Omolola Famuyiwa also known as Omolola Omoteso.
How are you related to the late Chief Bola Omoteso?
Please do not use “late” for my husband. I dislike that word with a passion. He may be dead to the world but not to me... He is simply Bola Omoteso. He never held a chieftaincy title, he held a church title (Deacon) but it is not important for the purpose of this interview, feel free to use it if you feel otherwise. He is simply Mr. Bola Omoteso. But his people called him or refer to him as Adebola Omoteso. His parents held chieftaincy titles. I am Bola Omoteso’s living spouse. I call him Temi, Mine. If I am a widow, (another word I dislike but that is the only reference in the dictionary...), then that he is deceased is a fact. If you must refer to him in his state now, kindly refer to him as deceased or passed on. Some would say I am in denial, well that is their headache.
We read your story via social media and on certain blogs. How have you been?
Graced! I’m better than blest! In top SPIRIT... I went on air and online after two years... There are 10 angles to this story🤓 and heaven is fighting them all through the strength I am blessed with. The worst, when “they” tried to shut me up with spiritual darts, is over. In three years, they have received nothing save for a property stolen by a scam called Wells Fargo but when the story gets to the corridor of power, even that would have to be given back so the less privileged can enjoy more of what I will continue to freely offer, courtesy Bola Omoteso. My peace has also been threatened by an hijack of the only remaining property with equity but God has stepped into the boat since I got wind of it. Still attorneys acting on fraud are trying to perpetrate injustice by seeking legal endorsement but God dey and na God go win!
Financially, how draining has this experience been on you?
Quite DRAINING. Wells Fargo Bank hijacking and illegally foreclosing a 1.5M$ property, Joe Budden, a rapper, running off with 10 months rent and Imran Jairam, NY club owner, vandalising and leaving a $5,500 rent property with about five months owed, in a total state of disrepair is DRAINING. Acting pro se in court is DRAINING. Dealing with the effect of lies and ones story being out there is DRAINING. At some point I had only just a mat to sleep on bare floor and had to borrow a duvet etc. I was homeless in Nigeria and almost empty in the USA... I worked round the clock to pay bills but ended up almost losing my life... Yet, the drain was more emotional, psychological, social and spiritual than financial. When you have Jesus and can reach out to him from what appears like a pit, you can experience a turn around in record time. I recollect leaving the bank with the statements (after sorting out the legalese to become the Legal Administrator) and just walking in a different direction from where the realtor who took me was waiting to give me a ride. I was almost crossing the road in what could have been a near state of insanity when the Holy Spirit jostled me back and I said to myself, “Omolola! What is wrong with you. The man who left this account has found rest!” There was another instance when I decided to do as someone suggested, you know, when you experience the death of a loved one suddenly you would have gazillion counsellors! In line with one of the many suggestions, I prayed that my husband should come and give me explanation and clarification. I prayed in such deep sorrow and o my, o my! He appeared right by me in the morning and I could feel him smiling. I was about to turn and smack him as in, “you are smiling ke? Can you see all what I am going through...” As I turned towards him, his apparition disappeared and I began to laugh. So characteristic of him, he never let anything bother him. I said to myself in Yoruba, “eni to da gbogbo e le ti ri isinmi, iwo wa fe pa ara re!” That day was a Sunday, I got up, dressed up and went to church. There, I danced my heart out like I had never done before since his passing.
Could you tell us about your brother-in-law (as a person, before your husband passed)?
