In a historic ruling, a Lagos High Court in Ikeja has delivered a judgement in favour of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and her two children, putting an end to a decades-long litigation over the management and control of Ojukwu Transport Ltd’s (OTL) assets.
The suit, LD/1539/2012, filed by Bianca on behalf of her two sons, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, against OTL and seven others, alleged an attempt by the defendants to take possession of their residence and several company properties following the passing of the renowned Biafran warlord in 2011.
The court, presided over by Justice A. M. Lawal, delivered the judgement on June 24 this year after carefully considering all the evidence presented during the proceedings. The ruling declared that the claimants, being the biological children of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, were entitled to their father’s estate, including his entitlements as a deceased director and shareholder of OTL.
The judge emphasized the principles of equity and fairness, highlighting that the court would not allow the dispossession of the claimants, who are children of a foundation director of the company, while other directors retained control and benefits from the company’s other assets. Justice Lawal asserted that the claimants had the right to possess and control the assets their late father managed when he was alive.
Furthermore, the court struck out the counterclaim made by the defendants and confirmed the claimants’ entitlement to the possession and occupation of the properties, including No. 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, and other properties like No. 13 Ojora Rd, Ikoyi; No. 32A Commercial Ave, Yaba, Lagos; No. 30 Gerard Rd, Ikoyi, Lagos; and No. 4 Macpherson Ave, Ikoyi, Lagos.
In a final and decisive ruling, the court restrained the 2nd-8th defendants from interfering with the claimants’ possession and control of the listed properties, solidifying Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu’s triumph in the protracted legal battle over her late husband’s estate.
This landmark victory marks the end of a long and emotionally charged legal struggle, paving the way for the heirs of the esteemed Igbo leader to rightfully claim their inheritance and preserve the legacy of their late father’s achievements in the annals of history.
