Revealed: Ojukwu’s controversial Will

The late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, willed all his money to his wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu-Ojukwu, according to the bromide of his will exclusively obtained by Sunday Vanguard.

The 16-point will, prepared by the firm of Sir Emeka Onyemelukwe & Associates, is entitled, ‘Codicil, Varying, Revoking and Adding to my Will’, and dated, 16 December, 2009. The document was signed by the former Biafran warlord as the testator and two witnesses: Engr Mse Ezenuba and Sebastian Ray Afadi. It was the first codicil to the late Ikemba’s will dated 9 July 2005. Paragraph 10 of the codicil states how Ojukwu envisaged that peace will reign among his brothers.

He also explained why one of his properties, Nnewi House, in Lagos should not be sold.

The Codicil:

CODICIL

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DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU-OJUKWU

Prepared by

Sir Emeka |Onyemelukwe (KGS) (JP)

PP.  Emeka Onyemelukwe & Associates

Legal Practitioners

17 Kenyatta Street,

Uwani, Enugu.

CODICIL, VARYING, REVOKING AND ADDING TO MY WILL

I, DIM CHUKWUEMEKA ODUMEGWU OJUKWU, EZIGBO-GBURUGBURU, of NO. 7 Forest Crescent, GRA, Enugu, formerly residing at No. 4 Isiuzo Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, declares this to be a first codicil to my will which bears date, the 9th day of July 2005.

1. By my said will I gave absolutely to my wife Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu, the real property, located at No. 7 Forest Crescent, GRA Enugu, Enugu State and property known as Plot No. 20 Cadastral B9, located in JABI DAM, Abuja and covered by Certificate of Occupancy NO. 4405.

1(a)     I hereby declare that those two properties have since been transferred to my wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Ojukwu, by a Deed of Gift (Gift inter vivos)) already registered.

2. In paragraph 5 of that will, I gave the property known as Jubilee Hotel on Jubilee Road, Zaria, Kaduna State to my daughter, Tenni Hamman.

(a)  I have since sold that property.

3. In paragraph 9, 10 and 11 of my will, I devised and bequeathed my one hector each out of my 6 (six) hecters of land, located at Umuezena, Umudim, Nnewi, to my son Nwachukwu, my daughters, Nmegha; Ebele; Chineme and two hecters to my wife, Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu.

4. In view of the current problem in that parcel of land at Umuezena, Umudim, Nnewi, I direct that on resolution of the dispute between Obi Umezena and the Youths, what ever acreage or number of plots of land given to me shall be shared in the same ratio used in my will.

5. By my said will, in paragraph 12, I gave and bequeathed my interest in my mother’s property at Onwudiwe Street, Uwani, Enugu to my nephew Tom Bigger.

(a) Tom Bigger is my nephew to whom I devise and bequeath my interest at 56 Onwudiwe Street, Uwani, Enugu.

6. Also in  my will, in paragraph 13, I gave my interest in  my mother’s property at Thinker’s Corner, Enugu,Enugu State, to my nephew Robert Bigger.

(a)  Robert Bigger is my nephew, to whom I gave all  my interest in my mother’s plot of land at Thinker Corner Enugu. That plot of land is registered as instrument No. 29 at page 29, in volume 478 of the land Registry, Enugu.

7. I gave all my moneys in my account in Zenith Bank of Nigeria Plc. Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc. Garden Avenue, Enugu to my wife, Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu, for the up keep of our children and herself.

8. OJUKWU TRANSPORT LTD

I hereby direct that on my demise, my wife Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu shall take over my seat on the board of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. She may nominate any person of her choice to represent her in her absence at board meetings.

9. My wife, Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu shall retain my interest at No. 29 Queen’s Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, which I fought hard to secure from the clutches of Lagos State Government.

10. I have thought about how peace shall endure within my brothers on the Board of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. And I have come to the conclusion that the Real Estate properties and companies shares of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. Be shared, except NNEWI HOUSE, which shall remain, the legacy, binding us an generations to come. This property at No. 1-3 Creek Road, Apapa, Lagos, shall still be owned by Ojukwu Transport Ltd. However, I suggest that my half brothers agree on one Estate Agent, who shall manage the property. Proceeds from that property shall be shared equally among the three sons of late Sir. L.P. Ojukwu yearly as a binding legacy for generations to come.

11. I hereby direct that on the sharing of the Real Estate properties of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. The shares accruable to me shall be shared equally between my children from Late Njideka Odumegwu Ojukwu and the children of Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Olivia Odumegwu Ojukwu.

12. I also direct that my daughters, Ebele Odumegwu Ojukwu and Tenni Hamman, be given a share of the Real Estate properties accruable to me.

13. I also demand that all the company shares owned by Ojukwu Transport Ltd. Be brought to a common pool and shared amongst the directors of the company.

14. I devise and bequeath my bungalow, at Abuja under Federal Housing Authority, HSE 41, 1st Avenue, 1(A) Road, Lugbe Estate, Abuja to my daughter Chineme. She shall own the property exclusively.

15. I devise and bequeath to my son Okigbo Odumegwu Ojukwu, my plot of land known as plot 10, Block 1, Thinkers Corner Enugu. He shall hold and enjoy the land exclusively.

