I'M OJUKWU'S LEGAL WIFE BIANCA TELL'S COURT

The widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Bianca, yesterday appeared before Justice Abdulfatal Lawal of a Lagos State High Court, insisting she was the only legal wife to the late Igbo leader. Bianca, while giving her testimonies in the suit she filed on behalf of her two under-aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu against her husband’s brothers and Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL), maintained that she was the only wife that the late Biafaran warlord legally married among his wives. The suit was over an alleged move by the family to eject her sons from the company’s properties located in Lagos. “Ojukwu did court wedding for me, took me to church to solemnise our wedding. Besides, we also did traditional wedding”, she told the court. Mrs Ojukwu while under cross-examination admitted that neither she nor her children was a shareholder or directors in OTL. She also admitted that Ojukwu had eight children, which including the claimants; Afamefuna and Nwachukwu but the suit was filed for her children only. The witness further informed the court that some of the OTL properties in question had been in the possession of her late husband before his demise, adding that the rent of those properties were being collected by her husband. She had asked the court to declare that her children were entitled to the possession and occupation of one of the properties 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 the suit, Bianca, and her two children, had in their statement of claim, prayed the court to declare that the threat of forceful ejection from 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Street by the defendants was 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; No. 30 McPherson Avenue, Ikoyi. According to her, the properties were under the possession of late Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu-the father of the claimants from the time the properties were released from government acquisition till date.