Two professor siblings in court over deceased mother’s property in Lagos
Court
TWO professors born of same parents, Prof. Felicia Durojaiye Oyekanmi of the University of Lagos and her elder brother, Prof. Adebayo Durojaiye, are locked in a fierce battle over inheriting their late mother’s two houses in Lagos State.
After failing to reach an amicable settlement within the family, one of the parties has proceeded to a Lagos High Court to seek redress.
Trouble started after their mother, Madam Ibidun Durojaiye, died in 1999 and left behind the properties for the two siblings, which are her only surviving children. The two storey buildings are located at 35, Sura Mogaji Street, Ilupeju Estate and 128, Railway line in Idi-Olowo in Mushin.
There are other propery in their hometown in Ilesa, Osun State, which are not in dispute. But the bone of contention are the two houses she built in Lagos, which Felicia is insisting she will inherit alone, while Adebayo should take other houses built in Ilesa.
This was rejected by Adebayo, who insisted that the houses must be shared equally between them. The friction arising between Felicia and Adedayo resulted in the litigation.
In the suit number ID/955/2007 the two parties made counter claims to the buildings in Lagos. Felicia claimed that, according to native custom, the houses belong to her in accordance with the sharing agreement reached after the burial of their late mom by the family. On his part Adebayo claimed that the family did not share the houses in that manner and as such she cannot inherit the houses alone.
The matter has been adjourned till February 4, 2016 before the presiding Judge, Mrs L.A.W. Folami.
Related
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox every day of the week. Stay informed with the Guardian’s leading coverage of Nigerian and world news, business, technology and sports.
13 Comments
Where is the love brethren? is blood really thicker than water? The two Professors just succeeded in creating eternal enemity between their children. it reminds me of the Chief Rotimi Williams SAN children, Education and love of one another has gone sour, May Almighty God save his children from all these materialistic children.
Ko iti se? Ko ti i ri? Ki hin mi se ye e? Hin hin tu pada su ‘Lesha kin la yan ju re la Afin Owa Obokun Ale Ijesha. Obokun A gbe hin, Ori Madam Ibidun Durojaiye, a gbe hin. Olodumore a gbe hin. Omu kan an ni, ni ihin mejeji mu. Hin je ki Ibidun sun un re e. K ‘Owa ba ti da si kin je ke pari sibe. Kin la se dupe l’Oke Ooye. Odumore a fi melody si oro aiye rin hin O. Hin ni ifi aigbora eniye sile fun omo lati jo gun O.
English: why are you doing this? The two of you, go for amicable reconciliation at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesha land at Ilesha (your origin). May you be blessed. (ascendance, birth and creator). Let your mother rest in peace. Let the resolution proffered by Owa be abiding to the two of you and go for a thanks giving at Oke Ooye (foremost and renowned spiritual and evangelical location) at Ilesha. May your offspring not inherit filial misunderstandings and mis-communications.
This is a case of pure greed. The sane thing to do is share the property. Professors, don’t ridicule yourself in court.
Something is basically wrong here. Nothing more than personal ego. The Late Mama had done greatly for her two siblings. They are both learned. They are not vagrants sleeping under the bridge in Oshodi. I am surprised they are behaving like one. How could a family matter of their mother inheritance degenerate into a court actions. They are greedy today but laying foundation for their children to copy their footstep where they are no more. Let Felicia and Adebayo come back to their senses and do what is right by settling amicably. Come inside GRA, you will see how many properties had collapsed because the children are fighting over the Estate. Go and settle the rift amicable and give room for settlement. Besides learn from what happened in the case of Bobby Benson Estate and that of Late Chief FRA Williams.
Something is seriously wrong with especially the female professor or she belongs to something diabolic.
This is reprehensible. The woman prof is an epitome of greed. It will never happen in the East where females have no say in the properties left by their dead parents. The court should simply share it into two. Let the woman prof inherit what she has in her husbands home.
Shame on you two shameless profs! Your mama who was not educated to professorship by her own parents built houses for you two; she had ONLY TWO of you. You can’t love each other enough to agree to share. You must drag the name of that hard-working deceased lady into mud because of your greed and hatred. Ole burugu profs; shame shame!
The unique extended family system of africa is providentially postioned to sort out this problem better than court litigation
What type of useless Yoruba culture is this; for a married woman to lay claim to the properties left by the deceased mother? The properties belong to the male professor, and only in her benevolent can he give his sister any one he desires. I think that was why my marriage to a Yoruba lady from Ondo State did not last; she thought that it was appropriate for her to romance with her former boyfriend when she was married to me; a taboo in Igboland. But things have rally changed, woman of all tribe in Nigeria are now loose.
I was really writing my comments, no corrections of grammar when the computer entered the comments.It is annoying how some women all of tribes in Nigeria are not worthy of marriage to decent men due to their promiscuous behaviors. Woman professor, don’t bully your brother because of close to western porous culture of the Yorubas gives you power to have such audacity to struggle with the properties left behind by your good mother. Foolish woman, relax in your husband’s home and leave your brother alone. It is a shame for professors to go to court for that purpose. Who elevated two of you to the position of professors? Character should follow that position or in Nigeria nowadays, everybody behaves like motor park touts.
You mean she should give up her rights because she is a woman? What has her being a woman got to do with what has be apportioned to her? There is no shame going to court, you see! For peace to reign, the courts are the last hope of the aggrieved! Chuma, you must be coming from another planet the way you talking and I’m hugely ashamed of you. The one that left the properties was their mother, is that not correct? Why should she not struggle for the properties left by her mother? Are you sure she is married, and even at that, is she not entitled to the her own share of the inheritance? You attitude and the way you are talking shows how ignorant and unenlightened you!
I am really surprised to read that two Professors could go to court on the issue of inheritance. This is really shameful. The woman that is claiming the two Lagos houses must have been in a state of dream. This is because a man is not only the head of the house, but he will be the one to ensure the continuity of the lineage. I am a Muslim andaccording to Islamic law, the woman is entitled to half of whatever is given to the man. I am a Yoruba man and I have never heard of a situation in which a woman in the house is given a lion share of the properties left behind by their parents. The hypocrisy here is that people try to justify their excesses under the cover of something. The man should fight the case to its logical on cousin.
I think some commentators are being too hasty in condemning the lady Prof. here. There are two points that we need more facts on. 1. The lady claims that the family shared those properties to her. Is this true? 2. The lady says her brother should inherit the properties at Ilesha while she inherits the Lagos properties, what is the value of the properties in Ilesha vis a vis the properties in Lagos? I agree though that rather than go to court, they should find a way to resolve this within the traditional dispute resolution mechanism. May be they should seek the intervention of their king?
We will review and take appropriate action.