16. In all other respects, I confirm my said will as modified by this Codicil.

IN WITNESS I have hereto set my hand this 16th day of December, 2009.

Source:Vanguardngr

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Crisis in Ojukwu’s family escalates

THE  silent war between Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Directors of Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, who are brothers of her late spouse, has blown open as both parties have dragged themselves before High Courts of Lagos state to determine who controls the landed property belonging to the company.

This came even as the family had concluded plans to mark the first anniversary of Ojukwu’s death at Nnewi today.  The former Biafran warlord died on November 26, 2011 at a London hospital at the age of 78.

Crisis had been brewing between Mrs. Ojukwu and her late husband’s brothers over the control of some property which were left by their late father, Eze Odumegwu Ojukwu, under his company’s name, OTL, for decades.  The late Ikemba Nnewi was one of the directors of the company and apart from living in one of the property at Ikoyi which he vacated and relocated to Enugu over 10 years ago, Ojukwu was also involved in managing some of the property.

These property which were at a time compulsorily acquired by the Federal Government were later released to OTL and the late Dim Ojukwu continued to manage some of them until his demise last year.

The property in contention

The property include those situated at 58, Ibadan Street, Ebute Metta, Yaba, Lagos; 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos where Ojukwu once resided, 41 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, 14 Probyn Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, 2A and 2B Park Close, Apapa, Lagos, 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos, Nnewi Building, 1/3 Creek Close, Apapa, Lagos, 120 Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Lagos, 4A and 4B Park Close, Apapa, Lagos, 196 Igbosere Road, Lagos, 15 Oshodi Street, Lagos and 15/16 Forces Avenue, Port Harcourt.

After the death of Ojukwu, the Ojukwu Transport Limited was left with six directors namely Professor Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr. Patrick Ojukwu, Arc. Edward Ojukwu and Lota Akajiora Ojukwu while an Estate Management Consultant, Mr. Massey Udegbe of Massey Udegbe & Company was appointed by the directors to manage the property.

Bianca goes to court

However, in a suit number LD/1539/12 filed at the Lagos High Court on October 9, 2012, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu’s two sons, Afemefuna and Nwachukwu Ojukwu, claimed that they were entitled to the possession of the property known as  29, Oyinka Abayomi Street formerly 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos “until the harmonization of the management and administration of the assets of the 1st Defendant (OTL).”

They urged the court to declare that the forceful ejection of the claimants from the said property was illegal just as they also asked the court to declare that they were entitled to the possession of the property known as 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi, Lagos; 32A, Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; 30, Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and 4, Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, which they claimed, had been under the possession of their late father.

Mrs. Ojukwu, who sued on behalf her two sons, further sought an order of the court to restrain the defendants or their agents from interfering with the “Claimants’ possession and control of 29, Oyinka Abayomi Street (formerly Queens Drive) Ikoyi, Lagos” as well as the aforementioned four property also situated in Lagos.

…OTL, too

But in a twist, the OTL filed a fresh suit number LD/1680/2012 on November 1, 2012 also before a Lagos High Court against Mrs. Ojukwu, claiming possession of the property known as 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos which comprised two-storey detached house in addition to the payment of N40 million being expected rentable value per annum of the said premises from September 27, 2012, until the defendant gives up possession of the property.

In addition, the OTL demanded the payment of N100 million as damages from Mrs. Ojukwu as well as 21 per cent interest on the accrued sum until judgment was given and five per cent until the entire sum was fully liquidated.

In a 15-paragraph statement of claim brought by its counsel, Ifeanyi Okumah, OTL claimed ownership of the property at 29, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, explaining that its agent appointed managing agent had asked Mrs. Ojukwu to handover physical possession of the property to him but she refused.

The company said despite disclaimers published in some national dailies warning the general public to deal with the managing agent appointed by it, Mr. Massey Udegbe and subsequent letters to the occupiers of the property to vacate and hand over the keys to the owner (OTL) or its agent, the defendant (Bianca) refused to hand over the property, a development that has denied the company N40 million rent it would have collected on the said property.

Tenants in confusion

Following the two legal actions, some tenants of the said property were thrown into confusion as to who to pay their rents and this prompted one of the occupants of 30, Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, West Africa Offshore Limited to drag Mr. Emmanuel Omuojine, the managing agent appointed by the late Ojukwu, Mr. Massey Udegbe, who was appointed managing agent by OTL and the company (OTL) itself before the Lagos High court.

The company which claimed to have paid N40 million to Mr. Omuojine on behalf of OTL as five-year tenancy in 2007, sought an order of the court directing the payment of N24 million representing two years rent from March 16, 2012 to  March 15, 2014 in respect of the said property and for same to be lodged into an interest yielding account in the name of the Chief Registrar of the High Court pending the resolution of the disputes between the parties.

By the new development, both Mrs. Ojukwu and the directors of OTL, would have to wait for the determination of the various suits on the contentious property before they could further benefit from them.

Meanwhile, the  first anniversary is expected to be observed at Ojukwu’s family compound at Nnewi today though the family members are at loggerheads over who controls the property left behind by their late multi-millionaire father, Sir Louis Philip Odumegwu Ojukwu who died in 1966.

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