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World Exclusive: Belgian Appeal Court Gives Judgment on Amb. Deinde Fernandez’s Estate

Published

4 years ago

April 3, 2021

Eric

By Michael Effiong

When he died in Brussels, Belgium on September 1, 2015, enigmatic business behemoth, man of means, internationally-respected billionaire and diplomat, Chief Ambassador Antonio Oladeinde Fernandez would never have imagined that six years after, his family would be engulfed in a ferocious battle over his estate.

The Fernandez Family Feud which had probably been simmering for years reached boiling point when he passed on. His Kano-born wife, Halima Adebisi Fernandez, who was at his bed side when he took his last breath, is facing stiff opposition from his children and family members.

Indeed, this war of attrition almost ruined the funeral service and burial at the Cimetiere d’ixelles in Brussels of the Pan-African leader and Permanent Representative of the Central African Republic to the United Nations.

The Peninsula- The Private island of Chief Fernandez

The aftermath was a public spat between Halima and one of the daughters, Abimbola and it was inevitable that the parties will take their family squabbles to court.

After years of battling at the lower courts, the Court of Appeal in Belgium on March, 25, 2021 decided on this mega case-and from documents exclusively obtained by The Boss, Halima has had the last laugh as the court ruled significantly in her favour!

THE BACKGROUND

Before this court victory, Abimbola, the youngest child of the giant business mogul with an unmistakable booming voice, had gone public about the family’s issues.

According to Abimbola, “Upon hearing the news that our father had passed to glory, we went straight to Brussels same day. When I arrived, I dropped my bags at the hotel and went directly to see my sister, Antoinette at the hospital to say goodbye to our father one last time.

“Our visit was brief and entailed no communication from Halima – not even an invite to our late father’s home. We were told very little information regarding the existence of a will, who is in charge of dad’s estate, funeral plans, and what will be done with sentimental valuables.

“Despite what many people want to think, us children frequented Belgium to visit our father. After losing my mother, Sandra Price, aka Aduke Fernandez, it really put life into perspective for me and really made me value every second with loved ones.

“The last time I had a friendly conversation with Halima was November 2014. Nothing since then, until the call about dad which I wouldn’t even describe as friendly.

“Once the children returned home, we all kept in touch as to figure out the next steps. Dad’s last wishes were to be buried back home in Lagos. This was made clear to Halima amongst many others.

“Our sisters Teju & Gbemi were planning a fitting burial for a king as per dad’s request. We were all under that impression and getting passports, visas etc ready to fly to Nigeria to bury our dad.

“After two weeks I received a phone call from a close friend of our father who informed me that he received a formal invite by mail and phone to dad’s funeral in Belgium. I immediately called my siblings who were gob smacked at the plan put in place to bury our father without our participation, permission and most importantly without inviting us. I don’t know how anyone with sound mind can invite all of dad’s friends to his funeral and not his children

“My siblings tried to reason with Halima to no avail evidently because dad indeed was buried in Brussels against his wishes.

“The day of the funeral, Halima had arranged for the children to be picked up in a shuttle bus while she rode in a Rolls Royce Phantom. Dad owned numerous luxury vehicles such as Bentley, Rolls and Maybach. He had more than enough cars to fit his children and their friends & family but per Halima’s organization, we followed in the bus.

No one had seen the funeral programme until the night before and some of us the day of the service. We scrambled to include readings from us children as many of us were excluded and not even asked to speak at our own father’s funeral.

“The service wasn’t fitting for the king our father is and our opinions read on all of our faces. What struck me as unnecessarily evil was towards the end of Halima’s eulogy she said something along the lines of “and I know you are up there with the only woman whom you really loved, Barbara Joyce” his late ex wife.

“In poor taste, she decides to purposely take a dig at me by excluding my late mother. She took another as we stood at the graveside and she asked all children by name except myself and Antoinette, if we had anything to say in memory of our loving father.

“Chosen siblings went the next day to our father’s home to speak to Halima and try and get a sense of the direction things were going in. She gave them a document and told them not to share it with the rest of the family for 40 days. Of course we now know we only had 40 days to submit time-sensitive information partaking to our father’s estate. Another trick. No words have been exchanged with her since.

“Currently Halima is laying claim to parts of dad’s affairs, on what grounds, I have no idea. We have yet to see any proof of a legal marriage. She is legally fighting us children and has only recently moved out of dad’s home after a detailed inventory was taken to prevent theft of his belongings which by Belgian law belong to his children.

“After the said inventory is when she took to twitter to tweet her horrific slander towards us born with American mothers. She has also gone as far as to publicly say on twitter that our father only has 1 legitimate daughter (he has 6), I do not have the right to use the title HIH which as a child of my father I do, referring to my mother as a wh*re who’s ashes need to be buried as well as plenty of other filth.

“I believe in preserving our father’s legacy but this woman has already ruined it. She is slandering his children to anyone and everyone that will listen, publicly and privately. People speak of not retaliating with her but enough is enough. I am an orphan and I am protecting my mother’s honor as any loving child would. My father was the first to say “Do not take nonsense from anyone” and that, I shall not.

We would like to be left alone to grieve over our father, settle his affairs and take him home to rest”

THE LOWER COURT

The legal tussle ultimately began when Mrs. Halima Fernandez approached the Family Court of Brussels in her quest to execute his will and her wish was granted on February 16, 2017.

She also requested for a Notary, Mr Deschamps to be appointed to proceed with the operations of liquidation-division of the estate. For some inexplicable reasons, Mr Deschamps refused to take on the responsibility of division of the estate as required and thus, Mrs. Halima Fernandez headed to court for the appointment of another Notary.

While she was awaiting the court’s verdict, Mr. Anthony Fernandez, son of the legendary man of fine taste, filed a suit opposing that prayer and challenged it on behalf of his other siblings.

The case was decided on December 21, 2017 and the court pronounced that the opposition against Mrs Halima Fernandez was well-founded and then further declared that because she did not establish her status as a widow, nor the universal quality of the deceased to which she was claiming, as such, her request for replacement of the notary was not applicable.

THE APPEAL COURT

It was based on this that Mrs Halima headed to the Court of Appeals of Brussels, 43^rd Chamber, Family Chamber. The case with serial number: 2018/FA/54, Reference No: 2021/255 was heard.

Halima Adebisi Fernandez was the Plaintiff while Mr Anthony Fernandez, Mrs Darnel Abimbola Olumegbon Fernandez, Mr Augustus Adekoyejo Oladipupo Fernandez, Mrs Antoinnete Oyinkansola Fernandez, Mrs Olateju Maria Phillips, Mrs Olugbemisola Frernandez and Mr Alexander Akintokinbo Olanrewaju where Defendants while Mrs Sandra Atinuke Olufunlola Fernandez and Mrs Chritiana Funmilayo Titilola Fernandez were Respondents.

While Halima Fernandez who was accompanied by her Counsel, Mr. Luis F. de Castro wanted the court to nullify the judgment of December 21, 2017, recognize her status as widow and sole beneficiary of the Estate as well as appoint a Notary to proceed with the liquidation and sharing operations, the children who were represented by Mr. Henri Bartholomeeusen said her claims were unfounded. As expected both parties presented their motions and counter motions for the consideration of the court.

For Mrs Halima Fernandez, she had contended that she was in deed married to the late Fernandez who was regarded as the guardian of prosperity and panache.

She affirmed that on October 23, 2003, she was married to the very colourful and classy Fernandez in Kano (Islamic) and through the native law and customs in Lagos.

