Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba has dismissed the recent recognition of Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi as Olori-Ebi (head) of the Fusengbuwa ruling house, insisting that he remains the only legitimate holder of the title — backed by court judgments and family endorsements.
Addressing journalists at his Ijebu-Ode residence on Wednesday, Ajidagba described Owoyemi’s purported endorsement at an event on Sunday, held at the Otunba Tunwase Museum, as both “illegitimate and misleading.”
He explained that the dispute had long been settled by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan in 2024, following a protracted legal battle that began in 2018 with a judgment by Justice A.O. Asenuga of the Ijebu-Ode High Court. Displaying certified court documents running into 36 pages, Ajidagba noted that he, Owoyemi, and Prince Adeleke Adeyemi Olufadi were listed as appellants in the case.
According to him, the appellate ruling went in favour of the Fusengbuwa family, after which Owoyemi stepped down as Olori-Ebi. He added that he subsequently emerged as the authentic head of the family with the blessing of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba S.K. Adetona, and was later issued a formal certificate of endorsement by the Ijebu-Ode Local Government.
“After the Court of Appeal ruling, the late Awujale personally endorsed me, and the local government issued me a certificate affirming my position. Since then, I have been functioning as Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa family. It is shocking to now see a video circulating online showing Owoyemi being endorsed by people who are not even members of our ruling house,” he said.
Ajidagba further emphasized that the Fusengbuwa ruling house comprises eight recognized units: Osinuga, Adekenu, Olufadi, Adesimbo-Tunwase, Adebiyi, Adeberu, Shenowo, and Okuyendewo. He alleged that those supporting Owoyemi were outsiders with no genuine claim to the lineage.
“I am a true son of the soil. Someone from Idowa, whose roots trace back to Ikoro-Ekiti, cannot suddenly assume the position of Olori-Ebi in Ijebu-Ode,” he insisted.
He also recalled representing the Fusengbuwa ruling house during the 90th birthday celebration of Oba Adetona, where the family was acknowledged as one of the four recognized ruling houses in Ijebu-Ode — a development he said further validates his status.
Supporting Ajidagba’s position, Alhaji Taheeb Mabadeje Alaga, head of the Ogbagba/Anikilaya ruling house and chairman of the four ruling houses in Ijebu-Ode, affirmed that Ajidagba remains the only recognized Olori-Ebi of the Fusengbuwa family.
“If anyone claims to be from Fusengbuwa and is not under the leadership of Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba, that person is an impostor. Those parading themselves have never participated in our family’s affairs. Ajidagba is the only authentic Olori-Ebi of Fusengbuwa that I know,” Alaga declared.
He appealed to members of the Fusengbuwa family to remain united and to resist attempts by outsiders to hijack the family’s leadership structure.
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