Late Ojukwu: Another bombshell

Ojukwu's widow, Bianca

A pin drop silence descended on the office of Dennis Eboh, the chief registrar, Enugu Judiciary and Probate Registrar, located within the Enugu High Court premises last Friday, as the last will and testament of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the late Biafran warlord, was read. The will, which was read by Eboh in the presence of a few family members, threw up a number of surprises.

The biggest shocker was that a hitherto ‘unknown’ Teni Harman was listed as the number one child of the deceased. Bianca, who arrived the court premises in a black Prado Jeep at about 8.30 am, could not hide her surprise when the name was mentioned among Ojukwu’s children. She exchanged furtive glances with some family members in court and started whispering with those who sat close to her. The document named eight children as those recognised by the deceased. They are Teni, Emeka, Mmegha, Okigbo, Ebele, Chineme, Afam, and Nwachukwu. The late Ikemba stated that only the eight listed and no other person should be regarded as his children.

The import of this is that Sylvester Debe Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the first biological son of the deceased, was not only disinherited but also disowned by his father, as his name was conspicuously omitted from the list endorsed by Ojukwu himself. Secondly, Emeka Ojukwu (Jnr) was only bequeathed a property in Umudim Nnewi, Ojukwu’s hometown, as his entitlement.

Bianca was relieved eventually as she was named the biggest beneficiary of the much expected will. She and her two children were bequeathed the lion’s share of the property of the late warlord. She was all smiles when it was pronounced that she had been awarded her husband’s Enugu mansion, located at No 7 Forest Crescent, Government Reserved Area, GRA, Enugu, which is incidentally named ‘Casabianca’, after her. She also got two other properties. The first one is located at plot 20 Jabi District, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, with Certificate of Occupancy number 4405, while the second one is at Kuje, also in Abuja. The late Ojukwu, widely acclaimed as Eze Igbo (king of the Igbos), also willed all his personal effects, monies and cars to his beautiful wife, for her upkeep and that of her children. He also allotted to Bianca two hectares of land at Umuezeani Umudim, Nnewi, on condition that she does not remarry.

Ojukwu’s strange daughter, Teni, was allotted Jubilee Hotels, Zaria. But when the codicil, an amendment to the original will, was read, it was observed that the hotel had been sold, thus she would receive the proceeds from the sale. 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, alongside the late Igwe of Oraukwu, Emeka Ojukwu, and James Chukwuneme, was also appointed as the trustee and executor of the will. This may have settled perceived family wrangling at the level of the nuclear family of the departed Ojukwu, but it would not make much difference as far as the battle that has been raging between the deceased and his brothers in the extended family is concerned.

A former commissioner in Anambra State, who does not wish to be named, noted that it was not a fair deal for the late warlord to have bequeathed only a house in Umudim, Nnewi, to Emeka who the deceased duly recognised as his first son. If Ojukwu had not written a will, going by Igbo culture and tradition, the lion’s share of his father’s property would have gone to the first son.

I hope that is the last we would hear about the will.