No! He is no longer my brother in law! In fact I need a DNA to prove that he is even blood related to Temi. They are so different in character, Temi was a decent man who loved God and strives to know God better. Adeleke lost the title of brother in law when he began to treat me with disdain and acted like my husband was wrong in his choice of me! Adeleke (Leke) Omoteso before and after has remained a sneaky fellow who puts up an ambience of being nice and laughs roaringly in a manner synonymous with folks who have ulterior motive up their sleeves. After my husband told him about me, he came to my home with his entire family to take me to Ikoyi Club where he was a member at the time (such a club should de-member folks like him! They do not belong in any organised club), this was a gesture I warmly received. Before it could sink in, he summoned me to family meeting! Who does that? Who summons a woman yet to be married by a man to a meeting to discuss the wedding. That was a red flag but I was more concerned that I was not served food! In our house, if a fiancée or fiancé is to visit formally, we would cook a storm. I was offered juice, juice o. Mi o realise wipe, what is behind six is more than seven. Later Adeleke called me to impress upon me that my husband must wear agbada. I tried to put him in his place but I said to myself, cool down, you never even marry the man, you better give yourself soft landing. So I had to convince my Americana husband to wear agbada and went out of my way to get one for our big day. It was on the wedding day I realised how ill-advised that was, the agbada kept shifting to the back and I had to adjust for him... He did it again after Temi died, telling me to wear on him a certain blue tie! By then, he had lost every iota of goodwill and I simply told him what Temi would wear. I mean una don kill this man, what does it matter what he wears! For whatever reason, he questioned the wine which was our wedding colour (I actually dressed him and dressed in the colour code we used for our wedding, every detail was planned, I told myself that he will not die twice)... Adeleke said the wine was similar to red which was a shade of aggression. In my mind I was like, berra, if folks could strike in death, let him get super aggressive and deal with all our enemies. Adeleke tried a number of times to cause rift between my husband and I but I handled things maturely. Also, when a man is in love, he sees his wife first before any brother. How heaven did it, I do not know but it is what it is. So when you have the heart of your husband, you need not fight. Just smile and do o, MAMI would always say, “o, ki di ija.” But one notable crisis that almost broke my marriage was the issue of change of name. My husband filled my immigration papers (I always had visa for the USA since I had two masters degree there but becoming a resident was necessary after marriage) and wrote proudly Omolola Famuyiwa, he was a whole man and had no issue with enlarging his penile size or identity via a woman going by a surname which belongs to someone else! But, while planning my 40th Adeleke began trouble about me not formally changing my name. In his opinion I disrespect the glorious Omoteso name. I wonder what Baba Famuyiwa’s argument would be?! By the time I returned to the USA, he had succeeded in poisoning my husband and he nagged about a change of name he had NEVER spoken about... The Holy Spirit led me to make just one statement, “E ma je ki eniti ko ba yin wa iyawo, ko ba yin le iyawo yin lo.” Smart man! He never said a word again on the name issue till he went to be with God in glory! So yes, Adeleke was toxic even before Temi passed on but I managed him and his antics well before Temi departed this world. Whenever he visited with his family, I treated him with respect and took care of him and his family, he would eat my sumptuous meal and say to his wife “Olubunmi, se o ti ko ise?” I had to ask my husband to caution him. It is an insult to say that to a woman you have married for over 10 years... I recollect that many stories Temi told me about Adeleke in reference to their growing up years were stories of him being greedy. But one always puts that aside in hope that that was the past. I placed him high but he crash-landed... He just was never a forthright man. For instance he told everyone he is his father’s last child, he still said it during my husband’s funeral but this is a LIE; my husband’s dad (except they had different dads which is not impossible) had a daughter after him.
What did he do after your husband passed?
