By Lukman Olabiyi, Lagos
The children of Mrs Oluwayemisi Ajayi, the widow of the late Dr Tosin Ajayi of First Foundation Medical Engineering Co Ltd, have faulted reports on a court ruling concerning the status of their late father’s assets.
They said the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday did not grant any interim order awarding 50 per cent of the estate of the deceased to ex-Miss Nigeria Mrs Helen Prest-Ajayi in a suit over, among others, Dr Ajayi’s assets.
They made their claim in a statement signed by Mrs Olutomi Deru (Nee Ajayi) and Mrs Omolade Soetan (Nee Ajayi) respectively.
Prest-Ajayi, who is said to have been married to Dr Ajayi, and her daughter Miss Tomisin Ajayi, are 1st and 2nd Applicants/Respondents in a suit before the court.
The 1st to 4th Respondents/Applicants in the suit are First Foundation Medical Engineering Company Ltd, Registrar-General of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mrs Oluwayemisi Ajayi and Mr Patrick Abak, a lawyer.
‘The order, which was strangely granted in the absence of the company and our mum, only granted Helen Prest and her daughter permission to institute their main action and restrained our mum from running the company pending the determination of the main suit,’ they said.
The children said the orders were temporary and that the court did not make any order granting Helen Prest any share in the estate of their late father, contrary to sensational social media reports.
According to them, ‘the court did not rule on any of the claims they are making in their main suit and they are not even claiming 50% of our late dad’s estate in their main suit.’
The children also alleged that the orders were obtained under procedurally unclear circumstances as no hearing notice was served on their mum or the company or their lawyers, Kunle Adegoke & Co.
On whether they were ready to accommodate Helen Prest’s daughter, Tomisin, in the estate of their father, the children said that that has always been the case.