Halima then stated that the Belgian National Register mentions her as being married to Fernandez since October 23, 2003 and no other marriage is mentioned in regards to the late Fernandez.

That was not all, she contended that she was the sole heir in the execution of the will which the late Fernandez made.

The will produced by Mrs. Fernandez was written on the back of a menu bearing the name of Mr. Oladeinde Fernandez during a dinner served to him on August 24, 2015, while he was hospitalized at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc

She produced a document that showed that his last will was written on that August 24, 2015 behind a menu card where the late billionaire referred to her as the “The Real wife”.

She also said that the date on the menu is wrong only in respect of year which she believed would not affect its validity.

Mrs Fernadez maintained that the document titled “Solemnization of Marriage” of November 6, 1982 which was referred to in a Paris Court of Appeal Judgment in a case between Fernandez and then wife, Sandra Aduke Fernandez was a forgery and requested a postponement to produce a certificate of proof which she claimed was locked in a safe in Kano, Nigeria.

On their path, the children contended that Mrs Halima Fernandez was never legally married to their father. According to them as at the time she claimed to have been married to him, she was still legally married to Mrs Sandra Inett Price Aduke Fernandez.

The averred that Fernandez married Aduke on November 6, 1982 in Oyo and the wedding documents was signed by the Alafin of Oyo.

They also stated that the judgment of the Paris Court Appeal of September 27, 2007 in a case between Antonio and Aduke showed that this marriage existed and they tendered documents.

The family also presented evidence that the children of Antonia and Aduke mentioned both of them as their parents. They produced the the birth certificate of one of the children, Mrs Darnel Abimbola Olumegbon Fernandez and the certificate mentions Sandra Price Fernandez as “his wife’

The court was also made to understand that in a notarized act drawn up in Paris on April, 1993 entitled” Donation by Fernandez to his wife”, the late Fernandez donated to Sandra Price (Aduke) Fernandez the Castle of Bois Fuillette in Oise (France). They averred that the marriage of November 6, 1982 was specifically mentioned.

In addition, a Notarized Act of May 23, 2003 by which Mr Fernandez revoked the donation made to his wife also mentioned the marriage.

Again, the Fernandez couple signed a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 21, 2003 putting an end to various divorce proceedings initiated before a Scottish Court.

In the children’s opinion, Mr Fernandez, a Belgian National was married to Aduke as at October 2003, therefore any other supposed marriage would amount to bigamy according to Belgian law.

The Respondents also contested the validity of the Will because its date is partially crossed out and illegible, and in any case false, according to them.

Another argument they brought forward was that Fernandez was no longer of clear mind during the final days before his death on September 1, 2015. And also the impossibility of identifying the person who had been awarded.

THE PROCEEDINGS

The stage was therefore set for the court to consider the points presented by both sides. The first thing the Court considered was the issue of legibility and jurisdiction.

The late Chief Fernandez, according to records was a Belgian National since 2002 and domiciled in Ixelles, Belgium. The Belgian courts therefore adjudged that it had jurisdiction to the claims relating to the inheritance of his estate in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation No. 65/2012 of the European Parliament and the Council of Jurisdiction.

In the view of the court, the marriage on which Mrs Halima Fernandez relies on was contracted on October 23, 2003 in Nigeria before entry into force of the Belgian Code of Private International Law.

Consequently, in order to determine the laws applicable to the conditions of this marriage, it was necessary to refer to Articles 170 and 170^th of the Civil Code. According to the former article 170 of the Civil Code, the law of the country of celebration of the marriage determines its formal requirements, i.e. in this case the Nigerian law.

The court stated that evidence before it showed that Aduke Fernandez had in Scotland made a divorce request on May 29, 2003 before the court of Edinburgh with regard to the situation of their matrimonial home.

As a consequence of that court matter, Aduke and Antonio Fernandez signed an MOU under which terms, Mr Fernandez undertook to pay his wife various sums as alimony and maintenance charges and on the other hand to transfer the Castle in Drumsheugh Gardens and the furniture worth over 300,000 pounds to his wife.

The court papers of that landmark multi-million divorce case in Scotland revealed that Aduke sought a lump sum payment of five million pounds and an allowance of 75,000 pounds a month for three years, as well as sale of their interests in oil wells, gold and diamond mines.

She also wanted 2000 pounds per month for Abimbola who was then below sixteen as well as all fees, extra accounts in relation to her education.

The court also stated that like the children alleged, as at 2007 when the couple were battling at the Paris Court of Appeal, Aduke was still married to Fernandez, though the Scottish divorce proceedings filed by Aduke may have muddied this contention.

It further said that the late Fernandez did not contest his marriage with Aduke before the Paris Court of Appeal which led to the judgment taken by the court on the matter.

In addition, Mrs Fernandez has had ample time since the court’s order of August 19,2020 to retrieve the document she said invalidates Aduke’s marriage which she said was in a safe in Kano, Nigeria but had not done so.

Insisting that in the opinion of the court, the document by Mrs Halima Fernandez could not even invalidate all other relevant documents on the matter as noted by the Paris Court of Appeal.

Based on the submission from Paris, the Belgian Court believed that it may also be noted that the marriage on which Mrs. Halima Fernandez relies on would also contravene the provisions of the Nigerian Marriage Act.

Indeed, according to section 33 (1) of this law, “No marriage in Nigeria shall be valid if any of the parties at the time of solemnization of such marriage is married under customary law to a person other than the person with whom such marriage is contracted”; according to section 39, it exposes her to criminal sanctions.

The court stated “As we have seen, Mr. OLADEINDE FERANANDEZ had contracted in 1982 in Nigeria, a customary marriage with Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ.

“Admittedly, Mrs. FERNANDEZ notes that the Belgian national register mentions that she was married to Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ since October 23, 2003, and the same register refers to a marriage contracted in Nigeria, in Kano.

“However, the court is not bound by the decision of the Registrar who agreed to recognize this marriage⁴.

“Moreover, it appears that no other marriage is mentioned with regard to Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, which suggests that it was in ignorance of the still ongoing union of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ with Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ in October 2003 that a marriage with Mrs. FERNANDEZ was considered.

“The court also notes that it is not known on the basis of which act or other document the existence of a marriage between Mrs. FERNANDEZ and Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ was transcribed or registered in Belgium and that Mrs. FERNANDEZ is particularly confused in her explanations since she claims to have contracted an Islamic marriage with Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in Kano (Kano State), while at the same time claiming to have contracted a customary marriage with Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in Lagos State.

“From the foregoing, it is clear that, although for other reasons, the decision should be confirmed insofar as it refused to recognize Mrs. FERNANDEZ as the sole heir of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ

“Neither the photographs produced, nor the attribution of the name FERNANDEZ to the plaintiff, nor the title of Baroness of Dudley (which Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ also held) could lead to any other decision”

The court went on to say that the substantive conditions including in interpretation of the will produced by Halima must be assessed in the light of Belgian Law.

Noting that this Will could not have been drawn up before August 24, 2015 and that the Children had maintained without showing proof that Fernandez was no longer clear minded.

It went on to state “A will with a wrong date is not necessarily invalid. The erroneous date may be corrected when intrinsic and/or extrinsic elements make it possible to determine it, or even to determine only the period during which the will was made when there is no reason to determine a precise date; Such will be the case, in particular, when there is no reason to suppose that the testator was affected by insanity of mind during that period”.

Adding that an error regarding the year by Fernandez is not sufficient to consider that he lacked capacity especially as Mrs Halima Fernandez had presented a document by Dr. Goffin, Head of Nephrology, Cliniques Universitairies Saint-Luc certifying that the late Fernandez had full mental capacity but only had difficulties with mobility of his hands.

