No fewer than names of 56 dead Nigerians with unclaimed estates and other valuable assets have been published by the Government of United Kingdom.
The report said one of the oldest affected was identified as Mark N’wogo, a Nigerian said to have been born in Sapele, Delta state, and died on December 9, 1992 in Surrey, United Kingdom.
But for almost 30 years now, the assets the deceased left behind have remained unclaimed. By December, they would become forfeited to the British government.
This was contained in UK’s government Treasury Solicitor website which was last updated on September 8, 2022.
On the list is a certain Victor Adedapo Olufemi Fani-Kayode, said to have died on August 15, 2001 in Birmingham, with the informant on his death listed as the Birmingham City Council.
The Treasury Solicitor publishes a list of unclaimed estates which have been recently referred, but not yet administered, and historic cases which have been administered but not yet been claimed within the time limits for doing so.
The list includes one Arbel Aai’Lotta’Qua Abouarh that died on February 5, 1998 in Chiswick, London and is thought to have different variations in the spelling of his name.
According to available information, he may have been married in December 1959 (place unknown) and had 4 children from the marriage.
It is further stated he was born in Northern Nigeria on or about the 3rd March 1930 and his parents are said to be Alfred Hallim Abouarh and Addanue Abouarh nee Onwudachi.
There is also a Paul (Akinola) Bernard who was born in Lagos and died in London on October 12, 2008. Available information suggests he married a 2nd wife, Marie Vidarte de Castro in 1970, but she had also died in August 2008. He is believed to have a daughter from his first marriage which ended around 1970.
Born in Ibadan on August 2, 1958, John Olaolu Bankole died in London on April 27, 2010. Information available includes a Decree Absolute dissolving the deceased’s marriage on 11 November 2002, while his marriage certificate states that his father’s name is Oladipupo Bankole.
While Enwukwe Graham Kwedi Edde, who died on January 6, 2011 in London is only known to have been born in Diobu, River State; Charles Ayodele Aliu, who died on March 31, 2011 in Solihull, West Midlands is said to “have possible cousin in Nigeria”.
Sunny Eyo Edem, who died on September 16, 2011 in Fulham is believed to have a “Possible son and relatives in Calabar, Nigeria”.
Also, William Kadry, who died on November 1, 2011 in Fulham, is said to have been born in Iponri, Lagos State, and his father Akanni Kadiri died in 1941, while his mother Muniratu Kadiri died 1958.
Recent additions are Solomon Adekanmibi who died on January 31, 2021 in Colchester, Essex; Eugene Bucknor, who died on March 2, 2021 in Brockley, London; Jeff Adhekeh, who died on March 12, 2021 in South Kensington, London and Louisa Holmes, who died on May 24, 2021 in Cheam Sutton.
According to Akinnubi, a legal practitioner, “For the relatives of any such deceased person or any other person entitled to the estate of any of the listed deceased persons, it is advisable that they engage a Probate Solicitor or Practitioner in the UK to help and guide them through the process of obtaining letters of administration in respect of the deceased person’s Estate in the UK.”
