N50Bn Bank Anthony Estate: Family Disowns Queen Irene Cole, Describes Her As Imposter 

MICHAEL AKINOLA 

The family of late business mogul and Philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony, has alerted members of the public to be wary of a woman,  Mrs. Queen Irene Cole, who has been parading herself as the executive trustee of the N50b property left behind across the world describing her as a notorious fraudster. 

P.M.EXPRESS reports as disclosed by the grandson of the late Bank Anthony, Mr. Babatunde Oluwajimi Bank Anthony, in a press briefing with journalists in Lagos State. 

Babatunde stated that Queen Irene Cole is not a member of the family and has no business whatsoever with the property belonging to the late Bank Anthony and should be disregarded by the public. 

In the press release with the title: The Bank-Anthony Family Sets The Record Straight” they said, “The family of the Late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony hereby give notice and inform the public to beware of one Queen Irene Cole and some of her associates parading themselves to be the Trustees of the Estate of our Father, Late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony”.

“I, Mr. Babatunde Oluwajimi Bank-Anthony (The Grand Son of Late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony) is here under the instructions and permission of the Elders & the whole of the Bank-Anthony family to set the records straight with members of the public.” 
“Queen Irene Cole has incessantly written different articles in the Newspaper, on Television stations and has had a couple of Press Conferences, where she has made claims, produced various documents to back their Trusteeship. We, as a family, have been silent not because we did not know what to do but because this case is in Court and felt that it would run its course in the Court.” 
“We are a family that stands by what we were brought up with by our late Father and Grandfather – Decency,Truth and Integrity, hence the silence all these while.”

“Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony, at the time of his death in 1991, left a clear and comprehensive last Will & Testament, which depicted his last wishes. His last Will & Testament clearly stated that his Estate be governed and run by a list of his chosen trustees.” 
“This list did not include anyone named Queen Irene Cole neither did it include some of her fraudulent partners.”

“Queen Irene Cole and her cohorts, who we as a family do not know, have spent the last couple of years attempting to insert themselves in the Estate and properties of the late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony. Queen Irene Cole has continually falsified her relationship to the Bank-Anthony family and has through fraudulent methods obtained a Court judgement, which is currently being legally challenged by the family and the Estate.”

“It has been brought to our notice that Queen Irene Cole and some of her partners had been using this fraudulent Court judgement in an attempt to access Estate funds and engage with property developers.”

“We, the Family, are using this medium to inform everyone that Queen Irene Cole does not have the authority to represent the Bank-Anthony family. And anyone, who enters into any business transaction with her in regards to the Bank-Anthony Estate, does so at their own peril. The Bank-Anthony Estate will not recognize nor honour any contracts made with Queen Irene Cole and her partners.”

Babatunde explained that the Late Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony left a clear and unequivocal last Will and Testament, which as a family, they will ensure through all legal avenues that his wishes are upheld.

 “I would like to make reference to a few articles Queen Irene Cole has written in the past and let the public know the truth and put an end to her lies, deceit and clear warnings to the public about this lady.”

He stated that on 26th October, 2019, Queen Irene Cole caused a publication in Vanguard Newspaper dated 26th October, 2022, with a title – Drama-Over-Late-Bank-Anthonys-Wealth.

1st paragraph states ‘A 67-year-old woman, Queen Irene Cole, said to be the Godmother and Attorney of the beneficiaries of the massive wealth of renowned late philanthropist, Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony’.

“I want to categorically state it that Queen Irene Cole is not the godmother or Attorney of any beneficiary of the Will of Sir Mobolaji Bank-Anthony. She claims to be the Godmother of one of Sir Bank-Anthony’s Grand Children (I am not here to dispute that) but that said person is not a beneficiary of the Will and as per being an Attorney of the Beneficiaries, she is not – All the Beneficiaries of the Will (myself included) have not employed her as an Attorney or requested that she represents us in any shape or form.”

“2nd Paragraph states ‘The woman, a retired Naval officer in the United States of America, USA, and mother of one of the children of the late philanthropist’.”