The court also asserted that the holographic Will drawn up by Fernandez who was well grounded in Yoruba Culture was to avoid disputes which unfortunately had now occurred.

According to the court, Fernandez clearly considered Halima as his wife. He treated her as such, she bore his name, they lived together and it is not disputed that she was at his bedside during the last days of his life.

In the view of the court, Halima was described as “my wife” by the late beneficiary and not the sole beneficiary of his estate.

It then stated emphatically that though to the Children’s claims that their father was married five times, his fifth wife being Mrs. Sandra Price Fernandez is correct, but she died in 2013 and therefore cannot have been included in the will drawn up in 2015.

Adding “ In any case, there is no reason to believe that, by naming “my real wife” as universal legatee, Mr. Oladeinde Fernandez intended to designate one of his previous wives or someone other than Mrs. Fernandez.

THE JUDGMENT

The Court began by affirming that without being prejudicial to the rights of the legal heirs of Fernandez, it is clear that Mrs. Halima Fernandez is the universal legatee of the deceased.

It stated that Halima’s request for the appointment of a notary in order to proceed with the liquidation and sharing of the estate is admissible and well-founded.

The court asserted that Halima cannot claim to be the sole heir of Fernandez who died in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert on 1^st September, 2015.

It also confirmed the decision of February 16, 2017 that Mrs. Halima Adebisi Fernandez has the right of holding of the account, liquidation and sharing of the Fernandez estate

The court also went on to appoint Maitre Gaétan Bleeckx, whose office is on 1060 Brussels, place Maurice van Meenen, 2 to act a Notary for the purpose of liquidation of the Estate and related matters.

It also urged each of the parties to pay for their costs of procedures and appeal.

The judgement was delivered on March 25, 2021 and signed by the following: I. Ruydts (President of the Chamber, Judge of Appeal For the Family), M. De Graef (Judge of Appeal for the Famy) and A de Poortere (Substitute )

FIND BELOW THE CASE IN FULL

In the case of:
Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ,

Plaintiff,
Appearing in person, accompanied by her counsel Mr. Luis F. de CASTRO, lawyer whose office is situated in 1050 Brussels, Avenue Louise, 50;

Defendant:
Mr. Anthony FERNANDEZ,

Mrs. Darnel Abimbola Olumegbon FERNANDEZ

Mr. Augustus Adekoyejo Oladipupoo FERNANDEZ

Mrs. Antoinette Oyinkansola FERNANDEZ

Mrs. Olateju Maria PHILIPS,

Mrs. Olugbemisola FERNANDEZ,

Mr. Alexander Akintokunbo OLANREWAJU,

Respondents,

Represented by their counsel, Mr. Henri BARTHOLOMEEUSEN, whose office is located in Brussels, Rue de Stassart, 117, box 9.

Mrs. Sandra Atinuke Olufunlola FERNANDEZ, without known address, residence or any known elected official residence in Belgium,

Respondent,

Did not appear in court, nor did anyone appearing on her behalf;

Mrs. Christiana Funmilayo Titola FERNANDEZ, without known address, residence or any known elected official residence in Belgium,

Respondent,

Did not appear in court, nor did anyone appearing on her behalf;

Having regarded the documents in the proceedings, in particular:

The judgment thereby, pronounced contradictory with regard to Mr. Anthony FERNANDEZ and Ms. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ and by default with regard to the other parties by the Family Court of the French-speaking Court of First Instance of Brussels on December 21, 2017, of which no writ of service is produced;

– The January 23, 2018 petition for appeal;

– The order of August 19, 2020, taken pursuant to Article 748, & 2 of the Judicial Code;

– The summary conclusions of the respondents’ summary of the respondents’ no’s 1 to 7 delivered to the clerk of the court on October 30, 2020;

– The summary conclusions of the plaintiff delivered to the clerk’s office of the court on December 30, 2020.

l. The purpose of the application and appeal

1.
The dispute concerns the estate of Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, of Belgian nationality (since May 8, 2002), born in Lagos (Nigeria) on August 12, 1936 and deceased in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert on September 1, 2015.

2.
Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ had nine children, the present respondents.

The plaintiff, Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ, of Nigerian nationality, born in Kano (Nigeria) on March 9, 1969, claim to have married Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in Nigeria on October 23, 2003.

The respondents’ no’s 1 to 7 contest the existence of this marriage, which they claim could not in any case be taken into account, because of bigamy in the case of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ.

Respondents’ no’s 1 to 7 contests the validity of this will.

3.
Originally, the Family Court of Brussels was seized with the request of Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ, directed against the nine children of Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, seeking, in substance, to have the notary DESCHAMPS appointed to proceed with the operations of liquidation-division of the estate.

4.
By a first judgment of February 16, 2017, pronounced by default with respect to the nine children of Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, the family court ordered the holding of liquidation-sharing operations and appointed the notary DESCHAMPS to proceed therewith

The notary DESCHAMPS having not accepted the mission, Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ has applied to the court for a replacement of the notary.

In addition, one of Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ’s sons, Mr. Anthony FERNANDEZ, filed an opposition against the judgment of 16 February, 2017;

The judgment undertaken on 21 December, 2017, ruled on these two claims.

6.
The first judge found the opposition to be well-founded. It set aside the judgment pronounced by default on 16 February, 2017 and declared the original claim of Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ inadmissible, on the grounds that she did not establish her status as a widow, nor the universal quality of the deceased to which she was claiming.

The original request of Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ having been declared inadmissible, the first judge said that the request for replacement of the notary was not applicable.

7.
Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ request the court to nullify the judgment of December 21, 2017 and:

– To recognize her status as widow and sole beneficiary of Mr Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ.
– To appoint a notary to proceed with the liquidation and sharing operations.

The respondents no’s 1 to 7 concluded that the appeal is unfounded.

8.
By an order of August 19, 2020, issued pursuant to Article 748, & 2 of the Judicial Code, final deadlines for the preparation of the case were set, taking into account a new document produced by the Respondents no’s 1 to 7.

II. Discussion

International Jurisdiction of the Belgian Courts

9.
The last habitual residence of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, who since 21 April, 2015 was domiciled at Ixelles, was in Belgium.

The Belgian courts therefore have jurisdiction to hear the claims relating to the liquidation of the inheritance of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ’s estate, in accordance with Article 4 of Regulation No. 65/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition and enforcement of judgments, acceptance and enforcement of authentic instruments in matters of inheritance and on the creation of a European Certificate of Inheritance.

Law applicable to the formal and substantive requirements of a possible marriage celebrated in Nigeria in October 2003.

10.
The marriage on which Mrs FERNANDEZ relies was, according to her, contracted on 23 October 2003 in Nigeria, i.e. before the entry into force of the Belgian Code of Private International Law.

Consequently, in order to determine the laws applicable to the formal and substantive conditions of this marriage, it is necessary to refer to the former articles 170 and 170th of the Civil Code.

According to the former article 170 of the Civil Code, the law of the country of celebration of the marriage determines its formal requirements, i.e. in this case the Nigerian law.

According to the former article 170th of the Civil Code, marriages celebrated abroad are “as to substance, valid in Belgium if the contracting parties have satisfied the conditions prescribed by their personal statutes for contracting a marriage, on penalty of nullity”.

Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ had Belgian nationality since 8 May, 2002.

The validity of a marriage that he allegedly contracted on 23 October, 2003 in Nigeria must therefore be assessed, as far as he is concerned, on the basis of the substantive conditions prescribed under penalty of nullity by Belgian law.

As regards Mrs. FERNANDEZ, of Nigerian nationality, the substantive conditions of the marriage she mentions must be assessed on the basis of Nigerian law.

