Royal Heritage and Family Roots
Ordinarily, Prof. Fassy Yusuf does not boast about his royal background. As he often says, “Agbojulogun firare fun osi ta” — reliance on inheritance is the surest road to poverty. Yet, when pressed by critics and detractors, he has made clear his unassailable claim to the Tunwase Royal Family of Ijebu-Ode.
His paternal grandmother, Princess Moriamo Yusuf-Odeniyi (née Tunwase), born around 1889, was the daughter of Prince Yeruwa Tunwase, son of Oba Aboki Tunwase. She was also sister to Alhaji Tokan, a respected member of the Obayori Age Grade. Through this line, Fassy is firmly rooted in the Fusengbuwa/Tunwase lineage.
His father, Prince Abdullaih Kehinde Adedeji Yusuf (popularly called Balanceman), born in 1917, was a goldsmith and successful businessman who spent much of his life in Warri as a leader of the Ijebu community there. Even in Warri, he was widely acknowledged as “Prince.” Fassy recalls accompanying him as a young boy to Ile Nla, Agunsebi — the traditional home of the Fusengbuwa family in Ijebu-Ode — for royal meetings.
On his maternal side, his mother hails from Itsekiri stock in Deghele Island, Benin River, Delta State, further broadening the multicultural roots that shaped his early life.
Formative Years and Education
Fassy’s childhood was marked by mobility. He started schooling in Mamu, a cocoa farming settlement between Ogun and Oyo states, before moving back to Ijebu-Ode. He completed primary education at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Ijebu-Ode, and secondary education at Ijebu Muslim College (1968–1972). Among his classmates were Senator Gbenga Kaka and Oba Dr. Toye Alatise.
Despite setbacks such as losing two years due to family relocations, Fassy completed his early education with resilience. His intellectual curiosity and restlessness would later define his multi-dimensional career.
First Career Path: Policing and Journalism
After briefly considering the Defence Academy, Fassy joined the Nigeria Police Force in the mid-1970s, where he was posted to Calabar. His writing skills drew him into the newly created Public Relations Department, where he contributed to the police magazine.
At the same time, he pursued studies in Public Relations and Journalism, eventually earning a diploma by 1975. His police career, however, was short-lived. On the brink of promotion to ASP, he resigned and moved into the world of communications.
He worked at Rock Publicity, where he promoted Sunny Okosun’s famous hit “Papa’s Land”, and later at King and George Nigeria Ltd, where he edited Sporting World magazine. These years honed his skills in media, marketing, and public relations.
Professional Diversification and Global Pursuits
In the 1980s, Fassy deepened his academic credentials abroad, enrolling in an MBA programme in the UK after earlier distinctions in advertising and marketing. He returned to Nigeria to work with the Adebowale Group of Companies, one of the country’s biggest distributors of electronics at the time, and later ventured into his own marketing communications firm.
By the late 1980s, he rose to become Secretary-General of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and later a director at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) Board in Lagos, where he served for nine years.
Politics, Danger, and Survival
His political foray began when he was appointed Commissioner for Information, Youth, Culture, and Social Development in Ogun State, under the administration of Lt. General Oladipo Diya (rtd).
Fassy became entangled in the high-wire intrigues of the Abacha era. His open support for Diya and advocacy for his release after the alleged coup plot in 1997 made him a marked man. He survived an assassination attempt and was eventually forced underground when the state unleashed a press war against him.
Despite these dangers, Fassy emerged unbowed — a testament to his courage and resilience in the face of political storms.
Law, Academia, and Cultural Advocacy
Not one to rest on past achievements, Fassy turned to law after his political service. He earned his LL.B, attended the Nigerian Law School, and became a practising lawyer. Later, he pursued a PhD, which he completed within four years, and transitioned into academia.
Today, he is a Professor of Law at Hallmark University, where his teaching and mentorship inspire the next generation. His contributions extend beyond the classroom — he is a cultural promoter, legal practitioner, journalist, and thought leader whose voice remains relevant in national discourse.
The Man of Many Parts
Over seven decades, Prof. Fassy Yusuf has traversed multiple professions — policing, journalism, public relations, marketing, politics, law, and academia. He describes his driving force simply: “the fear of failure.”
Through it all, he has remained deeply connected to his royal roots, even as he insists that true nobility is proven not by inheritance, but by personal achievement and service to humanity.
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