THE much expected Will and final Testament of the late Biafran leader and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the last election, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the Ezeigbo Gburugburu, was read at the Probate Registry of the Enugu High Court Friday before some members of the family, who were able to attend.
The mood at the office of the Chief Registrar of the Enugu High Court was that of anxiety. The expectations were high, as all gathered wanted to know in details the last Will of the late Dim Ojukwu.
A few minutes before 9am, the Registrar, Mr. Dennis Ekoh stepped into the registry and not wanting to sustain the air of anxiety, immediately sought the approval of the family members present to open the sealed envelop containing the Will, which he read clearly to the hearing of all concerned.
Among those who witnessed the brief ceremony was Ojukwu's wife and Nigeria's Ambassador to Spain, Bianca.
Ojukwu willed most choice property, including the contentious transport company in Lagos, Ojukwu Transport Company, in which he transferred his position in the company, to Bianca and her children.
"Bianca and her children should take over my position in the company," Ojukwu said in the Will. "She may also wish to appoint somebody that can represent her on the Board if so desired," the Will read.
The transport company had been in contention following the insistence of Ojukwu's widow, through her lawyer, that the estate management agent, allegedly appointed by her late husband, Mr. Emmanuel Omuojine, would remain in charge of the five properties in Lagos.
Directors of the company had in a recent public notice disowned the agent, saying that at no time was he appointed by the company's Board of Directors to manage any of their properties.
The properties linked to the company include 13 Hawksworth Road, Ikoyi (now 13, Ojora Road, Ikoyi); 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba; 29 Queens Drive, Ikoyi; 30 Gerard Road, Ikoyi and 4 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, all in Lagos.
The much-talked about Will read in Enugu may have finally settled perceived family wrangling over who should control what property of the late Ikemba; that is, if those concerned would respect his wishes.
Bianca came in a black SUV, with some aides around 8.55am, dressed in a long native skirt and blouse, and shinny black shoes to match.
Ekoh had commenced the process by passing the two sealed brown envelopes containing the Will round the family members, journalists, executors and witnesses present in the room.
Surprisingly, Emeka Jnr and other family members called in to say they were on their way and had resolved to access a copy of the Will at the Registry.
The 'fireworks' began with the acknowledgement of Tenny Haman among Ojukwu's children, to whom he bequeathed his property.
The Nigerian ambassador to Spain would be all smiles later, as the Will awarded her Ojukwu's Enugu mansion, 'Casabianca,' at 7 Forest Crescent, GRA, which also was named after her.
The mansion is the only property of the late Ikemba in Enugu and was where he spent his last moments.
Bianca also got two property located at Plot 20, Jabi Abuja, with Certificate of Occupancy number 4405, as well as another at Kuje, Abuja.
The late Ikemba also willed to his beautiful wife all personal effects, monies and cars for her upkeep and that of her children, as well as two hectares of land at Umuezeani Umudim Nnewi with a proviso, "if she doesn't remarry."
Tenny was allotted Jubilee Hotels, Zaria, but when the codicil was read, it was observed that the hotel had been sold; hence she would receive proceeds from the sale.
For Emeka Jnr, it was not a fair deal, as he got only a house in Umudim Nnewi.
Ojukwu further willed a hectare of land each to all his daughters, but directed that his Nnewi property is "to remain a binding legacy to us for generations to come."
Bianca, who could hardly move from her seat after the Will was read, also refused to respond to questions from journalists, especially on whether she would re-marry.
The late Ikemba stated that only the eight listed, and no other person, should be regarded as his children.
Those listed were Tenny Haman (daughter); Emeka Jnr (son); Mmegha (daughter); Okigbo (son); Ebele (daughter); Chineme (daughter); Afam and Nwachukwu (sons).
He ostensibly shocked Bianca with the recognition of Tenny Haman, the new member of the family unknown to other family members.
Bianca betrayed her candour when she expressed shock that no one ever mentioned the young lady's name to her hearing.
But she was very pleasant about it, while one of the two witnesses to the Will, Mark Ezemba, acknowledged to other members of the family that he knew about the lady, who was obviously the late Ojukwu's first child.
Chukwudebe (Debe) Ojukwu, Lagos lawyer who manages some of the Ojuwu family properties in Lagos and widely acclaimed as the Ikemba's son, was conspicuously not given any mention in the Will.
The document was registered at the Registry on July 9, 2005 and was said to have superseded any other he had written before.
Incidentally, one of the Trustees and Executors of the Will and former monarch of Oraukwu in Idemili North Council, Igwe Emeka Ogbunude, died last year.
The surviving Trustees and Executors are Mrs. Bianca Odinaka Ojukwu and James Chukwunenye.
In his reaction, Debe told The Guardian that he had not seen the Will, but that from information filtering to him, there appeared to be certain flaws in it.
He said: "I was not there because I was not invited. And as a lawyer, I cannot be there uninvited.
"But my non-invitation shows that somebody had read the Will before now, because if the Will was confidential, as it ought to be, they would have invited all his relations and children, so that the content of the Will would be read before everybody."
He, however, hinted that he would not be challenging the Will in court, because he is okay with the way he is, noting that a father can decide to disinherit his child and share his property the way he wants.
He stressed though that such actions do not take away the fact that the child is his biological child.
He said what Ojukwu willed to Bianca was his personal property and not the company properties, adding: "Ojukwu said Bianca should be a Trustee in the transport company; that does not mean that he willed the company to her.
"That cannot affect the property I am managing, because I have a management contract.
"Besides, it was the Board of the company that handed over the property management to me, not Ojukwu.
"So, there is no cause for alarm," Debe insisted.