11.
According to respondents’ no’s 1 to 7, the alleged marriage of the deceased with the plaintiff is in any case not valid, since it would be a bigamous marriage and would contravene the principle of public order of article 147 of the Belgian Civil Code, according to which “one cannot contract a second marriage before the dissolution of the first”.

They maintain that Mr. Antonio OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ had married in Nigeria, on 6 November, 1982 to Mrs. Sandra Inett Aduke PRICE FERNANDEZ, and that as at 2003, he was still married to her, as it would appear from the judgment of the Paris Court of Appeal of September 27, 2007, which they tendered.

12.
This judgment of 27 September, 2007, was handed down by the Paris Court of Appeal in a dispute between Ms. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ and OLADIENDE FERNANDEZ, concerning protective measures ordered on the basis of Article 20 of European Regulation No. 2201/2003 of 7 November, 2003, concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and the matters of parental responsibility, on the one hand, and Article 220-1 of the French Civil Code1, on the other.

13.
Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ disputed before the Paris Court of Appeal that he had married Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ in 1982.

However, in its decision of September 27, 2007, the Court of Appeal of Paris noted:

– That Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ married Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ on November 6, 1982, “according to a customary marriage in Oyo in Nigeria, as it appears from the act entitled “solemnization of a customary marriage” of the same day, emanating from the State of Oyo in

Nigeria, and signed by the Alafin, customary chief of this province, a document whose authenticity is not disputed;

– that the birth certificates of the two children of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ and Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ mentioned that their parents are married; the respondents no’s 1 to 7 produced before this court the birth certificate of one of these children, Mrs. Darnel Abimbola Olumegbon FERNANDEZ, and this certificate mentions that Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ is “his wife”,

– that by a notarized act drawn up in Paris on April 6, 1993, entitled “donation by Mr. FERNANDEZ to his wife”, Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ made a donation to Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ of the castle of Bois Feuillette in Oise (France) and that this act “expressly mentions the customary marriage of 6 November, 1982 on the civil status of the two parties”;

– that the notarized act of 23 May, 2003 “by which Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ revoked this donation made to his wife also mentions this marriage”;

– that Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ had introduced in Scotland a request for divorce on 29 May, 2003 “before the court of Edinburgh, territorially competent with regard to the situation of the matrimonial home”;

– that “the FERNANDEZ couple” signed a memorandum of understanding on 21 August, 2003 putting an end to the various divorce proceedings initiated by the wife before the Scottish court;

– that under the terms of this memorandum of understanding Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ “(…) undertook, on the one hand, to pay to his wife various sums as alimony and maintenance charges, and on the other hand to ” transfer the castle and the furniture to his wife “,

– that no other divorce proceedings were in progress between the parties.

The preceding elements allow us to conclude that, as the respondents no’s 1 to 7 pointed out, Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ was indeed still married to Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ in 2007, when the Paris Court of Appeal heard the above-mentioned dispute, and that he was therefore also married in October 2003.

A possible marriage of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, of Belgian nationality, contracted in October 2003 with the plaintiff, would therefore necessarily be bigamous and no effect can be recognized in Belgium to such a union, which contravenes the Belgian international public order2.

14.
At the court hearing of 21 January, 2021, Mrs. FERNANDEZ certainly maintained that the document titled “Solemnization of a customary marriage” of 6 November, 1982, which is referred to in the judgment of the Paris Court of Appeal, was a forgery. She requested a postponement of the case in order to be able to produce a certificate proving this, which is in a safe in Nigeria, in Kano, but which she would not be able to produce, for lack of being able to go to Nigeria because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

The court noted that Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ did not however contest the authenticity of this customary marriage certificate before the Paris Court of Appeal, which the judgment of this court expressly noted.

In addition, Mrs. FERNANDEZ has had the necessary time since the court’s order of 19 August, 2020, to retrieve the document in question, if necessary by seeking the intervention of a trusted third party.

Furthermore, assuming that this document exists, it could not contradict the other relevant elements, also noted by the Court of Appeal of Paris, and largely confirming the existence of the marriage of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ with Mrs. PRICE FERNANDEZ.

Therefore, there is no reason to reopen the proceedings in order to allow Mrs. FERNANDEZ to produce the certificate that she claims to have.

15.
It may also be noted that the marriage on which Mrs. FERNANDEZ relies would also contravene the provisions of the Nigerian Marriage Act.

As we have seen, Mr. OLADEINDE FERANANDEZ had contracted in 1982 in Nigeria, a customary marriage with Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ.

16.

Admittedly, Mrs. FERNANDEZ notes that the Belgian national register mentions that she was married to Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ since October 23, 2003, and the same register refers to a marriage contracted in Nigeria, in Kano.

However, the court is not bound by the decision of the registrar who agreed to recognize this marriage⁴.

Moreover, it appears that no other marriage is mentioned with regard to Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, which suggests that it was in ignorance of the still ongoing union of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ with Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ in October 2003 that a marriage with Mrs. FERNANDEZ was considered.

The court also notes that it is not known on the basis of which act or other document the existence of a marriage between Mrs. FERNANDEZ and Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ was transcribed or registered in Belgium and that Mrs. FERNANDEZ is particularly confused in her explanations since she claims to have contracted an Islamic marriage with Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in Kano (Kano State), while at the same time claiming to have contracted a customary marriage with Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in Lagos State.

17.
From the foregoing, it is clear that, although for other reasons, the decision should be confirmed insofar as it refused to recognize Mrs. FERNANDEZ as the sole heir of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ.

Neither the photographs produced, nor the attribution of the name FERNANDEZ to the plaintiff, nor the title of Baroness of Dudley (which Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ also held) could lead to any other decision.

The Will

18.
Mrs. FERNANDEZ also contends that she is the sole heir of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, in execution of a will he allegedly made on August 24, 2015.

According to the document produced, written in a handwriting that is difficult to read, the last wishes of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ were to bequeath his estate to his “real wife” (read his “real wife” or, according to the respondents no’s 1 to 7, his “real wife”).

The respondents no’s 1 to 7 contests the validity of this will because of:

– its date, partially crossed out and illegible, and in any case false according to them,
– the deterioration of the state of health of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ in the days preceding his death, which raises doubts about his capacity to write a will
– the impossibility of identifying the person who had been awarded.

19.
The substantive conditions (including its interpretation) and form of the will produced by Mrs. FERNANDEZ must be assessed in the light of Belgian law, in accordance with articles 24,§ 1st and 26 of Regulation No. 650/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council mentioned above, which is not contested by any of the parties.

Article 970 of the Civil Code5, and according to which a holographic will is not valid if it is not written in full, dated and signed by the hand of the testator, must be observed on penalty of nullity in accordance with Article 1001 of the same code.

According to article 901 of the Civil Code, one must be of sound mind to make a will.

20.
The will produced by Mrs. FERNANDEZ was written on the back of a menu bearing the name of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNABDEZ, relating to a dinner served to him on August 24, 2015, while he was hospitalized at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc.

The date affixed by Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ is partially crossed out, but it can be read as “25 august 19 (illegible crossing out – may be 8) 4”.

21.
Ms. FERNANDEZ believes that the date of the menu (August 24, 2015) allows for the fact that the date indicated by Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ is wrong only with respect to the year, which she believes would not affect the validity of the will.

A will with a wrong date is not necessarily invalid. The erroneous date may be corrected when intrinsic and/or extrinsic elements make it possible to determine it, or even to determine only the period during which the will was made when there is no reason to determine a precise date; Such will be the case, in particular, when there is no reason to suppose that the testator was affected by insanity of mind during that period⁶.