You this man! You want me to write a book? It is all contained in the interviews I have granted especially on radio but the major thing he did was 1. Cause Bola Omoteso’s death by hosting him in a room with mold and by not calling me promptly but took him to his own house instead of the hospital when he had an emergency medical situation occasioned by the infection from the mold. Temi had clinics in Allen and Ikorodu road but Adeleke chose to pick up Temi and drove past both clinics only to take him to his own house. Ilupeju (the area he lived in) had emergency van, yet Adeleke chose to drive Temi in his own vehicle after I insisted he could not keep him at home. Adeleke lied that my husband relocated to NG. This lie was necessary to claim that I filed probate in Nigeria but we never relocated and his lawsuit confirmed that I never did. Yes, he came to explore the possibility of taking a Federal Appointment but he NEVER changed domicile. How can someone living with a medical condition make Nigeria home?! President and VP sef na in-the-abroad dem dey go do medical! How can you now give up American citizenship. Temi wanted to help his friend who was a member of the Nigeria cabinet and he strongly believed he had something to give to make the life of citizens better. I warned him but he was resolute. Adeleke to prove his lie that Bola Omoteso changed domicile lied that we brought home properties and kept them in his house. The only thing in his house were clothes, many of which I ended up handing over to him. Adeleke masterminded the collection of my husband’s death certificate and autopsy through Olubunmi, his wife and never gave me till date. In a real world, those who handed the documents over to Olubunmi should be jailed for document fraud. He wrote his own address on all the documents just so he could establish the lie that Bola Omoteso was resident in his house and in Nigeria, yet Temi spent his last days in Abuja before heading back to Lagos the day he passed on. Adeleke (who by the way is a lying lawyer), Olubunmi who previously used her bank - First Bank, to transfer money from Temi’s father’s inheritance to my husband and so had his electronic signature and their con lawyer Iseoluwa Omolaja Abiodun-Johnson formerly surnamed Ogun, committed many atrocities including going to file for letter of administration in my name without my knowledge and obtaining a bank certificate in my name without my knowledge or consent. To worsen the matter, they took the application and bank certificate and presented it in the USA as documents that I filed. This has led to a case which is now in its 3rd year. Adeleke Omoteso is also attempting to take over my husband’s inheritance from his father which is in excess of $120,000 when the property share owned by Bola Omoteso translates to cash. Many unprintable things that he did will take a full book or movie to share. I realised too late why he embarked on this journey in calumny, he had wanted my husband to adopt his children. Had my husband not married me, the adoption would have made Adeleke the children’s legal guardian and since they were yet to be 18, in the event of Temi's demise, he would have been the sole person in charge. A perfect plan that would have cut out other siblings!
Did you ever come in personal contact with him during these fraudulent times he orchestrated?
I did! A couple of times between September 2017 when he was summoned to the USA and January 2018 when he was summoned to Area F. During the preliminary hearings, he was lying so much that I became jumpy; shouting “objection your honour” (laugh). You know, I have been acting Pro Se because I cannot afford a lawyer. Even human rights activists are asking for an arm and legs! All the so called pro bono lawyers would waste my time asking for story only to say sorry, we see you have properties. BUT until those properties translate to money, there is really nothing. A man who told me he knew my husband since childhood asked me for $35,000 just to handle one case! Guess what, with the help of my husbands friend, I solved that problem in record time and got a better deal than he promised. It is not me, it is the God factor. At some point during the preliminary hearing, Adeleke lied that my husband went to Nigeria on a particular passport. Unknown to him, that passport expired in October 2015! How then could someone have travelled on an expired passport. My objection was sustained because the judge picked on the obviously forged passport page. If I was a lawyer, that is the point where I should have asked the judge for a stay so that he brings the original. But really my focus then was not to send him to jail but to just get him off my lane so I can put my 100% focus on the God who allowed Temi to be taken. I saw Adeleke again the next day and again in Nigeria when I filed a criminal petition at Area F. in January 2018.
