…Iwuanyanwu’s Will was read to his family on June 16.
The public reaction to the Last Will of late elder statesman and former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has been mixed, with some people praising his foresight and others criticizing the conditions attached to his widow’s inheritance, The iNews Times reports.
The Will, which was read to his family on June 16, about one year after his death, has sparked a heated debate among netizens.
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on July 25, 2024, at the age of 82, was a renowned businessman and politician. He was married to his first wife, Lady Eudora Nnenna Ozinyereaku Iwuanyanwu, for over 40 years until her passing in 2011.
Two years later, he married Frances Chinonyerem Enwerem, a 26-year-old at the time, and they had a son together.
According to the Will, which was executed by Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN), Chief Iwuanyanwu’s widow, Frances is set to inherit the iconic “Legacy House” on Port Harcourt Road, Owerri. However, she is expressly forbidden from selling the property.
Additionally, she inherits ownership of Magil Furniture, a business previously run by Iwuanyanwu’s late first wife, Eudora, as well as partial stakes in real estate assets located in Orji, Works Layout, and Naze, all in Imo State.
According to the Will, the couple’s son has been granted ownership of the family’s Abuja residence. The London property is to be sold, with the proceeds distributed as follows: 60% for the education of Iwuanyanwu’s youngest son, 30% to his first son, Jide, and 10% to Ezinne, the current occupant, to support her relocation.
Iwuanyanwu also directed that the “Glass House” near the Orji flyover be transformed into a public trust. An independent board will oversee the property’s use for charitable and community-focused initiatives.
But controversy surrounds a clause in the Will that stipulates that should Iwuanyanwu’s widow, Frances remarry, she will automatically forfeit all her inheritances.
Some social media users have however defended the clause, arguing that it’s a common practice for wealthy individuals to include conditions in their wills to protect their assets. “Nothing new na, Ojukwu put the same clause in his will regarding the assets he left Bianca,” Ada said.
Others have criticized the clause, arguing that it’s unfair to expect Frances to remain unmarried for the rest of her life in order to inherit the properties. “Since the son got an inheritance, that is the best move. There are people her age who have never married, imagine the wickedness subjecting her to a lifetime of loneliness,” another user said.
Some users have speculated about the reasons behind the clause, with one user, Lambert, suggesting that it might be due to concerns about Frances’ potential motives. “He did that because no one knows what killed him. It’s possible she did so she can have a younger man with all the assets,” Lambert said.
Another user argued that the clause is necessary to protect the assets of wealthy individuals who marry younger brides. “This clause in the will protects a rich man who married a younger bride… It is a real dread and possibility that a young wife will kill her old husband to remarry and live large…so those conditions are there to protect the man while alive,” the user said.
Some commenters have also questioned the value of the assets included in the will. Jaho, a social media user, pointed out that the assets are mostly located in Owerri and might not be as valuable as some people might think. “Looking at this man assets, to be very honest, nothing dey the will. Other than the house for Abuja which he has left for his son and the London property (which will mainly be used for the boy’s education), the rest dey Owerri. How much you wan sell land for Owerri? Max 10m. You get 10. Thats 100m max per child. That’s not life changing money for anybody wey know what’s up,” Jaho said.
Jaho also expressed sympathy for Iwuanyanwu’s older children, particularly the one living in the London house, who will receive only 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the property. “You sell the house and net 1 million pounds after taxes and she gets only 100k pounds. Which house she wan buy with 100k pounds after bring used to living in that million pound house?” Jaho asked.
