The instances of children of the rich and famous tearing at each other in a dirty battle for the estate of the dead are two a dime in Nigeria. History is repeating itself again, this time in the homestead of Olorogun Micheal Ibru whose death has pitted his children against each other in a manner reminiscent of his brother Alex Ibru whose family is yet to dispense with their own case in court and so many other famous families, The New Diplomat Senior Associate Editor, Olamilekan Okeowo writes.
Hardly had the Late Oloorgun Micheal Christopher Onajirhevbe Ibru breathed his last that his children headed for the courts, their grouse and bone of contention? His vast estate reportedly worth billions of Naira.
One of his sons, Oboden Ibru approached the Igbosere High Court, Lagos, for a declaration, among others, that he and his 15 other siblings are entitled to the estate of their father.
However, in a counter-claim, one of the late Chief Ibru’s daughters, Janet Ibru, urged the court to declare that only persons whose paternity are confirmed by a diagnostics centre in the United States are entitled to an equal share of the estate. Thus, the ball has being set in motion for what will be probably be a long drawn battle.
Oboden’s suit was filed February 8 by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) but has not been assigned to a Judge.
The defendants are Oskar Ibru, Peter Ibru, Emmanuel Ibru, Gloria Ibru, Elaine Ibru-Mukoro, Elvina Ibru, Mamemo Ibru, Janet Ibru, Obaro Ibru, Vivi Ibru-Stankov, Edesiri Ibru, Christiana Ibru, Jero Ibru, Vikwesiri Ibru, Gabriel Ibru and the Probate Registrar, High Court of Lagos State.
The claimant is seeking an order declaring that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of January 2, 2001 is valid as to the distribution by way of gift of the late Ibru’s assets to both “Ovuone” and “Ivetu”.
He asked the court to declare that the properties listed in the MOU belong in their entirety to “Ovuone” being gifted jointly and several times to “Ovuone” in the lifetime of the late Chief Ibru.
Some of the properties
in contention
The estate in contention include properties at No. 1, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos; 47, Marine Road, Apapa; 49, Marine Road, Apapa; 52, Marine Road, Apapa; 5,7,9 Emotan Road, Apapa; 3,5,7 Ladipo Oluwole, Apapa; Daska House; Blomfield Court; 33, Michael Ibru Boulevard; 6, Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and 5/7, Queens Barracks Road, Lagos. Others are No. 20, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; 6, Kensington Park Gardens, London; Starcross Farm; Hillcrest Apartment; Zabadne Plot, Abuja; Maitama Plots, Abuja; Maroko Plots, Lagos; 7, Randle Close, Apapa, Lagos; all shares in Oceanic Bank; Oteri Holdings Limited’s shares in Minet Nigeria Limited; Oteri’s shares in Ibachem and the portion of Ibafon land occupied by Ibachem and Ovwian land.
A retinue of Discordant Wills
Odumegwu Ojukwu Family
Prior to this latest installment of the “Wills Of Discord” Nigerians have been treated to several shows of shame involving prominent Nigerians. One that readily comes to mind is that of the late Ikemba Dim Emeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu whose family has been literarily torn apart by his will.
Son of the late Ikemba, Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Jnr) is on a war path with his father’s lawyer, Emeka Onyemelukwe, and his stepmother, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, of playing games with the will of the late Biafran leader.
FRA WIlliams Family
Many would have thought that Chief Rotimi Williams, a man who cannot be forgotten in the history of the legal profession in Nigeria and popularly called “Timi The Law” would be devoid of any wrangling concerning his vast estate. It is not be as his four sons; Chief Oladipupo Akanni Williams (SAN), Chief Kayode Adekunle Olusegun Williams, Folarin Rotimi Abiola Williams and Tokunboh Eniola Williams are at war over his estate.
On one side are Oladipupo and Kayode who want the will enforced. While Folarin and Tokunboh are on the other side favouring an agreement purportedly entered into by all the four sons on the estate sharing formula before the probate registry came up with the will. The agreement had allegedly been made sometime on 26 March 2005, on the erroneous belief that the legal luminary died intestate.
Festus Okotie-Eboh Family
He is remembered as the most flamboyant minister in the immediate post-independence government of Nigeria. Forty six years after his death in January 1966 which resulted from a military coup, the love that once existed within his family remains sour over two wills the former Minister of Finance prepared, in 1947 and in 1961. His wife and some of his children dragged one another to court contesting the authenticity of the documents.
When Okotie-Eboh died, his children were not immediately aware that he had prepared the wills. They had written to the defunct Bendel State High Court to enable them administer their father’s property when the wills surfaced, prompting a disagreement among the children and resulting in legal tussles. The names of the major actors in the case were listed as Mrs. Alero Jadesimi, his eldest daughter; the late politician’s widow, Mrs. Victoria Okotie-Eboh; another daughter, Mrs. C.R Akele and their step-brother, Mr. John Okotie-Eboh.
MKO Abiola Family
While Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola was alive, he must have anticipated what could happen in his family in relation to his wealth and how best to share it. In his will, the acclaimed winner of Nigeria’s 12 June 1993 presidential election gave a condition for the eligibility of any of his 113 children to partake in the sharing of his property. This was that they must undergo a DNA test. The result of the test showed that Abiola was actually not the father of 25 of the children given to him by his wives. The wives, therefore, lost out in the will, which has not been executed 14 years after his death.
TOS, Bobby Benson Family
For the Benson Brothers, administering their estate has being a herculean task. Chief Theophilus Owolabi Shobowale Benson, aka TOS Benson, another legal giant whose will has torn his household to pieces. Shortly after his demise a tempestuous crisis broke out in the family. This was as a result of some irreconcilable issues that emanated from the late politician’s will. Beneficiaries of Benson’s will include his widow, Opral Mason Benson, Larry Olusoji Benson, Theophilus Olusoga Benson, Jennifer Modupe Benson, all children of late Mrs. Titilola Ibironke on one side while the aggrieved parties, are pointing accusing fingers at the executor: Mrs. Opral Benson, Lionel Olusegun, Mrs. Abimbola Cardoso and Hewitt Adeboyega Benson.
Interestingly, administering his brother’s (Bobby Benson) will was also a herculean task. At a point the Lagos State Government had to bring down the building which used to be a hotel on Ikorodu Road, Lagos because it became home to miscreants.Bobby Benson had seven wives and had sired 10 children.
Edward Esiso Family
One of the most prominent and wealthy men to ever come from the country is Chief Edward Akponovwe Esiso. One of his daughters Mrs. Eunice Oddiri nee Esiso and her siblings are currently embroiled in a battle over ownership of their late father’s multi-billion Naira firm in Warri. It is left to be seen what becomes of the family. Will the controversies over the will of famous people ever end? These are questions begging an answer, but, it isn’t sure that we have heard the last of controversies trailing the estates of the high and mighty in Nigeria.
