A Lagos-based man, Mr Kolawole Adesina, has urged the court to intervene in what he described as prolonged delays surrounding the reading of his late father’s will, saying the development has worsened an enduring family dispute and hampered the proper administration of the estate.
Kolawole, son of the late Prince Emmanuel Adesina, a former senior manager with the United Bank for Africa (UBA), said efforts to have the will formally read at the Lagos State High Court have repeatedly been frustrated by objections and counterclaims from other interested parties.
He explained that Prince Adesina died in 2006 after a prolonged illness.
At the time, no will was presented, prompting the court in 2009 to issue Letters of Administration to family members on the understanding that the deceased had died intestate.
Prince Adesina was married to the late Mrs Frances Adesina, and the union produced two children, Kolawole and Adenike Adesina-Kupolati.
Kolawole said that while he and his sister lived abroad for several years, a nephew, Mr Franklin Erinle, lived with their parents and assisted their father, particularly during his period of failing health.
He alleged that concerns later arose over the handling of certain aspects of his father’s affairs during that period and after his death, noting that he was unable for many years to access his father’s personal belongings or obtain clear details of some transactions linked to the estate.
According to him, the situation took a new turn in 2022 when his mother became critically ill, forcing him to return to Nigeria to care for her.
He claimed that during his stay, he discovered documents in his father’s room which raised questions about transactions connected to the estate, stressing, however, that the issues are yet to be tested in court.
Following the death of Mrs Adesina in April 2022, Kolawole said he was surprised by the contents of her will, which he alleged included assets already covered by the Letters of Administration earlier issued in respect of his father’s estate.
He also queried the appointment of an administrator under his mother’s will, saying the individual had no role in administering his father’s estate.
Kolawole further disclosed that a former caregiver later produced a sealed letter said to have been written by his father in 2002, indicating that a will had been deposited with UBA for safekeeping.
He said correspondence with the bank later confirmed that a document was indeed lodged there in January 2006.
Expressing concern over what he described as inconsistencies in the earlier administration of the estate, Kolawole said he is seeking judicial clarity to ensure transparency and fairness.
However, the matter remains unresolved as the scheduled reading of the will has reportedly been stalled following objections by lawyers representing his sister, Adenike, who is said to have questioned the authenticity of the document and demanded further investigation.
Kolawole maintained that he has no objection to any party challenging the will after it is formally read, insisting that his primary demand is for the process to be open, lawful and guided strictly by due process.
He added that the prolonged dispute has taken a personal toll on him, citing security concerns and legal challenges that arose during the family disagreement, some of which were later struck out by the court.