Two daughters of the late publisher of the Guardian newspaper, Mr. Alex Ibru have dragged his widow, Mrs. Maiden Ibru, and seven of their father’s investment companies before a federal high court in Abuja. The daughters are praying for an order directing the Court Registrar to take over the management of the assets of late billionaire’s four investment companies, namely: Alurum Investment Ltd, Oma Investment Ltd, DadIfol Ltd and RFC ltd.
The daughters, Ms. Grace Ibru and Ms. Mabel Ibru, also joined the Ikeja Hotels Plc, Capital Hotels Plc, Tourist Company of Nigeria Ltd and the Corporate Affairs Commission as defendants.
They stated in a 54-paragraph petition that Maiden Ibru and her brothe, Alexander Thomopulos who are not shareholders in any of Alex Ibru’s investments have become parasites and impostors on the deceased’s investment and estate.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/PET/17/14, dated December 9, 2014 and filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by their counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), the daughters held that their father died on 21 November 2011, leaving wills dated 22nd May, 1989 and another dated July 6, 1992 and that Omano Trust under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), of which they are co-trustees, is third will of their late father dated September 8, 2011.the executor of the purported
The petitioners stated that the validity of the purported third will is currently the subject of litigation in two separate suits pending at the Lagos State High Court, adding that despite the pendency of the two suits and a restraining order of the court, the first respondent continues to interfere, administer, act and meddle with the assets of the estate of the late Alex Ibru.
The petitioners said Mrs. Maiden Ibru and her brother have been unlawfully representing and holding out themselves as agent, representatives and the alter ego of the late Alex Ibru’s investments as they claim that the restraining order of the court did not cover the late Ibru’s corporate assets.
They said that Mrs. Maiden Ibru’s ultimate ambition is to unlawfully ride on Alex Ibru’s estate companies to become the Chairman of Ikeja Hotels Plc and thereby consolidate her position as a “de facto and maximum controller” of Alex Ibru’s estate and to finally dissipate them to the total exclusion of all the beneficiaries of Alex Ibru’s will, including the first three children of Alex Ibru, born by his first wife.
They prayed the court for an order restraining Ibru’s investment Companies from selling, mortgaging or otherwise disposing of any of its properties and assets, movable and immovable, pending the final determination of the cases as well as restraining the respondents from causing any of their records with the CAC to be changed or altered.
The petitioners also prayed the court to direct the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court to exercise all the rights, powers and privileges accruing to Ibru’s investment companies in respect of their shareholdings in every public and private companies and to also take over the management of the companies.
When the matter came up Monday before Justice Abdulkadir Kafarati, counsel to Alurum investment ltd Etigwe Uwah (SAN) told the court that his clients were not served with court processes and that every steps taken on his behalf was a nullity.
Uwah asked the court for an order that his clients be served with court processes.
DAILY TIMES
This entire episode is a complete disgrace and doesn’t speak well of the Ibrus. And I daresay that it doesn’t look like something Alex Ibru would be pleased with wherever he is. Again and again, this tells us to tidy up and properly dispose of our possessions before we pass on. Let those who live after us work for and build their own wealth.