High Points for me were five and that is grace, when his con lawyer approached me to apologise, I wish I had it recorded. He apologised for not seeking my consent. He said that he went ahead because it was the eldest sibling Mrs. Adedotun Dayspring-Adenusi who called him and gave him the assignment of filing in my name. This is a woman who joined Adeleke’s change of name war yet, see her name Dayspring-Adenusi?! That was not the original family name, it was changed. If you had a right to change your family name which does not belong to your husband, why should my right to retain my name become Modakeke and Ile-Ife War? Why?! Second was when Commander Zungura asked him and his con lawyer, Did Omolola give her consent to you before you filed for letter of administration in her name... They stammered, “well, well, we sent an email.” Did you get a response? Eyes locked on each other... “NO.” These criminals were not aware that Zungura read law. He asked them key questions that would have been a breeze if they had not cooked up lies. My third high point was when I looked Adeleke in the eyes and said “Adeleke! O se ogun!” He responded, “Ehn, sebi iwo na tan candle!” 😳 Calling Iseoluwa to confirm he said “Sebi a ri... a ri e now, ti e n'se procession.” The truth? His response indicates they had visited a juju medium where they saw what they believed was me and others having candlelit procession and praying around our Englewood home. But what they actually saw were angels on guard! The fourth high point was when I looked him straight in the eyes and said as my mother would have said, “Adeleke ole ni e!” meaning “Adeleke you are a thief!” But for the Police he would have hit me right there and then, he felt a rush of anger that made him jump up. I felt such a release from anger, like it mattered to tell him to his face that this was daylight roguery. The fifth high point was witnessed by a friend of mine - Igbagbofunmilayo. The case was at Area F and we were going somewhere in her car but the Holy Spirit said, go to Area F. At that point the inspectors had taken sides and were tilting to his side because I refused to give egunje (bribe). I was going to question the Holy Spirit but after many years of Him being my ally, I know when He has not opened up a discussion. I pleaded with my friend to take me. Up till this point, I would always be informed when the con men were making an appearance but this had stopped. On getting to the inspector’s office (CSP. Martha) unannounced and did just two knocks and opened straight guess who was there negotiating a deal, ISEOLUWA! The female inspector was shaken and she just said, Oh! Madam, I did not send for you. I responded, The Holy Spirit asked me to come. Folks believe I am super intelligent because I have three masters and doctorate and can hold up my own as a multi-talented woman, but as I always tell folks who thank me for this or that, “Na God!” I mean this man would file through his oyinbo lawyer a 380 page document, a 700+ page document that should make any woman breakdown and cry especially when you no get earthly lawyer but I will raise it to God in prayers and God will move my hands to open and I will open to the very document that would kill their argument; put there by they themselves. Take for instance the second lawsuit in the USA where Adeleke argued that I should be punished for filing probate in Nigeria (remember, he filed it), he argued that my husband relocated to Nigeria but on #15 of the 250 page document, my address was quoted as USA! Can a man relocate without his wife? In the certification, his lawyer put there in black and white that there is no pending case apart from application for letter of administration filed by Adeleke Omoteso in Nigeria, yet we have been in court for over two years! In another pile was a power of attorney for a lawyer in the USA to act for him in the initial case where he claimed he borrowed my husband 80,000$, and wants 164,000$ back; dollars o, not Naira... The power of attorney signed in his own hand in April 2016 stated that my husband’s last address was in the USA. But for the fact that the judges have been complicit, this is no case... I am trusting God to give me energy for an appeal but in a real world, when this story hits the print stand, the USA Embassy in Nigeria or the CP of Lagos or IG or Attorney General of New Jersey even Presidents of both countries should take it up... It should become The State vs. Adeleke Omoteso with his accomplices joined in the lawsuit. Even The Hague Court should take this up. Not just for me but so others abused and disenfranchised can come up to receive redress.
Back to his wife who collected death certificate and autopsy result from you, how does she relate with you as a woman?
She did not collect it from me but from the morgue. She never even told me she collected the documents! I was in their home around the time based on cultural requirement but she never mentioned it, she would come into the room I was in to empathise with me, all dressed in her glorious office wears... By the way, she hosted a party for her husband’s birthday barely a month after my husband passed and someone had the audacity to invite me! In retrospect, around the time she collected the death certificate and autopsy, the Holy Spirit impressed upon me to stop eating in that home so I did. I wonder what would have happened to me. Do you know the autopsy carried a different time from when my husband actually breathed his last on this side? Do you know there were surgical marks on his body which the autopsy did not declare? Do you know they moved the body from where we deposited him to another place... We should not be talking about change of domicile or debt, we should be in court for a case of homicide against Adeleke and his wife! The way they moved after the death?! Ejo l’owo ‘nnu!
