Bianca Ojukwu, Sons Absent as Court Refers Property Dispute to ADR

The drama continues in the long-standing legal battle over Lagos properties, and this time, the court has decided to take a different route. Justice Adedayo Oyebanji of the Lagos High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), has transferred the case to the Multidoor Courthouse for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).

Now, suppose you’ve been following this saga. In that case, you’d know that Ojukwu Transport Limited (OTL) is after West African Offshore Limited for allegedly owing a jaw-dropping N12 million in rent—yes, you read that right, 13 years’ worth! OTL claims the company’s lease expired in 2012, yet not a single kobo has been paid since then.

At the court’s sitting on March 10, Justice Oyebanji took a deep dive into all the pending applications. However, in a plot twist, the judge decided that ADR is the best way forward. So, the ball is now in the Multidoor Courthouse’s court (literally) to sort out the lingering lease dispute involving West African Offshore Limited, owned by Uche Obilor.

Meanwhile, another interesting character in this case is Maple Petrochemicals, owned by Kwara State Governor Abdurahman Abdurazak. They’re also tangled up in this real estate drama, as they filed an application asking the court to put a stop to OTL’s execution of a warrant on their 14 Probyn Road, Ikoyi property. And let’s not forget that the warrant was enforced after a 2018 judgment in favor of OTL.

Now, here’s where it gets juicy. Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the late Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, and her sons, who had previously filed a suit against OTL, were nowhere to be seen in court. Not them, not their lawyers, there is total radio silence. Interestingly, Bianca had earlier filed to withdraw a previous application to join the case.

However, holding it down in court were OTL Director Dr. P. Ike Ojukwu, company lawyer Ifeanyi Okumah, and estate agents Massey Udegbe, clearly ready to keep things moving.

And oh, there’s more. In a separate but connected case, Bianca and her sons had filed a contempt case (Form 49) against OTL and some tenants. Justice A.M. Lawal, who’s handling that one, granted the plaintiffs’ lawyer more time to respond to pending applications and adjourned the matter till June 16.

To sum it all up, this real estate feud is far from over. With multiple court cases, disputed leases, and high-profile names involved, it’s a legal thriller that keeps evolving. Now that ADR is in the picture, let’s see if it can bring an end to this 13-year-long property drama or if the courtroom battles will rage on.