I’m Ojukwu’s only legal wife - Bianca tells court

Widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Bianca, yesterday told a High Court sitting in Igbosere, Lagos, that she is the only woman that was legally married to Ojukwu.
She declared this 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, including the claimants, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, but that being the only one Ojukwu wedded in court, church and according to traditional marriage rites, she is the only one 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 property in the family estate.

Mrs. Ojukwu told the court that the suit is for the preservation of the rights of her children alone, and not that of Ojukwu’s other children. She said some of the property was in her husband’s possession before his demise and he personally collected their rent.

Mrs. Ojukwu, on behalf of her to under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu (claimants), dragged 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 asked the court to declare that her children were entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the property (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 are Prof. Joseph Ojukwu, Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr Patrick Ojukwu, Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Mrs. Massey Udegbe.
In their statement of claim, Bianca and her children prayed the court to declare as illegal, the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street.
She is also asking the court for a declaration that her children are entitled to possess the following property: 13, Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now 13, Ojora Road); 32A, Commercial Avenue, Yaba; 30, Gerard Road, Ikoyi and 30, McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi, all in Lagos.
According to her, the property were in the possession of the deceased since the government released them. She said the second to seventh defendants “never played any role in the struggle nor contributed financially or otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.”
Justice Lawal adjourned the matter till today.

Culled from the Nation