kingship transition.