Widowhood abuse is strengthened by women and this is sad. Men use women against women, women use women against women, even children use women against women! I saw her for the first and last time at Area F and I asked her a simple question, “You went to collect another person’s husband’s death certificate, why are you in a hurry; are you rehearsing?” I said it in Yoruba, of course her response was a barrage of abusive words. Such hard questions would hit anyone like thunderbolt and by God, I do not have to search for them! As someone whose life ambition was to become an Investigative Journalist, I am schooled in inquiry. I chickened out (after Dele Giwa was killed) and now do it on the side. When she saw a post on Facebook from Temi’s page, she responded by saying the poster was a scammer and folks should beware because the poster could ask for money. The poster simply posted the document (death certificate) which shows her driver’s license, phone number and signature in her own hands as proof she collected it. (Laugh). That daring response quietened her for a long time, she disappeared off Facebook! Why? All those they lied to for over two years now saw proof that indeed Olubunmi Adetoun Omoteso of First Bank Nigeria, wife to Adeleke Adewale Omoteso collected the death certificate. Till date the document has not been given to me!
Why do you think the Bergen Surrogate Court (when your brother-in-law sought to make himself a co-administrator despite this suit being filed by a non-American and non-Resident) aided widow disenfranchisement in such a brazen manner?
It is illegal. The court is simply advertently or inadvertently an accomplice to FRAUD. Adeleke filed using a USA address of a Nigerian attorney in Atlanta Ade Gbadegesin so the court can claim that they thought he was a resident but that would be foolish. Then, he hired a Caucasian attorney, I don’t know if that gave the case legs... Still it is illegal. When you bring a case from another country, you have to go through that country’s court. I quoted this in my first response. This is to avoid you perpetrating fraud there and using it here as legit. At some point I began to believe that the judges never read the response or even complaint. They give it to a clerk who is still cutting his or her teeth in legalese. The judge we had in the USA was not forthright and I filed against him with the ethics board; sadly following his retirement, his colleague is trying to cover for him just as NBA tried to cover up for Iseoluwa and Adeleke in Nigeria. Imagine, the new judge asked a proposed substitute administrator to formally file and post bond during hearing, when the court order was written, this information was MISSING?! Only a wife is permitted not to post bond... We are asking CJN to step down and there is noise all over and international folks are up in arms, are their own judges not corrupt?! If we must come clean let’s wash every dirty linen across the continent so we can have lasting peace. Judges should have integrity! Judge Toskos should be in jail and Judge DeLuca should be investigated! When I was forced into settlement, during the proceedings, this man actually made statements unbecoming of a judge. I would bring up an issue and he would shut me down, his ruling was outside of his jurisdiction, the court order was doctored in two different handwritings?! There is also what is called statutes of limitation. That statutes bar the filing of the case, it was filed after 11 months going to 12 my husband departed. But the judge ignored the statutes. It is also based on fraud and perhaps racism, gender bias and status. An elderly attorney I approached in Hackensack USA told me the case is in court only because I am black, a woman, had no lawyer and had no money to legally fight! The USA Law is very clear on who gets what and siblings are NOT included so why was this case admitted? With Adeleke insisting my husband changed domicile the case should have been referred back to Nigeria... Sadly as his lawyer continues to use the lacuna in law, Adeleke has been awarded $50,000 from the Estate and other awards. This was to go to siblings but he argued again that siblings did not join the lawsuit! The sub has hijacked our Edgewater home, vandalised the property to devalue it and is attempting to liquidate it to adeleke! When I visited the home, Police hounded me like a criminal,expletives were hurled at me, yet I stood my ground. But for the fact that I had documents on me, I would have been behind bars.
Still o ba ni, ko baje. I need the Federal High Court or Lagos State Judiciary where the fraud was cooked and sealed to write to the Bergen County Surrogate Court to let them know that the application filed and certificate issued which Adeleke used as basis for his case are null and void since I was not aware. I was actually given a letter after I petitioned but craftily it was not put on letterhead and it was not honoured in the USA... When I insisted, they promised to send it but never did. Guess what? The one sent to Adeleke was on letterhead! Instead they have asked me to litigate and I do not have the funds. You cannot create problems for a widow and then ask her to go and fight it out in court. The petition in Area F did not go far because of corruption. I was told by the officer in charge “Madam, for this kind of case, you should have brought Ghana must go bag o”. So how did it end when I no carry money go? A criminal case was turned into a civil case!
