How Jesu Oyingbo’s 167 Children Must Share His Property- Court

Late Pa Immanuel Olufunmilayo Odumosu known as “Jesu Oyingbo” died at the age of 73 in January 1988. An astute businessman, he amassed a vast estate worth billions of naira but he died without leaving a will or a trust. Some of his properties include numbers 7A, 7B, 9, 10,11,13,14,15,17 Emmanuel Street, Maryland, Lagos; 37 Aliu Street via Felicia Ayodeji Street, off Ikorodu Road, Ketu, Lagos; 570/622/624 Ikorodu Road, Ketu, Mile 12, Lagos. It’s also believed that he left properties and funds in the UK.

When Pa Odumosu died, there was a legal battle between his children and his disciples over the control of the vast estate and businesses. In 1997, the children won and the disciples who were resident in Pa Odumosu’s Maryland spiritual enclave in Lagos were evicted.

Then the first 3 sons who were administrators of the estate were accused of mismanagement; 2 of them died whilst the 3rd went into permanent exile. As there was no administrator, there was further disrepute with different factions of beneficiaries laying claim to assets where necessary. While some enjoyed tremendous wealth, some lived in penury. After more than 20 years, an action was instituted in 2009 by a few of Pa Odumosu’s children led by Princess Adeyinka Odumosu Emmanuel at the Probate Registrar of the Ikeja High Court; the Administrator General & Public Trustee, Lagos State and joining 24 other children as co-defendants.

Going by the suit filed, the purported Letter of Administration was defective as most of the children were excluded while there were allegations of mismanagement of the estate by the executors and other factions of the beneficiaries. On record there are a total of 167 children allegedly fathered by late Pa Odumosu.  As the case dragged, there were negotiations for settlement by counsels and family elders and in the end, they agreed that all the children are entitled to benefit equally and individually from the estate on the basis of ‘Ori O Jori’(equal rights per child) principle of distribution.

On 18th June 2014, Justice Ronke Harrison of the Probate division of the Ikeja High Court ruled that all 167 children are entitled to share in the vast estate as beneficiaries in equal proportion. According to the ruling, “The court also granted a consequential order that the properties comprising the estate of Pa Olufunmilayo Odumosu (deceased) be taken over immediately by UBA Capital PLC and they should be assisted in all regards by the Nigerian Police Force to ensure adequate control and administration by UBA Capital PLC.

Source: City People