The late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, an elder statesman and former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who passed on a year ago has stirred posthumous controversy with the conditions of his Will.
Among its most striking provisions is a clause barring his wife, Lolo Frances, from remarrying, warning that such action would result in the forfeiture of all properties bequeathed to her, THE WILL, a U.S based online news platform reports.
Iwuanyanwu’s Will, unveiled on June 16, 2025, by administrator, Chief Chukwuma Ekomaru (SAN), meticulously outlines the distribution of his vast wealth.
Notably, Frances was granted ownership of the iconic “Legacy House” on Port Harcourt Road, Owerri, with a strict directive that the property must never be sold.
Also, she inherited Magil Furniture and stakes in real estate across Orji, Works Layout, and Naze, Imo State—all under the condition that she remains unmarried.
Other notable allocations include the Abuja residence, which was handed down to their son, and the London property slated for sale.
The proceeds from the latter are to be distributed with 60% allocated to the education of Iwuanyanwu’s youngest son, 30% to his first son, Jide, and 10% to Ezinne, who currently resides in the property, to facilitate her relocation.
A standout element of the Will is its philanthropic dimension.
Iwuanyanwu decreed that the popular “Glass House” near the Orji flyover be converted into a public Trust overseen by an independent board.
The Trust will fund charitable and community projects, a gesture the family has praised as emblematic of his lifelong commitment to societal development.
The five children of the late statesman also received equitable shares of his extensive assets scattered across Abuja, Imo, and other parts of Nigeria.
They were quoted to have described heir father’s Will as “honorable and just,” and acknowledged that at least 15 properties remain unallocated, possibly due to his declining health in his final years.
Public interest in the Will has surged, largely driven by the contentious remarriage clause attached to Frances’s inheritance.
Efforts to reach Frances and the children for comments proved unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
