The widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Bianca Ojukwu Monday told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere that she is the only woman that was legally married to him.
Mrs. Ojukwu said this during her Evidence-in-Chief before Justice Abdulfattah Lawal, in the ongoing legal battle between her children and the deceased’s brothers over the family estate
She admitted that Ojukwu has eight children who include the claimants, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, but that being the only one that was wedded by her late husband in court, church and according to traditional marriage rites, she is the only one that was legally married to him.
The former beauty queen admitted that neither she nor her children are shareholders or directors in Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL), one of the properties in the family estate.
Under Cross Examination Bianca told the court that the suit filed before the court is for the preservation of the rights of her children alone and not that of Ojukwu’s other children.
The witness further informed the court that some of the OTL property in question had been in the possession of her husband before his demise, adding that the rent of those properties were collected by him.
Mrs. Ojukwu had on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu (claimants) dragged Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) and seven others before the High Court over an alleged move by the family to eject her sons from the company’s property located in Lagos.
She had asked the court to declare that her children are entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the property known as No. 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, until the harmonisation of the management and administration of the assets of the first defendant (OTL).
The defendants in the suit are; Prof. Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr Patrick Ojukwu, Arc Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs. Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company).
In their statement of claim, Bianca, and her two children prayed the court to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants is illegal.
She is also asking the court for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following property, namely: No. 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now known as No. 13 Ojora Road); No. 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No. 30 Gerard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 30 McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi.
According to her, the properties were in the possession of the Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu – the father of the claimants – from the time the properties were released from government acquisition till date.
The claimants stated that throughout the period their father was struggling to retrieve the properties from the government, the second to seventh defendants “never played any role in the struggle nor contributed financially or otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.”
However, Justice Lawal adjourned the matter till today, for continuation of Cross Examination of Bianca.
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