22.
In the present case, Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ’s will could not have been drafted before August 24, 2015.

Respondents no’s 1 t 7 maintained without showing that Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ was no longer clear minded during the final days before his death on September 1, 2015.

The use of an unusual medium or the error regarding the year indicated by Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ is not sufficient to consider that his capacity was necessarily impaired, especially since Ms. FERNANDEZ produced a certificate dated August 24, 2015, drawn up by Dr. GOFFIN, head of the nephrology department at Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, certifying that Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ “has full mental capacity” (read has all his mental capacity”) but difficulties for the mobilization of his hands (“by contrast, he has lots of difficulties with the mobilization of his hands”).

As for the steps subsequently taken by Mrs. FERNANDEZ with the usual lawyer of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, with a view to drawing up an authentic will, they cannot have any impact on the assessment of the validity of the holographic will that Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ had already drawn up. Indeed, it can be considered that the purpose was to avoid the disputes that Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ could have feared and which did in fact occur.

23.
When the testator designates a legatee, that legatee must be identified or at least identifiable⁷.

M. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ did not name Mrs. FERNANDEZ as the sole beneficiary of his estate, but rather “my wife”.

However, Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ clearly considered Mrs. FERNANDEZ as his wife. He treated her as such, she bore his name, they lived together and it is not disputed that she was at his bedside during the last days of his life.

It is true that respondents no’s 1 to 7 mention that their father was married five times, his fifth wife being Mrs. Sandra PRICE FERNANDEZ, mentioned above. But she died in 2013 and therefore cannot have been included in the will drawn up in 2015. In any case, there is no reason to believe that, by naming “my real wife” as universal legatee, Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ intended to designate one of his previous wives or someone other than Mrs. FERNANDEZ.

24.
The decision taken will therefore be overturned insofar as it considers that Mrs. FERNANDEZ is not the legatee of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ.

The request for liquidation and sharing of the estate of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ

25.
Without this finding being prejudicial to the rights of the legal heirs of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, it is clear from the foregoing that Mrs. FERNANDEZ is the universal legatee of the deceased.

Her request for the appointment of a notary in order to proceed with the liquidation and sharing of the estate of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ is admissible and well-founded.

The judgment under appeal will also be overturned in that it nullified the judgment of which opposition was filed on February 16, 2017, which had granted this request by Mrs. FERNANDEZ.

Notary DESCAMPS, appointed by the decision of February 16, 2017, has indicated that he could not accept this assignment. It is therefore rightly that Mrs. FERNANDEZ requests the appointment of another notary.

The Costs

26.
Pursuant to article 1017, paragraph 4, of the Judicial Code, costs may be offset “to the extent assessed by the judge (…) if the parties are unsuccessful on any of the counts”.

In the present case, the parties are each unsuccessful on some of their claims.

Accordingly, costs should be offset in both proceedings, in that each party shall bear its own costs.

NOW THEREFORE,
THE COURT,

In accordance with Article 748, § 2 of the Judicial Code, rules contradictorily,

Having regard to article 24 of the law of 15 June 1935 on the use of languages in judicial matters,

Receives the appeal and grounds as follows;

Cancels the judgment underway, except insofar as it accepted the claims and ruled that Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ cannot claim to be the sole heir of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, who died in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert on 1st September, 2015.

Ruling again for the remainder,

Holds that in accordance with the testamentary dispositions taken by Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ, Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ is the universal legatee of his estate;

Confirms the decision of February 16, 2017, insofar as it ordered, at the request of Mrs. Halima Adebisi FERNANDEZ, the holding of the account, liquidation and sharing of the estate of Mr. OLADEINDE FERNANDEZ;

Appoints to proceed to these operations Maitre Gaétan BLEECKX, notary whose office is established in 1060 Brussels, place Maurice van Meenen, 2;

Delivers to each of the parties its costs of procedure and appeal.

This judgment was rendered by the 43rd chamber of the Court of Appeal of Brussels, Family Chamber, on 25 March 2021, composed of:

I. RUYDTS, president of the chamber, judge of appeal for the family,
M. DE GRAEF, counsellor, judge of appeal for the family,
A. de POORTERE, substitute magistrate

Original Court document Translated by: Lonniintrad Interpretation and Translation Agency.
37 Rue de Paris,
93000 Bobigny. Paris.

Boss Picks

Massad Boulos: Inside Story of SCOA Nigeria CEO

Published

3 days ago

December 16, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

Rising to the pinnacle of one’s career is not a mean feat. Becoming the chief executive officer of any organization, let alone a multinational firm, or by implication, a multi-dimensional company, is an achievement worth celebrating. It is even more legendary when the subject is internationally connected and has enduring links with notable figures, especially America’s President-elect, Donald John Trump, and is thriving without an iota scandal. Mr. Massad Boulos, the Chief Executive Officer of SCOA Nigeria, is that one person.

Born a Lebanese in 1971 to a Greek Orthodox family in Kfaraakka, Koura, Boulos has over the years, while growing, and through career trajectory, acquired three more national identities including American, French and Nigerian. These have projected to the category of international personalities, looked upon as fostering world peace and coexistence.

His name, which translates to Paul to the Apostle, in Arabic, betrays his religious inclination, but his close-knitted relationship with Arab Muslims and other Muslims of the world further cements his open minded attitude towards humanity even as he categorically and vigorously campaigned for Former President Trump, who is today the President-Elect, awaiting the coming of January 20 to become the 46th President of the United of America.

While the campaign and election lasted, Boulos prized himself as Trump’s ‘envoy’ to Arab and Muslim Americans, shuttling through the states of Michigan, Arizona and Florida to convince them that Trump is a better candidate, capable of bringing the Israeli/Hamas war to a sudden end. His efforts paid off as Trump won the election with a landslide.

“Our community in Arizona is so big and so important, we can make a difference. We can make sure we get that margin,” he was quoted as saying by Washington Post in August.

He has been a solid ally of Trump since 2018 when his son began to date Trump’s daughter, Tiffany. Both got married in 2022, and in December 2024, Trump, who described him as an ‘accomplished lawyer’, named him his Middle East advisor.

Going down memorylane, The Washington Post in September, captured the origin as follows: “The war, which began 11 months ago after Hamas-led militants carried out a stunning cross-border attack on Israel, has reduced much of Gaza to rubble. The Oct. 7 attack killed about 1,200 people and saw 250 dragged back into Gaza as hostages, according to the Israeli government.

“But months of negotiations mediated by the United States, Egypt and Qatar have failed to deliver a cease-fire and hostage-release deal. Meanwhile, fewer than half the hostages have returned to Israel alive, while the war has given rise to starvation and disease throughout the enclave.”

A product of a political hegemony as his father and grandfather were prominent politicians, funding the Free Patriotic Front, Boulos however, chose the path of his father-in-law, Michel Zouhair Fadoul, who came into his life much later in existence, and became a truck seller; a profession he committed his very all, and rose to become the Head of its Nigeria axis. That is the SCOA Nigeria; a prolific truck manufacturing and marketing firm.

He however, had political stint as an ally of Michel Aoun’s FPM and represented it in Nigeria, where his business is domiciled.

It was reported that in 2009, the FPM shortlisted him, though by 2018, he was supporting Frangieh’s Marada. Consequently, hia appointment by Trump defines hia capacity to shuttle between both ideological prism, and bring harnessing in Middle East politics.

He said of the Israeli massacre and the subsequent and ongoing war, “Those massacres would not have happened if there was a strong president at the White House. The entire war wouldn’t have happened.

