I am the only legal wife of Ojukwu, Bianca tells court

The trial in the ongoing legal battle between the
widow of the late Ikemba of Nnewi,
Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, Bianca
Ojukwu and his brothers over the family estate
commenced yesterday before a Lagos state
High Court sitting at Igbosere.

Mrs Ojukwu in her evidence in chief before
Justice Abdulfattah Lawal, admitted that
neither her nor her children are shareholders or
directors in Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL.
She also admitted that Ojukwu has eight
children which includes the claimants,
Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, adding that she is
the only one that was legally married among
Ojukwu’s wives, as she engaged in court,
Church and traditional marriage.
Bianca, under cross examination also told the
court that the suit that was filed before the
court is only for the right of her children and not
other children of Ojukwu.
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.
Mrs. Ojukwu had on behalf of her two under-
aged children, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu
(claimants) dragged Ojukwu Transport Limited,
OTL, and seven others before a Lagos State
High Court sitting in Igbosere over an alleged
move by the family to eject her sons from the
company’s properties located in Lagos.
She had asked the court to declare that her
children are 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; Arch.
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
is 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 and 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.
The claimants stated that throughout the period
their father was struggling to retrieve the
properties from the government, the second to
seventh defendants “never played any role in
the struggle nor contributed financially or
otherwise to the realisation of the struggle.”
However, the judge adjourned the matter till
today, for continuation of cross examination of
Bianca.