“Queen Irene Cole was never in a relationship with Sir Bank-Anthony let alone having a child with him.”

“Sir Bank-Anthony was blessed with 4 children namely, Omosheri Bank-Anthony (Deceased), Ajibike Bank-Anthony(Deceased), Oremi Bank-Anthony and Bolaji Bank-Anthony.”

3rd Paragraph states ‘In the petition signed by their lawyer, Kayode Fasetire Esq and addressed to the Inspector General of Police, the beneficiaries alleged’
“We, the Beneficiaries, never wrote or signed any petition. We do not know who Kayode Fasetire Esq is (but believe he is associated to Queen Irene Cole). This is simply a pack of lies to say ‘the beneficiaries alleged’. We, the Beneficiaries, have not had any dealings with Kayode Fasetire. He might have had dealings with other people in the family, (that is not for me to confirm) but no beneficiary of the Bank-Anthony’s WILL has had any business with him.”

“Please let me emphasise, I state once more, ‘BENEFICIARIES’.
6th Paragraph states ‘I was warned never to go near my house again and almost assassinated by a very violent Policeman, who not only kept slapping my personal assistant but traumatized the entire members of the family in our residence at Number 29, Okotie Ebo Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.”

“29 Okotie Ebo Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, was the residence of Late Sir & Lady Bank-Anthony. This place was ‘Home’ to Papa’s children, Oremi and Bolaji, as well as my elder sister, Funmilayo Bank-Anthony (First Grand Child), my cousin, Durorike Bank-Anthony (Grand Niece) and my Myself.”

“I do not know where Queen Irene Cole lives; I don’t even know if she has a house and find it quite amusing that she can say the Police ‘traumatized the entire members of the family in our residence at No 29 Okotie Eboh Close’.”

“Why is she laying claim to this address?”
“These are all lies!! 11th paragraph states ‘recently, the family finally stood together as one and appointed me, Queen Irene Olasunmbo Cole, their attorney. In fact, I stand as a mother to all my children.”

“We, the Bank Anthonys, have always stuck together as one family in unity and love; we never, we will never appoint Queen Irene Olasumbo Cole as our attorney. She is not a mother to any of us.”

“We vehemently state it that the whole of Bank Anthony Family have absolutely nothing to do with Queen Irene Olasumbo Cole. She has been deceptive, lied so many times (it’s difficult to count) and fraudulently obtained documents due to the fact that the Courts were not fully informed.”

“Another article she wrote was in THIS DAY dated on 26th May, 2022  – How Banks, Registrars’ Alleged Conspiracy With Impostors Fleeced Late Bank Anthony’s Estate.”

“Recently on 17th May, 2022, Queen Irene Cole accompanied by her cohorts who claim to be Beneficiaries, Lawyers and Consultants to the Estate, conducted a Press Conference to appeal to Registrars and Banks to release funds to them as they are the ‘Probated Trustees’ of the Estate.”

“This is a case that is still in Court. They initially got a judgement due to the information that was not made available to the Court at the time they filed, they have ‘tweaked’ and changed names in order to match the name of one of the Beneficiaries stated in the Will. They have tried everything and anything possible to try to get their hands on the funds of the Estate. The judgement they are parading around was dated 5th August, 2020, but subsequently the case was referred to the Court of Appeal on 5th November 2021.”

“A Notice of Appeal has been put forward and we are presently waiting for an Appeal date.”

“Queen Irene Cole and her partners in deception are simply in a bid to race against time. They hope they can get to the funds of the Estate before an Appeal hearing but we, as a family, will ensure they will not succeed in their deceit.”

“Queen Irene Cole, who claims to be working for the family, has ‘dared’ to threaten my siblings to jail. You are not a member of a family, yet you are threatening members of the family …….Why?”

“The simple fact is that they will not be a part of her deceit to get access to the funds of the Estate.”

“We are a family with strong foundations; a tree that can tilt (as does any family experience) but can never be broken; not by anybody and certainly not Queen Irene Olasunmbo Cole” Babatunde Oluwajimi Bank-Anthony concluded.