But Trump’s “clear and unequivocal position on this is that he is totally and absolutely against this war… And he’s totally and absolutely against the killing of civilians.”

The Trump Vance team captured his person as follows in a press statement by the Spokeswoman, Karoline Leavitt, while defending him over an avalanche of ‘fake’ information:

“The truth is Mr. Boulos is a highly respected businessman who has proudly served as the CEO of some of his family’s group of companies based in West Africa for more than 27 years and his family has employed tens of thousands of people around the globe.”

The statement further allocated the following achievements to Boulos:

• Mr. Boulos has degrees in both business and law.
• SCOA Nigeria PLC, a member of the FADOUL Group, is a well-known conglomerate that exclusively represents numerous global brands for decades.
• SCOA and the other family group companies have been very successful in the Nigerian market providing high-end products and specialized services to the largest companies in the country.
• SCOA is also part of the Fadoul Group, which is one of the largest privately-owned family businesses in West and Central Africa with a presence in 10 different countries since its founding in 1966.
• The FADOUL Group employs more than 20,000 hardworking people
• The Boulos and Fadoul family companies have developed into a family group with over $1 Billion USD in value and hundreds of millions in assets.

Soundly educated, Boulos, who moved to Texas as a teenager graduated from University of Houston-Downtown in 1993 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He moved to Nigeria to work for SCOA at the completion of his education.

Today, he is a notable shareholding authority in the conglomerate. Boulos, as a matter of principle, will say much about his Enterprises because he “made a practice of not commenting on his businesses”. He allows entities to make their own various conjectures.

A man of peace and saddled with the responsibility of keeping all and aundry qith arms length, Boulos reportedly has ‘links with Christian politicians and parties in Lebanon, including Suleiman Frangieh and the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM) both of which are Christian allies of Hezbollah, but maintained talks with opposition parties like the Lebanese Forces, says Wikipedia.

It was therefore, easy to portray Trump as supportive of “global peace” in the 2014 election campaigns.

As a positive identity and credential, Boulos has acted as an intermediary between the Palestinian Authority and its leader, Mahmoud Abbas and Trump.

Boulos is married to Sarah Fadoul Boulos, who was born in Burkina Faso in 1986? She lived in Houston, Texas, and was a student at Houston Baptist University until 1996, then moved to Lagos, Nigeria. She is a dance instructor, who in 2005 founded the aspirationally named Society for the Performing Arts in Nigeria as a tiny studio in her garage.

More recently, she has been a franchisee of Creative Education International (CrEd) Lagos Island. As at 2020, she worked at La Pointe Delicatessen, in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Together they have four children. While one of their son, Michael, is married to Tiffany Trump, daughter of Donald Trump, another son, Fares, is an actor.

Though he would be holding an important position for the American government come January 2025 when the administration of Trump is inaugurated, Boulos, who has undeniable roots in Lebanon had said his time like during the electioneering will be split.between South Florida and Nigeria, where he oversees his family’s billion-dollar conglomerate, SCOA Nigeria.

Boulos is a longtime proponent of the Grand Old Party (GOP), another name for the Republican Party, His support therefore, for Trump is rooted in both politics and family, and so believes in the Trump Vance Transition Team verdict that, “President Trump wants peace and prosperity for all people.

“President Trump will once again deliver peace through strength to rebuild and expand the peace coalition he built in his first term to create long-term safety and security for both the Israeli and Palestinian people.”

The count begins therefore, on January 25 as Trump resumes office.

However, the management of SCOA in a statement titled “Celebrating the Legacy of Massad Boulos Leadership at SCOA Nigeria”, to further project his image, and prove fake narratives wrong, noted as follows:

Recent media criticisms questioning the breadth of experience and business acumen of Mr. Massad Boulos, the incoming Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, are not only misguided but also dismissive of the remarkable track record of both the man and the companies he has been instrumental in nurturing.

For instance, SCOA Nigeria PLC, where Mr. Boulos serves as Managing Director/CEO, is far from being just another company. It is a formidable force in Nigeria’s industrial and economic landscape. With roots spanning over four decades, it holds the distinction of being the first European automotive assembly plant in Nigeria.

In the 1970’s, SCOA Nigeria PLC made a name for itself by assembling Peugeot 404 and then 504 pickup trucks at its assembly plant at Apapa, Lagos and service center at its Lapal House facility on Lagos Island. Today, the company continues this proud legacy, assembling, distributing, and marketing M.A.N trucks and buses, power generators, tractors, agricultural equipment, industrial equipment and other heavy-duty construction and mining machinery critical to Nigeria’s key sectors.

SCOA Nigeria PLC’s clients include some of the most prominent and respected names in Nigeria’s construction industry, such as Julius Berger—widely regarded as the nation’s leading construction firm—Lafarge Africa PLC, a major cement producer, the Chagoury Group, renowned for developing the prestigious Banana Island, a premier residential enclave in Lagos, the DANGOTE Group, and many others.

Beyond trucks, SCOA Nigeria PLC is a trusted supplier of concrete, road construction and mining equipment, partnering with leading infrastructure companies to drive Nigeria’s development. For example, Julius Berger relies heavily on SCOA’s equipment for large-scale projects, including the 376km Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway and the 43.6km Lagos-Shagamu stretch of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kano Highway.

Similarly, Hi-Tech Construction, currently working on the 700km Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Lagos-Badagry-Sokoto road network, depends significantly on SCOA PLC for the machinery and technology required to execute these ambitious projects, aimed at enhancing connectivity and trade across Nigeria’s southern, central, and northern regions.
Similarly,SCOA PLC has also been instrumental in the development of Eko Atlantic City, a groundbreaking urban project built on reclaimed land from the Atlantic Ocean. This visionary initiative, designed to address Lagos’s urbanization challenges and promote sustainable development, has been made possible in part by state-of-the-art machinery supplied by SCOA. Notably, Eko Atlantic City is set to host the United States Embassy, projected to be the largest of its kind globally upon completion, further underscoring the strategic importance of this landmark project.

In fact, SCOA Nigeria PLC’s impact extends beyond Nigeria’s shores. As a member of the FADOUL Group – one of the largest and most successful family-owned businesses in Africa – its influence spans across West and Central Africa. The FADOUL Group, established in 1966, operates numerous successful enterprises, employs over 20,000 people, and is valued at over $1 billion, with hundreds of millions of USD in assets. This legacy highlights the scale and scope of the operations under Mr. Boulos’s leadership.

Contrary to unfounded claims in certain media outlets, the suggestion that Mr. Boulos is not a billionaire is both baseless and misleading. As President-elect Donald Trump rightly described, Mr. Massad Boulos is a “deal-maker,” a characterization grounded in fact. His proven ability to negotiate and execute complex international transactions has facilitated significant partnerships between Nigerian, German, and French businesses, delivering substantial value and mutual benefit.
As a Non-Executive Independent Director of SCOA Nigeria PLC since 2012, I have witnessed firsthand Mr. Boulos’s instrumental role in driving the company’s success. His ability to navigate the complexities of international commerce, exemplified by the supply of a significant fleet of trucks to Lafarge Africa through a tripartite arrangement between a logistics firm, GPC and Union bank plc, has earned him widespread recognition and respect.

Mr. Boulos’s leadership has not only been vital to SCOA PLC’s achievements but also to the broader international business successes of the FADOUL Group. This is precisely the kind of experience and strategic vision he brings to his new role as Senior Adviser on Arab and Middle East Affairs to President-elect Trump.