By this interview I am calling on CP Lagos, IG, CJL, Ag. CJN and all stakeholders... We cannot use the courts to endorse fraud, abuse and disenfranchisement! Adeleke and his clique must be STOPPED. When he began to write to the court in Nigeria and USA, I should have been notified. In NG he used his address as mine, which was fraudulent. He visited and knows my home. In USA, I was not informed yet, the court interacted with his Nigerian and USA attorneys. This is legally wrong. It means any mad man can file anything against anyone and win mileage on fraud.
If you had to change something from the start, what would you have done differently?
A will. I would have impressed the import of a will on my husband. I never did. As Christians you base your love on God and trust. You believe long life is assured and tomorrow can set the record straight. When you write a will you use your human right to right things that could go wrong when you are gone. It is in a will you can give something to a driver who has served you for 25 years, if you did nothing for him and no one remembers him, he gets nothing. Most importantly do what you can for your loved ones today... I guess all that is after the fact. What would I have done differently? I would not have been silent for two years... I would not have listened to his bosom friend who asked me not to "fight" the document seizure. He said he is on my side, the court is on my side and God is on my side. It was a false hope and assurance on man and the highly corrupt court of law in Nigeria and the USA.
I wanted this to go away so I could face my life. I would have asked the State of NJ to serve as administrator. The state through the administrator would have “eaten” like 25% but all what is left would have been signed to me and any external intrusion would have been stopped because the state and attorney would have a stake. After it is signed over, I could then have shared as I deem fit. I filed to be administrator in other to save as much as I could so I can share with all those who deserve a share including his siblings. The fear of Adeleke was that since USA does not recognise siblings I could take it all. But he knows me, so it was not fear alone but GREED. Now, we may lose all.
What would you want other widows to do in similar circumstances?
Many things we can do but the most important is for us to get behind #ReformProbateLaw. It is a campaign on Twitter to draw attention of the President and Vice President of Nigeria and USA to the urgent need for reform. Women are scared of going to the court because of anomalies, I mean without family wahala, court already cut a chunk for themselves! Without a will, they help themselves to the gains of your sweat! Until the law which makes it possible for usurpers to illegally collect death certificate or file for probate/letter of administration or disenfranchise and disinherit is changed, widows may continue to suffer. Those still married should ensure their names are on properties and accounts even if the man owns the money and is the only signatory, there should be a clause allowing her step in at his death. Not Mrs Lagbaja o but Atinuke Lagbaja or your maiden surname. The law which makes the state take a huge chunk of an estate must be changed. Some elect not to go to court because already there is a provision for the state to take. Widows must pray, call God unto your matter. I mean my life went into slow lane after marriage because I devoted myself to his care, even if I was married to him for one day, that must count for something whether the marriage was blessed with children or not. Siblings who feel otherwise should close their homes and relocate to be with their rich brothers or sisters so they can lay claim. Mind you don’t get me wrong, everyone who played a role deserves a share in whatever is left but do not do by fire by force. Right now my Benz is in Adeleke’s house. He impounded it! He assumed it belonged to Temi but it is for me. Widows must surround themselves with kind hearted folks who can stand by them. Of all my husband’s friends, the one who stood firm and supported me like a rock is someone I have not even met physically! Mr. Abiola Ajoni said to me, “In the years you were married to Bola Omoteso, he never said a negative word about you and we spoke at length on many days. I believe he was happiest after he met you. For that, you have my full support." Not once has he wavered or attempted to pull the carpet from under me. My siblings, children, friends have been there for me and alumni from my side and his (FGCO 8490 and Loyola College) rose up to support and so did the churches we attended. My sister not only housed me, she had a bell in my room so I would fully rest after I survived a surgery that would have claimed my life. I want women especially widows to know that your support network MUST be built while love is still sweeting you o. If you are the me and my husband type, sorry could become your first name if anything happens to that man who has become excuse for not participating in social events. One of those who would buy my drugs and visit with food and just was there for me when I could not even stand up was someone I bent over backwards to be at her dad’s funeral... Kindness is a seed from which you would reap kindness. Don’t be too busy to reach out. My husband, my pikin, my house, my job, the day something happen ehn, na you alone you go see o! Being alone when life throws a curve ball at you is another grief on its own. Many would say God forbid or not now, remember say awaiyemalo kan o si o. It is with sadness that I received the news that one of Temi’s alumni members died and barely two weeks after his wife died too! Grief sinks and those widowed (even men whose wives die first) need all the support from family and friends not this mad rush for properties.
