Barely two months after the remains of erudite Professor of Political Science and former Director-General of defunct Centre for Democratic Studies, CDS, Prof. Omo Omoruyi, was committed to mother earth, his will has become a subject of litigation, as two of his children have gone to a state High Court sitting in Benin, to contest its contents.
The two children, who are claimants in the suit are Mrs. Amenze Omoruyi- Okungbowa and Mrs. Ivie Omoruyi- Idehen, while the defendants include Prof. Union Edebiri, Mr. Donald Omorodion (Executors of the will of late Prof. Omonhionmwan Omoruyi) and Dr. Imuetiyan Festus.
Others are Mr. Iduoze Nehikhare, Owere Dickson Imansogie, Mr. Sunday Omoruyi, Mr. Eghosa Omoruyi, Mr. Courage Omoruyi and the Probate Registrar.
The claimants, through their counsel, Mr. N. Osifo, want the court to declare that the Will of late Prof. Omoruyi be declared null and void, same being contrary to Bini Native Law and Customs.
They want, in the alternative, a declaration that the 3rd and 4th defendants being witness to the said Will, cannot under the Will’s Act be beneficiaries under same.
They want the court to declare that the concepts of adopted male children are unknown to Bini Native Laws and Customs and therefore, not entitled to inherit properties from their adopted father.
The claimants are praying the court for “A declaration that the signature purported to be signature of the claimants’ father on the Will dated September 28, 2013, is not his signature.
“A declaration that a Will that was lodged with the Probate Section of the High Court after the death of the Testator is not the Will of the Testator.
“A declaration that the Will dated September 28, 2013 which was lodged in November 2013, is open to serious doubt as to its correctness and actual custody particularly when the Testator had died before it was lodged.” [Vanguard]
