Five months after patriarch’s death, 16 Ibru kids in court over property

Just five months after the death of Chief Olorogun Michael Ibru, his 16 children are now in court with suits and counter suits over who should and should not get part in his multi-billion naira assets.

Ibru, a prominent businessman, died on September 2016 at the age of 86.

However, one of his sons, Oboden Ibru, less than a year after the death of their father has approached the Igbosere High Court, Lagos, praying the court to among other things declare all the 16 children of the businessman are entitled to the estate of their father.

But in a counter-claim, one of the daughters, Janet Ibru, asked the court to instead declare that those whose paternity are confirmed by a diagnostics centre in the United States (US) are eligible to an equal share of the estate.

Oboden filed his suit on February 8 by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN). The suit is yet to be assigned to a Judge.

The defendants in the suit are Oskar Ibru, Peter Ibru, Gloria Ibru, Emmanuel Ibru, Elaine Ibru-Mukoro, Mamemo Ibru, Janet Ibru, Elvina Ibru, Obaro Ibru, Vivi Ibru-Stankov, Edesiri Ibru, Christiana Ibru, Jero Ibru, Vikwesiri Ibru, Gabriel Ibru and the Probate Registrar, High Court of Lagos State.

 

The applicant is praying an order announcing that a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of January 2, 2001 is valid as to the sharing by way of gift of the late Ibru’s assets to both “Ovuone” and “Ivetu”.

 

He therefore asked the court to affirm that the properties listed in the MOU belong in their entirety to “Ovuone” being gifted jointly and several times to “Ovuone” in the lifetime of the late Chief Ibru.

 

The properties referred to are No. 1, Marine Road, Apapa, Lagos; 47, Marine Road, Apapa; 49, Marine Road, Apapa; 52, Marine Road, Apapa; 5,7,9 Emotan Road, Apapa; 3,5,7 Ladipo Oluwole, Apapa; Daska House; Blomfield Court; 33, Michael Ibru Boulevard; 6, Louis Solomon Close, Victoria Island, Lagos and 5/7, Queens Barracks Road, Lagos.

 

Also included are No. 20, Queens Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos; 6, Kensington Park Gardens, London; Starcross Farm; Hillcrest Apartment; Zabadne Plot, Abuja; Maitama Plots, Abuja; Maroko Plots, Lagos; 7, Randle Close, Apapa, Lagos; all shares in Oceanic Bank; Oteri Holdings Limited’s shares in Minet Nigeria Limited; Oteri’s shares in Ibachem and the portion of Ibafon land occupied by Ibachem and Ovwian land.

 

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Oboden is also praying that the court should declare the judgment delivered by Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Lagos on April 17, 2014 as still valid and subsisting, since no court of competent jurisdiction has set it aside.

The applicant also prayed for an order employing himself, seventh defendant, Christiana, first defendant, Oskar and eighth defendant, Jero, as administrators of their late father’s estate and an order directing them to apply to the 16th defendant for the grant of letters of administration for the estate.

That the court should also appoint Messrs, PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited to carry out a forensic audit of the shareholdings and assets, whether real or personal, belonging to the estate of the late Ibru in Oteri Holdings and any other company in Nigeria or anywhere such may be located, discovered or found in the world and submit such report to the Registrar of the court within 90 days of the order and the cost of such exercise be paid by the administrators so appointed herein.

The applicant further asked for an order of the court directing the administrators to divide the assets into 16 equal shares and that same be given to all the 16 surviving children of the late Ibru.

But Janet, the eighth defendant, in a counter-claim, asked the court to declare that all matters relating to the estate be arbitrated in Nigeria and also declare that she is entitled to a refund of all expenses, including the $48,000 incurred by her in defending the law suits of the second defendant.

Janet is also asking for an order of the court directing the administrators of the late Ibru’s estate to make repayment to her for the expenses she incurred while taking care of the late Ibru periods leading to his death.

 

 

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