We need all the nonsense widowhood rituals scrapped. Bola Memorial Watch sent out a Press Release and Petition to this effect. Why must anyone be asked to drink water from a corpse to prove she did not kill a man?! Why?! Olubunmi had the audacity to tell me ahead of the Christian Wake that I would be riding in the hearse with my husband to the funeral. Se I told you God has blessed me with ready made answer... I looked at her, as grief stricken as I was, this was exactly two weeks after, and I spoke softly, “That man is not my husband. I went the day after to the morgue, I called he did not answer, I touched him, he did not move, I kissed him and he did not smile, that definitely is not Temi, his soul is no longer in that body! I will be leaving tonight and going directly to the church tomorrow.” Have a plan. If you do not have a plan, they will ask you to come to the village six weeks before burial and you will carry your head to them to abuse. They had plans to bury Temi as a pauper, I decided otherwise and earned some respect instead of being forced to wear a sackcloth, I looked good. If I had dressed otherwise, Temi would have given me the look. If we say they went to heaven or wherever our faith believes, shouldn’t we be celebrating; why all the need to bury the woman who is already buried in grief of loss?! We are not going to wait for a Mary Slessor to stop the arrant nonsense as my Grandma will call it, #TimeIsNow #JusticeforOmolola #JusticeforWidows #ReformProbateLaws.
Why have you not filed something against this obviously misfiring judge?
I have in the USA. I reported to the Surrogate who is the head of the Bergen Surrogate Court but he is either a figure head or a head or merely there administratively but he is supposed to have defended Bola Omoteso and I since he issued the letter of administration which endorsed that Temi was domiciled in Bergen County at death. I wrote to the Ombudsman and later the ethics board and NJ Bar. In Nigeria, I petitioned the former CJL, NBA and Commissioner of Police Lagos who never responded. Who did I not write to?! Zungura investigated but his team gave a lame report which shows we have a corrupt system. In Nigeria, Adeleke is still pushing the frontiers of fraud by filing libel against me. He never served me but instead lied to the judge that I had been served, I am waiting. He used my father's address and phone number instead of mine. I am tired of social media playing dead to important things but going wild over songs or somebori toast somebori... Let us use even those songs to sing for the freedom of women. When this story goes viral, stakeholders and leaders should be the ones contacting me or investigating the story to order redress. President Buhari who insists he is fighting corruption cannot close his eyes to this. Prof Osinbajo who is a legal luminary cannot play deaf to the cry of widows. We need speedy response and reform.
Conclusion:
One thing I would want would be Nollywood and Hollywood making movies out of this and Harvard Law School making the entire case especially the judicial aspect a case study. Finally, a reform of probate law with abuse, disenfranchisement and disinheritance criminalised. Many have died, mine would have been one more death too many. Yesterday was the best time to #EndWidowAbuse, today is the next best time!
I thank you. I thank your media. I thank the readers. I thank all who will not just read but would call leaders in their sphere to rise up and break the code of silence over the inhuman treatment of widows. I have avoided talking about other losses I experienced including how this forced me into an unplanned surgery... I do not need a pity party, I am standing tall to help other widows via #WalkWithWidows. Under the auspices of Bola Memorial Watch, we have done a lot and held BMW Cares Clinic, Colloquium and Counselling on his 3rd Year Anniversary - February 11, 2019. Lives were touched, participants experienced deliverance and healing. It was free to widows. When I succeed in salvaging what is left, we will have an office where we will employ lawyers to take up the cases of widows or counsel widows to stand strong, it would be free or on contingency basis. The states should do this, it is a NEED.
I broke the code of silence when I shared this story and this link of a kangaroo meeting where the foundation of abuse was sealed by sister agba, who is a woman - www.forevermissed.com/
God bless you!
Interviewer:
Motolani Alake
Senior Reporter
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