How Banks, Registrars, 3 Others Ruined $50bn Late Bank Anthony’s Property

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE 

Facts have emerged how three nominated trustees, banks and registrars connived among themselves to mismanage the multi-billion Naira worth of properties owned by the late foremost industrialist and philanthropist, Bank Anthony, for almost three decades across the world. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports as stated on Tuesday, at the Sir Mke Okiro press centre on Oduduwa Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, by the spokesperson to the family, Queen Irene Cole. She said these persons, two dead and one still alive, who by their closeness to the late Philanthropist falsified his Will and started amassing to themselves monies that were meant for 20 institutions which the late business mogul left annual huge grants.

The octogenarian, who was flanked by some members of the Bank-Anthony family, consultant to the estate and lawyers, informed that she had been in the fight to ensure that only probated trustees were meant to handle and execute the Will  since Bank-Anthony died on May 26, 1991 adding that she was most pained that one of the institutions, Pacelli School for the blind, which the late Bank-Anthony specifically requested that a Nigerian be sent abroad annually to be trained on how to teach and care for the blinds and be sent back to the country to teach at the school, was denied its annual huge grants.

She added that this criminal conspiracy and unconscionable theft by these persons and institutions was blown open after one of the famed philanthropist’s granddaughter, Funmiade Bank Anthony, raised the alarm via the press on July 13, 2019, that her granddad died leaving behind 48 properties but left nothing for the family.

Though not related by blood, Queen Irene Cole said the late Bank Anthony was her godfather and a very close friend to her father adding that they saw him as a father too. 
She said, “Those negative comments about Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony could not leave her in peace. Thus, it became known that the principal actor in the entire charade was not even a probated trustee. Jide Aleshinloye was not probated and had no locus to act as trustee”.

“In his last Will of 10th April 1991, Sir Bank-Anthony nominated Trustees. Only Dr. Kuti got probated (at the time) after the transition of some original Trustees. However, the Will bars a single Trustee from acting solely. At this juncture, the other individuals teamed up to give a façade of being properly in charge. They then proceeded to coldly bilk the estate’s large concerns in Nigeria, the UK, and the Isles of Jersey for over 29 years at the expense of all named institutional beneficiaries and worthy causes that were dear to the heart of Sir Bank-Anthony.”

“Along the line, the efforts of these probated Trustees spearheaded by me – Queen Iren Cole, almost led to their murder by the agents of the gang. I and my personal assistant were taken at gunpoint and threatened with death to release some of the original documents. The dark reason behind the unbridled harassment, death threats and incessant arrest and detention was that I, Queen Irene Cole, had knowledge and proof of Sir Bank-Anthony’s Will, which was a most compassionate bequest to 20 Nigerian Corporate entities, laudable causes and some other beneficiaries.”

“With the transition of the original executors/trustees of the Will, who out and the death of two members of the latter group, namely Dr. Bolaji Kuti, D, Abiola Refell, the group was now left with the third and main kingpin, Mr. Aleshinloye Williams, also known as Olajide Aleshinloye. He then went haywire, converting millions of money meant for different beneficiaries; conniving with sundry Registrars over shares held by the testator and declaring to his large family that they were left out of the Will; giving them 200 million naira to share. By a swipe flawless confidence and trickery he got the entire clan to re-echo after him that they had no say in the Will and the sum of N5m each person got from the bulk was a gift from his deep pockets and large heart.”

Continuing, Queen Cole added, “Today, through the concerted efforts of the probated Trustees/Executors/Executrixes under the lead Trustee, Dr. Deinde Aganga Williams nee Adio Moses, who was nominated in the Will for over 29 years without informing her that she had been nominated; Justice S A Onigbanjo requested that she must be found and today she is the lead trustee of this estate. The leader of the gang, Mr. Aleshinloye and his henchman, Mr. Cornelius Taiwo Olaomoa, are now within the grip and arms of the law.”

Appealing to banks and registrars to give the probated Trustees the needed cooperation to enable them do the needful, Queen Cole noted, “Unfortunately, we have reached a problem of the recovery where banks and registrars who allowed the culprits to run accounts without being probated Trustees of the Estate account and the Registrars are powerful and continue to create roadblocks to steal and deprive the beneficiaries. For instance we have served and provided all documents but when we served First Registrar again on the 6th of November 2021 only to find out that money had been removed on 11th November 2021.“We quickly complained to the Police. A barrister Nimbe and Mr. Henry claimed that it was money from Sir Bank Anthony that had been abandoned. So on November 11, 2021, he claimed it was sent back to the companies. Whilst we were in the Police station both the Head of Compliance said that they don’t know how much money that was sent back because they said the mixed it with other clients’ money. So claim the money has gone. As for the rest of the money, they said they were compiling and after another week they will upload to the Estate account. We are still waiting”.

“Our major problem to diffuse is that the banks or Registrars are either delaying on payment that is due now but trying to work on someone to bring in a law suit to delay but that failed when we wrote the children. We need an open appeal to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Alkali Usman Baba to look into a number of banks or Registrar with any account belonging to Sir Bank Anthony who have been intentionally refusing with delay tactics.”