In a dramatic shift in the ongoing legal battle over the estate of late Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the sons of his widow, Bianca Ojukwu, have withdrawn their application to join a long-standing property dispute. Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, the sons of Bianca, made this unexpected move in late December 2024, formally rescinding their earlier request to be included in a suit filed in 2011 by Ogbonna Ojukwu against Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) and other parties.
The application to join the case had been made in the context of a Lagos High Court dispute concerning the possession of valuable OTL properties in Lagos, including a prominent property located at 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi. The case, marked LD/794/2011, had initially involved the late Chief Ojukwu before his passing in 2011. Justice Adedayo Oyebanji ruled in favor of OTL, granting the company control over various Ojukwu assets, including key properties in the upscale Ikoyi area.
Despite this judgment, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, who are seeking to assert their rights over some of these properties, filed an application last year to join the case as “Interested Parties,” and to challenge the court’s decision on the executed warrant of possession. The legal drama escalated as they also sought to be exempted from the executed warrant, which had been finalized in July 2022.
However, in an unexpected twist, the duo reversed their stance. A ‘Notice of Withdrawal,’ dated December 16, 2024, was filed, officially pulling them out of the legal proceedings. In a statement made during a hearing in April 2024, their attorney had argued that the brothers were unaware of the suit involving their father’s estate and felt unjustly excluded from key decisions.
“We believe that excluding Afamefuna and Nwachukwu from these proceedings would result in a grave miscarriage of justice,” their lawyer, Chief Ifeanyi Okumah, had claimed. “The properties in question directly impact their inheritance rights, and their voices must be heard.”
Despite their initial objections, the withdrawal came as a surprise to many observers of the case. The development has left many speculating about the true motivations behind the brothers’ change of heart. Some suggest that the move may have been influenced by behind-the-scenes negotiations, while others believe it reflects growing uncertainty within the Ojukwu family over the legal dispute.
The case will next be heard on March 10, 2025, marking another chapter in the complex saga surrounding the Ojukwu estate, which has been entangled in legal battles since the death of its patriarch.
Background: The Long-Running Ojukwu Estate Dispute
The legal tussle over the Ojukwu family’s assets began soon after the passing of the Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in 2011. The issue of control over his vast property holdings, including land and businesses, has been a contentious subject within the Ojukwu family for years.
The 2011 suit filed by Ogbonna Ojukwu, a relative, was aimed at securing possession of several OTL properties, which were believed to be under the control of the late leader’s estate. After a court ruling in favor of OTL, the company began to assert its rights over these properties, including residential estates in Ikoyi and commercial properties across Lagos.
OTL, in a statement, has pointed to significant ongoing issues related to its holdings. The company revealed that one of its tenants, Uche Obilor/West African Offshore Limited, had not paid rent for over a decade, resulting in an outstanding debt of N144 million for a property at 30 Gerard Road, Ikoyi. Other tenants, including Foursquare Gospel Church at 32a Commercial Avenue, Yaba, are also reported to have significant arrears dating back to 2017.
“OTL has been forced to reorganize its property management under the leadership of Massey Udegbe & Co., and we are taking legal steps to recover overdue rents,” a spokesperson for the company said. “Our priority remains to ensure that these properties are properly managed and that tenants fulfill their obligations.”
Some of the properties, including 4 Macpherson Road, Ikoyi, have remained under police lock since 2015, further complicating matters. Meanwhile, 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Road, a prime property in Ikoyi, has stood unoccupied for over 20 years, adding to the growing list of challenges OTL is facing.
Despite these challenges, OTL has emphasized that it is committed to ensuring the Ojukwu estate is properly managed and that any claims from the Ojukwu family or other interested parties are dealt with in accordance with the law.
Court Orders and the Family’s Involvement
In 2022, a new development occurred when Justice A.M. Lawal issued a restraining order, which barred any interference with Afamefuna and Nwachukwu’s possession of the properties until a thorough harmonization of the Ojukwu family’s assets could take place. This ruling had allowed the brothers to remain in possession of certain properties while the estate was being sorted.
OTL, in response to the ongoing complications, reaffirmed Massey Udegbe & Co. as its estate agent and published the decision in two national newspapers, making it clear that the management of the estate would be centralized.
While the brothers had initially filed a ‘Notice of Disobedience of Court Order,’ alleging that they had not been properly included in the decision-making process, their withdrawal from the legal battle raises questions about their future involvement in the family estate.
“We have seen that some of the Ojukwu family members, notably Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, were not given proper notice about the initial proceedings and were excluded from the crucial conversations,” a legal expert familiar with the case commented. “Their withdrawal could be part of a broader family strategy or a response to external pressures.”
