A Lagos-based man, Mr Kolawole Adesina, has appealed for judicial intervention over prolonged delays in the reading of his late father’s will, a development he says has deepened a long-running family dispute and hindered the orderly administration of the estate.
Kolawole, son of the late Prince Emmanuel Adesina, a former senior manager with the United Bank for Africa, UBA, said repeated attempts to have the will formally read at the Lagos State High Court have been stalled by objections and counterclaims from other interested parties.
According to him, Prince Adesina died in 2006 after a prolonged illness. In the absence of a known will at the time, the estate was administered under Letters of Administration issued by the court in 2009 to family members on the premise that the deceased had died intestate.
Prince Adesina was married to the late Mrs Frances Adesina, and the marriage produced two children, Kolawole and Adenike Adesina-Kupolati.
Kolawole explained that while he and his sister lived abroad for several years, a nephew, Mr Franklin Erinle, resided with their parents and assisted his father, particularly during his period of declining health.
Kolawole alleged that concerns later emerged regarding the handling of certain aspects of his father’s affairs during that time and after his death.
He said he was unable for many years to access his father’s personal belongings or obtain clear information about some transactions relating to the estate.
He stated that the situation changed in 2022 when his mother became critically ill, prompting him to return to Nigeria to care for her.
During his stay, he claimed he discovered documents in his father’s room that raised questions about transactions linked to the estate, although he acknowledged that these issues are yet to be tested in court.
Following the death of Mrs Adesina in April 2022, Kolawole said he was taken aback by the contents of her will, which he alleged included assets previously covered by the Letters of Administration issued in respect of his father’s estate.
He also questioned the appointment of an administrator under his mother’s will who, he said, was not involved in administering his father’s estate.
Kolawole disclosed that a former caregiver later produced a sealed letter purportedly written by his father in 2002, suggesting that a will had been deposited with UBA for safekeeping.
He said subsequent correspondence with the bank confirmed that a document was indeed lodged there in January 2006.
Expressing concern over what he described as inconsistencies surrounding the earlier administration of the estate, Kolawole said he wants the court to properly examine the matter to ensure transparency and fairness.
However, the issue remains unresolved, as the scheduled reading of the will has reportedly been delayed following objections by lawyers representing his sister, Adenike, who is said to have questioned the authenticity of the document and called for further investigation.
Kolawole stressed that he has no objection to any party challenging the will after it is formally read, maintaining that his primary demand is for the process to be open and lawful.
He also revealed that the protracted dispute has taken a personal toll on him, citing security concerns and legal issues that arose during the family disagreement, some of which were later struck out by the court.
Lagos man seeks court intervention over delayed reading of father’s will
