Ogun High Court: Owoyemi Fusengbuwa Leadership Dispute Demands N1bn

• Four leaders of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, including Chairman Abdulateef Owoyemi, have sued twelve family members in the Ogun State High Court over their alleged unlawful removal.
• The claimants seek N1 billion in damages and a perpetual injunction against the defendants for making unfounded allegations of financial inducement and manipulation in the Awujale selection process.
• The lawsuit, filed under case number HCJ/167/2026, challenges actions by a breakaway faction that purportedly removed the established leadership at an unratified meeting on August 9, 2026.
• The defendants allegedly sent letters to state officials and kingmakers, notifying them of the leadership change and appointing Olukayode Otufale as the 'Single Unified Olori-Ebi' of the ruling house.
• The claimants assert that no legitimate 'general meeting' of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House ever sanctioned their removal, rendering the defendants' actions invalid.

The claimants, however, contend that these representations are fundamentally false, asserting that no legitimate 'general meeting' capable of binding the entire Fusengbuwa Ruling House was ever convened to effect such changes, thereby rendering the defendants' actions null and void.

A significant leadership dispute within the Fusengbuwa Ruling House, a key royal family in Ijebuland, has escalated to the Ogun State High Court sitting in Ijebu-Ode. The case, identified by the writ of summons HCJ/167/2026 and dated September 16, 2026, involves four prominent leaders of the ruling house — Abdulateef Owoyemi, the Chairman; Dokun Ajidagba, his deputy; Prof Fassy Yusuf, the Vice Chairman; and Pastor Jeremiah Salami, the Secretary — who have initiated legal action against twelve other family members. The claimants are challenging their alleged unlawful removal from office and refuting accusations of financial impropriety and manipulation related to the selection process for the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

The lawsuit seeks substantial redress, with the claimants demanding N1 billion in damages from the twelve defendants. This claim is based on allegations that the defendants made unfounded accusations of financial inducement and other infractions against the established leadership. Furthermore, the claimants are pursuing a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendants from presenting themselves as official leaders or representatives of the Fusengbuwa royal house, aiming to solidify their authority and prevent further disruption to the Awujale succession litigation in Nigeria.

The current leadership structure, spearheaded by Owoyemi, a former National President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, alongside Ajidagba and Yusuf, was formally established following a series of crucial meetings in late 2025. Specifically, a resolution was adopted at a ruling house meeting on November 7, 2025, which itself followed an earlier gathering convened by the Ogun State Government at the Governor’s Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on November 6, 2025. These meetings resulted in the merger of three distinct units of the ruling house, previously headed by Owoyemi, Ajidagba, and Yusuf, into a single, unified entity, with the aforementioned leadership structure unanimously endorsed.

This unified leadership subsequently assumed responsibility for nominating candidates for the next Awujale from the Fusengbuwa family, forwarding the list to the Awujale Kingmakers, led by the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland, Chief Dr Sunny Kuku. However, a breakaway faction, comprising eight of the defendants, reportedly formed an 'illegal fact-finding committee' in June to investigate allegations of financial inducement against the ruling house's leadership. This faction later announced the submission of its committee's report and, at an unratified meeting on August 9, purportedly removed Owoyemi, Ajidagba, and Yusuf from their leadership roles.

Following their purported removal of the established leadership, the breakaway faction took further steps to assert their authority. They dispatched a letter dated August 11, 2026, to key government officials, including Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Ganiyu Hamzat, and the Chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government Dare Alebiosu, as well as the kingmakers. This correspondence notified recipients of the alleged leadership change and urged them to cease dealings with the claimants on behalf of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.

In a subsequent letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to Governor Abiodun, the kingmakers, and the Commissioner, the faction announced the appointment of Olukayode Otufale as the 'Single Unified Olori-Ebi' of the ruling house, directing all future correspondence to him. The claimants, however, contend that these representations are fundamentally false, asserting that no legitimate 'general meeting' capable of binding the entire Fusengbuwa Ruling House was ever convened to effect such changes, thereby rendering the defendants' actions null and void.

This high-stakes Ogun State chieftaincy dispute, involving a N1bn damages claim and a Fusengbuwa Ruling House injunction, underscores the intense internal family conflicts that can arise during royal succession processes in Nigeria. The case highlights how allegations of financial inducement and manipulation can be leveraged to challenge established leadership, even when that leadership has been formally recognized and involved in critical traditional duties like nominating royal candidates. The outcome of this Ijebuland royal succession lawsuit will be closely watched, as it could set important precedents regarding the legitimacy of leadership changes within traditional institutions and the legal recourse available to those who claim to have been unlawfully removed.

The legal battle, documented under HCJ/167/2026 Fusengbuwa Ruling House, serves as a live example of the complexities inherent in managing traditional leadership transitions. It demonstrates the significant financial and reputational risks involved when internal disagreements escalate to judicial intervention, particularly concerning the revered position of the Awujale. The court's decision will not only impact the Fusengbuwa family but could also influence how similar leadership disputes are resolved across other royal houses in Nigeria.

This case provides a live example of high-stakes chieftaincy litigation in Nigeria, demonstrating how internal family disputes over royal succession and leadership can escalate to significant damages claims and injunctions. Lawyers advising traditional institutions or individuals involved in succession processes should monitor this case for precedents on challenging leadership changes and managing allegations of impropriety.

Source: Original reporting via Punch