Family Assets Dispute: Husband of Late Flora Nwapa Declares War on Children

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, August 21st, 2018

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The husband of late Nigeria’s first renowned female novelist, Flora Nwapa, Chief Gogo Nwakuche, has declared war on his male children over the family’s assets, even as he recently disowned Mr. Uzoma Nwakuche, his eldest son in a national newspaper publication.

Our Correspondent gathered that the development has plunged the famous family in Oguta, Imo state, South East Nigeria into serious infighting and feud.

Chief Nwakuche, who is said to be a core traditionalist, was married to three wives with the late Flora being the first, followed by Mrs Maudline Nwakuche who hails from Udi in Enugu State and then the third wife from Oguta.

After the novelist joined her ancestors some years ago, Maudline was reportedly forced out of the marriage when she could no longer bear the friction, remaining only the 3rd wife who is still in the family.

It would be recalled that Chief Nwakuche, recently published a public notice in a national newspaper disowning their first son Uzoma, produced by his first late wife, Flora alleging that he “debased” him by taking over companies that he (Nwakuche) has “substantial” interests in, claiming he is no longer in active service and collecting tens of millions of Naira from Government agencies.

Nwakuche also stated in the public notice that Uzoma will not benefit from any inheritance from him (Nwakuche), stressing that he (Uzoma) is not allowed to perform any burial rights in his (Nwakuche’s) honor.

But reacting to the publication which reportedly went viral in the social media, Uzoma, in a statement made available to African Examiner in Enugu Monday, stated that his father currently has no personal assets, denying collecting tens of millions of naira from government agencies and “debasing” his father.

He claimed that his dad is a victim of “remote control” being allegedly masterminded by his third wife, whom, he alleged, has many questions to answer.

Uzoma stated that in the last eight years, his father, Nwakuche had disowned four out of his seven sons, alleging that the old man, owing to the influence of his third wife, had abandoned his entire family and isolated himself from his kindred.

He further said: “My father does not have personal assets. Our family home in Enugu is in my late mother, Flora Nwapa’s name. Idu forced him to borrow against this property. A forged Power of Attorney was presented to Diamond Bank. AMCON finally took over the property.

“My father surrendered the papers of Amede Court, his country home in Oguta to Diamond Bank. He also surrendered the papers of his mother’s home in Oguta to Diamond Bank. These papers are now in AMCON’s possession.

“My father founded Lake Concrete Industries in the 1972. At the time, my mother was a commissioner in the Then East Central State under Ukpabi Asika’s cabinet. In agreement with my mother, he made me the second director and shareholder. He owned ten shares and I owned one.

“In 2002, my father added all my brothers as directors and shareholders; three from the second wife and three from the third. He allotted all the shares of the company to his sons. He left himself with zero shares while he remained the Managing Director.

“My brother Emeka Nwakuche, Idu’s first son began managing Lake Concrete around 2007. In less than five years, the factory closed down and all the staff laid off. Tens of millions of Naira are being owed to customers from undelivered electric poles. Two companies took Lake Concrete to Court and received judgments.

“In 2002, I used one of our companies, Scott Amede Engineering and Power Supply to bid for the construction of Oguta Port. We were the lowest bidders. The contract was finally awarded in 2009.

“I found out sometime in 2014 that assets belonging to Scott Amede were being sold. A younger brother to the third wife was directly involved in the sales and the proceeds were being lodged directly into her (Idu) personal accounts.

“CAC filings revealed that my father did not own any shares in the companies. Having majority shares, my brothers and I signed resolutions giving me control of the companies. I have since negotiated with Lake Concrete judgment creditors in a bid to save the company. I also received approval for change of management from the parastatel in charge of Oguta Port.

“I have not committed any crime. I acted in the best interest of my family and my brothers who are all shareholders. My father sued all his sons in Federal High Court Enugu. The case was dismissed late last year.

“My conscience is clear, and I believe I acted within my legal rights. I have loved my father all my life. He is not the father I know. He is no longer the Gogo Nwakuche everybody knows. His third wife has a lot to answer for.”

The Flora’s son added “I speak from the heart and I feel compelled to speak, to set the records straight or at least tell my own side of the story. My father, Chief Gogo Nwakuche has disowned four out of seven of his sons in the last eight years.

“It is a well-known fact and it has been acknowledged by the Eze Igwe of Oguta, the elders (Okpara’s) from all the villages in Oguta that the cause of the problem is his third wife. My father, under her influence has abandoned his entire family and kindred. He has been totally isolated from everyone., he is being remote controlled by his third wife” he insisted.