Some weeks ago, the society was agog with the news of the Nikkah wedding ceremony between top socialite, Princess Folashade Omotade and Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu. The new bride, also a well-known businesswoman was also the widow of late Federal Permanent Secretary, Olaseni Ayodeji Omotade. Rather than radiate ecstasy over her new blissful relationship with her new beau, Folashade’s mood has somewhat been sour over some reports concerning some properties believed to be owned by her late husband who died in a plane crash some years back, leaving the family without any will.
Spotlight gathered that for five years now, Folashade has been at loggerheads with the other widow of her late husband, Mrs. Grace Omotade, a retired Assistant Manager with a subsidiary of NNPC over the estate left behind by their husband. Grace, mother of three children —Oluwafumilayo, Oluwaseun and Onikepo— claimed to be the only legal wife and allegedly packed out of her matrimonial home in annoyance when her late husband then in his prime, brought in Folashade whom she viewed as his mistress. However, as at the time Omotade died, Folashade was the only woman then in the house. But Grace had alleged that Folashade cornered all the properties and embarked on asset stripping, disposing of all the properties and assets of late Olaseni without her knowledge. The bubble however burst when Folashade allegedly attempted to dispose of the family property at No. 5A and 5B, Kayode Alli Street, Omole Phase I, Ikeja, Lagos. Once Grace got a hint of the development, she filed Suit No: ID/183M/2006 seeking an order restraining and preventing Folashade and her agents from selling, disposing off and or leasing the property at Omole Phase I and an order directing and or mandating the Registrar of the court and or the Deputy Sheriff to put the property under lock and key and deposit same with the honourable court pending the determination of the case. The matter has been on endlessly for five years now but reared its ugly head again when the news of Folashade’s new marriage hit town. And she has been on the offensive. According to sources, Folashade said the controversial properties were hers as she was the one who paid for the land when her late husband wanted to purchase it while all the documents on the properties were in her name.
Folashade was quoted to have said until her late husband’s death, he had no single property in Lagos, not even a Boys Quarters. She was said to have kept quiet for 15 years because of her children who were young and that the controversies may not be good for them psychologically then. But today, the children are now grown and said to have given her the go ahead to say everything and anything that is the truth about their father. Meanwhile, sources told Spotlight that Folashade is determined to see the matter—now at the Appeal Court down to the Supreme Court. She was said to have spent over N140 million on various legal fees just to prove her rights and claims to the properties.