As noted in a press release by Karoline Leavitt, Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman, attempts to smear Mr. Boulos’s reputation are part of a broader effort by opposition elements to undermine President-elect Trump’s nominees. The truth remains that Mr. Boulos played a pivotal role in mobilizing the Arab-American and Middle Eastern-American vote, contributing significantly to the Trump-Vance victory—an achievement that underscores his political and organizational acumen.

Efforts to denigrate Mr. Boulos’s qualifications and achievements are not only futile but also a disservice to the facts. Mr. Boulos’s expertise and accomplishments are well-suited for his new role, where he will undoubtedly deliver impactful results on behalf of President-elect Trump and the United States.

Boss Picks

Celebrating a Man of Outstanding Excellence, Ademola Adeleke

Published

3 weeks ago

November 30, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

“Since I assumed office, I have devoted myself majorly to delivering on our five-point agenda. I deploy my network locally and nationally in support of our noble projects and programmes for Osun. I am elated that our contributions are being noticed” – Governor Adeleke

In May 2024, two historical events took place to further cement the tag of ‘Performing Governor’, for which the Governor of Osun State, Asiwaju (Senator) Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, is known, and justifiably so. They include the conferment of the Asiwaju of Edeland title on him by his community, represented by the Timi of Ędę, HRH Oba Adesola Munirudeen Lawal (Laminisa 1), as well as the best governor of the year award conferred in him by the Vanguard Newspaper.

The prestigious Asiwaju title was previously held by Governor Adeleke’s elder brother, Isiaka Adeleke, who passed away on April 23, 2017.

Today, two years into his administration as the Number One Citizen of Osun State, Governor Adeleke has proved all doubting Thomases wrong, and lifted the state from comatose to prominence with verifiable, welfaristic and people-oriented projects that speak for themselves.

Recall that while stating the reasons behind his award as the Governor of the year, the General Editor, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr Jide Ajani, has said the governor’s attention to Infrastructural development of the state, has been topnotch, with special emphasis to his approval of infra upgrades of several tertiary institutions in the state.

The governor, in his humility, dedicated the award to the entire people of Osun State.

“We watched the video with the Vice Chancellor listing several approvals and even with the Governor asking the University to look into what other areas of intervention the state should act on. That video excites our curiosity and we proceeded to investigate further by leveraging on our team on ground here in Osun as well as a team from the headquarters.

“We discovered what the Vice Chancellor said in the video was a tip of the iceberg. Osun is indeed a huge construction site. You have continued to complete abandoned projects. You have completed many inherited projects from your predecessors

“We have your records on roads, bridges, water, school and health center upgrades among others. We read your multi-billion naira infrastructure plan and its ongoing implementation. You did not play politics with the development of your state.

“It is the totality of your passion for development that convinced the judges to confer the award on you. It is our hope that this recognition will spur you to an even greater push to deliver on your governance agenda”, Ajani had said.

In response, the Governor acknowledged as follows:

“Since I assumed office, I have devoted myself majorly to delivering on our five point agenda. I deploy my network locally and nationally in support of our noble projects and programmes for Osun. I am elated that our contributions are being noticed.

“I dedicate this award to the good people of Osun state. They made our positive records a reality. We have the unconditional support and love of our people in our push to take Osun to greater heights. I will personally attend the conferment in Lagos.

“Our government is forging ahead with our systematic physical and stomach infrastructure agenda. We are working on a new airport, an inland beach resort, cocoa sector revival, upgrade of the free trade zone for agro-industrialisation, robust climate change agenda and digital economy programme. We are on a mission to place Osun on the path of sustainable development”, the Governor told the visiting delegation.

THE MAN, ADEMOLA JACKSON ADELEKE

Born of the Adeleke family of Ede in Osun State on May 13, 1960, Adeleke commenced his primary education at Methodist Primary School, Surulere Lagos State before he was privileged to relocate to Old Oyo State to continue his education at Nawarudeen Primary School, Ikire.

Adeleke was born Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke to a Muslim father and Nnena Esther Adeleke, an Igbo Christian mother. Like him, Adeleke’s father, Raji Ayoola Adeleke was a Senator and the Balogun of Ede land in Osun State. His father, Raji Ayoola Adeleke was also the leader of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

On completion of his primary education, he moved on to The Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School, Ede to begin his post primary schooling. In the later years however, he attended Ede Muslim Grammar School Ede, where he completed his secondary school education and subsequently relocated to the United States of America, joining his two older brothers, who were also studying there.

In the United States, he joined Jacksonville State University, Alabama, and studied Criminal Justice, with minor in Political Science.

To prove doubting Thomases, who wiped up controversies around his educational qualification, wrong, he went back to school and got enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice in 2021.

A businessman and administrator of no mean repute, Adeleke was the humble Group Executive Director at his brother’s company, Pacific Holdings Limited from 2001 to 2016, where his credible performances shot the company to enviable heights; a height it is still enjoying till date.

It is imperative to note that before he joined Pacific Holdings Limited, Senator Adeleke worked with Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia, US, as a service contractor from 1985 to 1989. His dexterity to work earned him a progression in career, and he berthed as Vice President at Origin International LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, US, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company. His meritorious stewardship lasted a period of five years, from 1990 to 1994.

Not a few has described Adeleke as the philanthropic capital of Ede, as his influence in aiding the less privileged and downtrodden remains top notch. He is a voracious believer in community development, and has not spared any expense to see that his community receives global influence.

Politically, Adeleke is a beacon of light and hard nut to crack, having remained an albatross to opposing powers and a reference point to ideal administration.

Shortly after he lost his brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who died in April 2017, he contested the Osun West 2017 Senatorial by-election after the death of his brother, emerging as the winner under the Peoples Democratic Party, where he decamped to from the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Having emerged senator, Adeleke’s political influence waxed stronger, an on July 23, 2018, he emerged as the governorship candidate of PDP in Osun State after defeating Akin Ogunbiyi by seven votes. Efforts made to deprive him of the mandate was twated by the courts.

Adeleke’s lawyer in his defense claims his secondary school hasn’t come out to deny his testimonial asking the court to dismiss the Case. The court dismissed the suit stating that the plaintiff could not prove Adeleke’s forgery.

Adeleke ran for Osun state governorship election under the PDP against top contenders Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola of APC and Iyiola Omisore of SDP on 22 September 2018. The election was declared inconclusive by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) while Adeleke was leading, and a rerun slated on September 27, 2018. The candidate of the APC Oyetola was declared winner after the run-off. Adeleke protested the result describing the election as a “coup”.

Much as on March 22, 2019, the tribunal sitting in Abuja declared Adeleke the winner of the election, the Supreme Court later affirmed Gboyega Oyetola as the authentic winner of the 2018 Osun State governorship election on Friday, July 5, 2019

Popularly known as the Dancing Senator because of his penchant to joyfully react to the sounds of music, Adeleke is uncle to one of Nigeria’s popular musicians, Davido.

Governor Adeleke is married to an equally successful businesswoman and a self-made boss. They are blessed with three children who are all entertainers. They are B-Red and Shina Rambo and a daughter, Nike Adeleke. He is the uncle of one Nigeria’s primus inter pares in entertainment, Davido.

As expected, Adeleke is moving Osun State to the greatest of heights as he promised, and many who know him agree that there are still very many more in the offing.

ADELEKE’S EXTRAORDINARY EASE OF DOING BUSINESS STRATEGY

The governor has shared good news on the ease of doing business in the state as follows:

In continuation of our administration’s effort to improve the state economy and encourage the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), we have completed the harmonization of multiple taxes and levies collected by different government departments, agencies, and ministries across all business sectors of the state economy including the informal sectors into a single bill. This Harmonized Bill curates all levies, which businesses are expected to pay on an annual basis as a single bill.

