Family clashes over late Bishop Stanford Obrutse’s estate

 

THE conflict over the inheritance of Bishop Stanford Obrutse’s estate who died in an ill fated DANA air crash in Lagos State while returning from a business trip in London has since taken a dramatic twist as the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Julie Obrutse has insisted that one of the deceased daughters, Ms. Onome Esther Obrutse is not a bona fide child of her late husband.

However, Esther’s grandmother, Deaconess Mrs. Alice Kanawa Obrutse has reacted swiftly to Julie’s claim saying that Esther is the eldest daughter of her son (Stanford) who was born to him on April 10^th, 1977 when he was studying Banking in Lagos State where he met Esther’s mother, Felicia Elum an indigene of lgbe-Ogume, Ndokwa west local government area of Delta State.

They spoke with Midwest weekly at their resident in Uhweru, Ughelli north local government area of Delta State. The grandmother disclosed that when Felicia Elum came to Stafford’s family house in Uhweru with the pregnancy, his son was summoned to give his part of the story which he accepted but later proceeded to Lagos for a DNA test which confirmed that Stafford was the true owner of the pregnancy before Felicia Elum was formally accepted into Kanawa’s family.

According to her, “My late husband, Edison Kanawa Obrutse, Mr. Andrew Obrutse and another man went to Felicia Elum’s family in Kwale to settle scores with them. Stafford did not marry Esther’s mother before she died which brought to the fore Stafford’s union with Julie in 1980.” She added that one Emmanuel Ego and one other person have discouraged Stafford from marrying Esther’s mother and to also reject the pregnancy.

Her words: “My son was lured by one Emmanuel Ego not to marry Felicia and that he should also reject the pregnancy that they would marry another woman for him. They then went for Julie’s introduction”.

Aligning with Esther’s grandmother, two of Esther’s uncles, Mr. Andrew and Mr. Samson Obrutse, stressed that the Obrutse family do not claim people’s children as they are known to be very fruitful.

The former (Mr. Andrew) said, “when we discovered that Stafford had a child outside wedlock, I and his father and another who lived in Kwale went to see Felicia Elum’s family. I am aware that Stafford had a child who later lived with the grandmother.” The duo insisted that they cannot reject their brother’s child, stressing that Esther is Stafford’s first daughter.

Also speaking, the deceased elder brother, Mr. Stephen Mamus Wark Obrutse who also towed the same line hinted that Julie offered money to aid the rejection of Esther but he refused, stating that “Esther was given birth to in my presence. I and the mother lived together in Lagos before her (Esther’s) birth adding that Julie was also married in his presence through the connivance of Emmanuel Ego and Simeon Ohwofa.

He said “anytime Julie is in the house and Felicia is coming, we hide Julie under the bed and we send Felicia on errand before letting Julie out. Julie knows Esther,” he said.

While reiterating that he cannot deny his brother’s child, he said “when Stafford died, I called all the children together to Ughelli branch of the company where I settled and prayed for them. But Julie later scattered them that is when her children started fomenting trouble and she took me as an enemy because I did not succumb to her pressure of rejecting Esther.”

Mr.  Stephen Obrutse, who alleged that Mr. Ego, Mr. Ohwofa and one Barr. Ohwovoriole as the cause of the problem said when the trio leaves Julie she would fall back to the family for settlement.

Speaking further, he alleged that the eldest son of Julie, Mr. Okiemute Obrutse is not his brother’s son because mysteries surround the boy’s birth.

His words, “I doubt the birth of her son Okiemute. That boy must do DNA test or else I would not agree that she is my brother’s son. Stafford was not aware when that child was given birth to. Julie went abroad to deliver the child out of the five children that she has, it is only Okiemute that was given birth to abroad and the pregnancy was not complete. She went to do something else abroad for 7 months. That child is not Stafford’s son”, he alleged.

According to him, Julie had refused that Okiemute should be the chairman of the company as against the family’s wish. “Why did she disagree? There is something behind it,” Stephen said.

The immediate younger brother to Stafford, Mr. Obakore Obrutse who added voice noted that in the 90s he was the one Stafford calls upon to sign money for Esther’s upkeep anytime she comes to the office as the fear of Julie has kept her away from her father’s house.

Mr. Obakore said that Messrs. Solomon Ada, Johnson Ogunsoyan, Fumi Koka and one Esther who are still in the Lagos headquarters could bear witness and Stafford’s partner Chief G.N. Otobo, from Enwhe, Isoko south local government area.

The family insisted that the 12 children from the four wives should be represented in the company, adding that the company is already running at half capacity as it is being manned by one director (Julie) which is incorrect.