A Lagos State High Court has issued a warning and a summon to Christian Chukwuka Wigwe, who claims to be a cousin of Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, over the estate of the late Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Holdings.
The warning to and summon of Chukwuka were sighted in court documents made available to a select group of newsmen on Tuesday.
Chukwuka had filed a caveat on behalf of Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, the father of the deceased, to challenge the distribution of his estate as outlined in his Will.
Specifically, the Lagos State High Court Probate Registry issued a legal notice giving Chukwuka an eight-day ultimatum to explain his interest in the estate of late Wigwe.
A portion of the notice, dated October 21, 2024, addressed to Chukwuka reads: “To enter an appearance either in person or by your Legal practitioner at the Lagos High Court Probate Registry setting forth what interest you have in the Estate of the above-named deceased, Late Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe of No. 11 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, contrary to the interest of the party at whose instance this warning is issued.
“If you have no contrary interest but wish to show cause against the sealing of a grant to such party to issue and serve a summons for direction by the Registrar of the said registry”.”
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A family source said on Tuesday: “By this invitation, there is no more hiding behind any affidavit for members of the Wigwe family, who had challenged the implementation of the deceased’s Will.”
Last week, Emeka Wigwe, one of the brothers of the late banking guru issued a statement saying that the family was not challenging the beneficiaries of late Herbert Wigwe’s Will.
According to the statement: “The facts regarding the Estate are already publicly available in the Probate Registry, where an affidavit clearly outlines the correct details.”
With the notice issued at the instance of Uchechukwu Wigwe, the appointed personal representative of the Estate of the deceased by virtue of the deceased person’s Will dated July 9, 2013, Chukwuka will have to appear at the Court Probate Registry to explain the legal and factual basis for his affidavit.
This is to determine the relevance of Chukwuka’s claim to the enforceability of late Wigwe’s Will, otherwise the caveat will be thrown out and the court will issue a grant of Probate or Administration in the said Estate notwithstanding his caveat.
The family source added: “With the unfolding development, it may be necessary to make an inquest into the real identity of Chukwuka, his background, possible relationship and connection to late Herbert Wigwe and his children, the beneficiaries of his Will.”
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