This initiative is to promote ease of doing business by ensuring seamless and convenient payment of levies and taxes due to individuals and businesses across the state in equal or unequal tranches and ensure the issuance of Harmonized Bill Certificate upon completion of payment of the total amount.

I hereby note to all business owners in Osun state both in formal and informal sectors that the official online payment channels for the state is pay.irs.os.gov.ng; POS machines in Tax stations across the state; commercial banks across Nigeria; and Money Transfer Services for those outside Nigeria.

In addition, we have also completed the deployment of Automation System for improved service delivery on payment of rent and lease on government properties; processing of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) in 45 days; Electronic Affidavit System; Electronic State of Origin and Local Government Area of Origin portal; Mobile tax stations; Online Tax payment system etc.

ADMINSTRATION’S ACHIEVEMENTS AS SHARED ON NEW YEAR DAY

The governor declared as follows:

The good people of Osun state at home and abroad.

I greet you warmly with best wishes of a prosperous and blessed new year. I convey my intimate prayers that the new year will bring us new opportunities, progress and advancement as a state and in our individual lives.

I extend new year greetings to the elders of Osun state; to our royal fathers; to our religious leaders; to the young and the old; to professional elite, to artisans, to students and to womenfolk. Accept my sincere appreciation for your support before my election and for the last one year of my governorship of our dear state. I am humbled by your prayers and mass backing for our administration.

I remain firmly focused on the Five Point Agenda under which you, Osun people, elected us into office. We reaffirm our faith in the principles guiding the five point agenda which are transparency and accountability, open government, localisation, responsive leadership and attunement to citizens’ aspirations.

On the strength of the above, our government devised wholesale approach to governance such as:

●Dismantling bobby traps planted by our predecessor,
●Blocking leakages in public finance, ●Addressing the corruption and revenue diversion in the solid mineral sector,
● Restoring local government administration for grassroot development
● Embarking on mass water project provision
● Executing 91 kilometers of road construction
● Implementing free medical surgeries with over 50,000 beneficiaries;
● Total renovation of 31 schools
● Launching sport sector reforms
● Reviving the major commercial and industrial projects of the state
● Pushing for implementation of agric processing zone in Osun state;
● re-professionalisation of the public service;
● Strong attention to workers’ welfare;
● Tapping into tourism, entertainment and cultural potentials of the state;
● Ramping up efforts for a cargo and commercial airport for Osun state, among others.

Our administration achieved a lot by ensuring belt tightening, reducing cost of governance and denying ourselves many perquisites of office. As a Governor, my official expenditures are covered through the approval process rather than security votes, thereby assuring transparency and accountability.

As of today, our administration is struggling to purchase official vehicles for the state cabinet because the officials of the previous government bolted away with state vehicles. So our cabinet and other top officials have been using their private cars since we appointed them into office. Also, we are still working to renovate the official quarters vandalized by the officials of previous governments. Many of our top officials still operate from their private houses.

Despite the above handicap, our team is determined to continue to deliver on our electoral promises. I am glad to report with gratitude to God that we have remained responsive to the will and aspirations of our people. We get positive feedback and we are satisfied with our high approval ratings.

We are challenged to do more. We are prepared to make corrections where necessary as much as we will remain uncompromising when it comes to anti-corruption drive, transparency and accountability as well due process. As I always affirm, our tenure is married to rule of law and fear of God…

Adeleke is busy creating an Eldorado out of what remained of Osun State barely two years after he took over the driving seat.

Boss Picks

When Governor Adeleke Became Asiwaju of Edeland

Published

3 weeks ago

November 30, 2024

Eric

By Governor’s Office

OFFICIAL PROFILE OF GOVERNOR ADEMOLA ADELEKE, THE NEW ASIWAJU OF EDELAND

Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, the Executive Governor of Osun state and the new Asiwaju of Edeland is a pan Nigerian by birth, by philosophy and by worldview. Born at Enugu as a son of independence on 13th May, 1960, the new Ede frontliner widely acknowledged as the Olosun of Osun is a tactical politician, a businessman, show business activist and a humanist within philanthropism. The ever lively, urbane scion of the Adeleke family of Ede North Local Government is an innovative entrepreneur, a grassroot political figure and a strong advocate of good governance, then as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and now as the Governor of Osun State.

From his childhood, the Asiwaju is a man of complex character, a young man with multiplicity of talents and an adult with widely praised open heart, strong will and constancy of adaptation to ideas and innovations. From his secondary education at Ede Muslim Grammar School to his sojourn to the United States and tertiary education at the Jacksonville State University, Alabama where he majored in criminal justice, the Ede frontliner demonstrated deep business interest, unconventional approach and a rare mastery of intricacies of politics, business and social life.

Despite hailing from a well to do family, the Asiwaju was in the United States and Nigeria, a man in search of opportunities for self growth and advancement. His passion for self development and business prosperity occasioned his joining the Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia, US, as a service contractor between 1985–1989. He progressed to Origin International LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, US, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company where he served as Vice President from 1990 to 1994.

A suave businessman and administrator, he served as a Director of Guiness Nigeria Limited between 1992- 1999 where he contributed immensely to the expansion of the multinational company. He was later appointed Group Executive Director of Pacific Holdings Limited from 2001 to 2016. Senator Adeleke is also an acclaimed creative Industry entrepreneur and mentor. As a talented creative figure, he mentored world rated ace musicians while his family members and children are leading stars in the global music industry.

As a man ever restless in pursuit of self growth and opportunities, the Asiwaju again opted to restart his educational sojourn which he suspended because of business and entrepreneurial preoccupations. In 2019 after he was rigged out of a governorship election he clearly won, Governor Adeleke, in a can do spirit, re-enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 2021.

All along and considering his family background, the frontliner was for years both a political servant and leader, learning the rope from his father (Senator Ayoola Adeleke) , a second republic progressive Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his brother, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, the First Executive Governor of Osun State. His business teeth were sharpened by his brother, the global business mogul, Dr Adedeji Adeleke while his political potency was strengthened by his sister, the Yeyeluwa of Edeland, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Adeleke- Sanni. The celebrant of today was eventually elected the President of the Adeleke dynasty, representing the sons and daughters of the great Adeleke family at home and abroad.

Having been thus fortified by his innate personality, his family background and his multifaceted experience, his political participation predated 1991 but he took the front seat in 2017 when he was elected with a landslide victory as a Senator for Osun West Senatorial District in 2017. His popularity reached a peak when he won the Osun 2018 governorship election before the open rigging and manipulation that was globally condemned.

As a man of steel character, the frontliner took the gauntlet again in 2022 and beat the incumbent to reclaim the stolen mandate of 2018. Imole as the Governor is popularly known has since been delivering on good governance, winning applause and praises from far and near.

In December 2023, he was honoured with a doctorate degree by the Valley View University, Accra, Ghana. The Vice Chancellor lauded the Governor’s multi-million naira education scholarship as a Senator, his sterling records on workers welfare as a Governor, his performance on infrastructure upgrades and his commitment to due process, rule of law and fear of God.

He has received several awards including the Governor of the Year Award by Champion newspapers in 2023, Sahel Standard Man of the Year in 2022, Vanguard Newspaper Governor of the Year on Infrastructure and a host of other recognition. The frontliner serves on several national governmental committees including being the representative of the South West on the National Minimum Wage Committee.

The new Asiwaju of Edeland is a strong family man, an avid sport lover, a man of God and a David of our time with incessant passion for praise singing and adulation of God Almighty.

Courtesy: Governor’s Office, 2024.