Late General Jemitola’s inheritance: Obstruction of genuine settlement, Safiya-widow’s entitlement
By Tony Ovbosa
The once-adorable family of the late Major-General Christopher Jemitola (retd), has been torn asunder by a inheritance dispute, which his extended family members, associates and admirers, regard as a let down to the large image of the late soldier, widely known for self-discipline, compassion and great feats.
The late general, who was Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Army Spokesman and second-in-command to General Yusufu Buratai, as Chief of Army Staff, had it rosy through the military rungs, so much so that he was and still treasured by all and sundry.
In an Abuja court’s ‘terms of settlement’ in a divorced SUIT NO:PET/519/2022, filed in November 25, 2022, but reached on 02/05/2023, by the late general against his ex-wife, Josephine Oki (formerly Josephine Jemitola), he (late General Chris) had reiterated warm love for family values, especially for his two children, Caleb, a male and Iman, female.
Why, therefore, is a crisis festering between Caleb and Iman, with, Mrs. Safiya Jemitola, their stepmother, in who their late father and they were said to have found love, after an elaborate marriage, in which Caleb and Iman attended joyfully?
According to a blood relation of the late general, who chose anonymity; “When our beloved Chris suddenly died, in a suspicion that he was murdered, the Nigerian Army, in their benevolence and tradition, had opted for a befitting military burial at his Asokoro residence, that is now a subject of illegal invasion by the police, civil defence and thugs. There are countered claims to ownership of the same matrimonial home of his, by Caleb and his sister, with Chris’s surviving wife, Safiya. Because Josephine and the wrong advisers of Caleb knew about the culture of his community, Ososo, which places surviving-wives or widows and widowers first, when it comes to inheritance claims to matrimonial home of demised spouses, Caleb was ill-advised to disobey our family, that was supposed to be first and the very one to lead Caleb through a befitting burial and inheritance settlement.”
Regrettably, he said that there was trouble when Caleb tried to stop the army from organizing a major event in his Asokoro’s residence. The elderly man from the late general’s family further testified that Caleb and his mother had turned down the family appeals, with Mr. Greg Jemitola, the late general’s eldest brother, and all reasoning that inheritance matters be settled a year after his death.
“The family couldn’t help it when Florence, the ex-wife, took physical fights to Safiya, Chris widow, in the matrimonial house. We were also shocked to hear that a will purported to have been written by our late brother, had been read behind our family and Safiya, the widow. Florence goaded the children into the disputes. She and her children no longer call us or answer our telephone calls. But, we pray for their wellbeing,” he revealed further.
An Abuja High Court’s documents, in which Nureini Jimoh SAN, Mrs. Safiya Jemitola’s lawyer sued Dr. John Idahosa (Executor 1), Segun Mekadese (Executor 2), Peter Kayode Abodunrin Esq. and a Probate Registrar of an Abuja High Court, on an alleged concocted will of the late general unlawfully executed on 22 December, 2025.
An army general and confidant of the late general, who also spoke on anonymity, revealed he is an executor of the ‘original will’ but was left out from the alleged illegal execution by Peter Kayode Abundorin Esq.
He also alleged that the late general had concluded the removal of Dr. Idahosa and Mekadese as his executors and that of his lawyer on the will, as he no longer have confidence in them, before his sudden death.
He further revealed that the late general Jemitola had a frosty relationship with Dr. Idahosa, his friends of many years, when he (Idahosa) loaned a huge USD $150,000 to Josephine, his ex-wife, without his knowledge. Dayo (Mama Ife), daughter of Chief Obasanjo, the ex-president, was the 17th of the over 40 creditors, she was alleged to owe N25m.
Volunteered another extended family member of the late General Chris, also on anonymity; “The rush for late General Chris wealth only gave credence to the hurried declaration of the controversial will, where his ex-wife, who was already given two separate apartments and other things, as divorce settlement, is the same now goading her children, so that she could have easy access to continually wet her high spending appetite. Obviously, she and her ex-husband’s friends would have connived to sieze the late general’s matrimonial home, to cover for the unsettled debts. That is why some of the late general’s friends have deplored a certain Abuja pastor and thugs, as they were spotted on CCTV photos and videos, leading the police and Civil Defence corps to break into the general’s matrimonial home and persecute Safiya, his widow.
Caleb Jemitola, son to the late general, as a farewell speech during his burial, vowed to the Vanguard of February 20, 2025 that; “…I’ll hold on to everything he taught me and do my best to make him proud”. Questionably, he is the same being allegedly mentioned as getting involved in the same indiscipline his father was said to detest and that he did not teach him.
This was corroborated by another young neighbour of his troubled residence; “Caleb always faked being a good boy, when his father was alive. After his father’s death, he became a street boy who made loud and wild parties to disturb the peace of the street, with some ruffians, who are his friends.”
Although the will was alleged to be concocted and illegally-declared, a portion had demanded that Caleb must complete his university education or be given three years of grace to do so before the will must be read. An investigation taken to Baze University, Abuja, where he started a first degree course for 4 years duration in Mass Communications, revealed no records of his graduation. There, he (a twenty-eight-years-old-man) was said to be inattentive and played truancy, whereas his younger sister, Iman, who he is about two years her senior, had since graduated from the university, and now works in the United Kingdom.
To make the matter worst, a determined Josephine Oki and her son, Caleb had refused to give their own sides of the story, as they had refused persistent inquests by this reporter.
