Chief Usman Mofeyintioluwa Lawal-Osula (1910 – December 2, 1972) was a Nigerian businessman with interests across insurance, real estate and other industries. As a member of the Benin royal family, he held a hereditary traditional title[1] as the Arala of Benin[2] at the time of his death.
Usman Lawal-Osula | |
|---|---|
| Born | Usman Lawal-Osula 1910 Benin City, Nigeria |
| Died | December 2, 1972 (aged 61–62) Benin City, Nigeria |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman Journalist Arala of Benin |
| Spouse(s) | Lydia Modupe Lawal-Osula (January 26, 1950 – December 2, 1972; his death) |
Legal battle of will
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The case of the will of Chief U.M. Lawal-Osula has become one of the most notable family law cases taught around the world as final judgment came after 23 years of disputes and court battles.[3] At the time of his death in 1972, a will written by Chief U.M. Lawal-Osula dated November 22, 1968 was found.[2]
By the Benin native law and custom, a Benin traditional chief is succeeded by his eldest son at death but before the death of Chief U.M. Lawal-Osula, he wrote a will in which he made provisions for his wife and children while stating he has no living son.[1] However, following the death of U.M. Lawal-Osula, a man who provisions were not made for in the will claimed to be the eldest son of the chief (the plaintiff) and this caused controversy over the question of who inherits the estate of Chief U.M. Lawal-Osula, prompting a series of court battles where the wife and children of Chief U.M. Lawal-Osula became defendants.[1]
In 1986, the plaintiffs initiated an action in which they claimed against the defendants that the last testament of the testator dated November 22, 1968 is null and void in the Bendel State High Court[1] despite the chief explicitly stating "...that nobody shall modify or vary this Will. It is my will that the native law and custom of Benin shall not apply to alter or modify this my Will."[4] However, in 1995, two years after the death of the 1st defendant,[5] Mrs. Lydia Lawal-Osula, the Supreme Court of Nigeria made a ruling that the real estate and personal properties comprised in the estate of Chief Usman Mofeyintioluwa Lawal-Osula be handed over to his wife and children as stated in the will.[5][6]
Personal life and death
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Chief Usman Lawal-Osula died in his Benin City home on December 2, 1972, the day after returning from hospital in England, Great Britain. At the time of this death, he was survived by his wife, Lydia Modupe Lawal-Osula[5] and his four daughters:[5] Chief Dr. Irene Odaro, a retired Solicitor-General[7][8] and former spouse of Moses Odaro, Hajia Morenike Ibrahim-Yahaya, Princess Iyabo Ifueko Akai and Princess Edugie Joan Nzeribe,[9] the wife of Senator Arthur Nzeribe.
Philanthropy
editChief Usman Lawal-Osula was an international art collector and sponsored the third floor of the Benin City National Museum.[10] In 1965, Chief Lawal-Osula appealed through Sir Francis Cumming-Bruce, 8th Baron Thurlow to the British people during a party honouring the chief in Lagos to let them have back in Benin some of the treasures which were looted during the Benin Expedition of 1897.[11] He was also instrumental in getting Vice Admiral Sir Gilbert Stephenson to return a Benin ceremonial sacrificial sword acquired during the Benin Expedition to the Oba of Benin through his acquaintance with his son, Gilbert L. Stephenson (Jnr.) who was the Secretary of independent organization Voluntary Service Overseas at the time.[12]
Publications
editChief Usman Lawal-Osula had published several books and articles.[13] He owned a printing press and established The Benin Voice in 1949 as the first newspaper in the mid-western region of Nigeria.[14] A memoir of one of his visits to Great Britain is currently in a library at McGill University.[12][11]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Lawal Osula v. Lawal Osula (1995) 10SCNJ 84; An Overview". K. K. Eleja & Co.
- ^ a b "LAWAL OSULA v. LAWAL OSULA". Unnlawdocs.com. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Bainham, Andrew (1999). The International Survey of Family Law: 1997. Netherlands: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Kluwer Law International (on behalf of the International Society of Family Law). ISBN 90-411-1187-5.
- ^ Dadem, Y.Y.D. (2008). "Can a Person Subject to Islamic Law Make a Will in Nigeria" (PDF). Review of Nigerian Law and Practice, Nigerian Law School. 2 (1): 60.
- ^ a b c d "LYDIA MODUPE LAWAL-OSULA & ORS V. CHIEF SAKA LAWAL OSULA & ORS CITATION: (1995) LPELR-SC.66/1993". The Supreme Court of Nigeria.
- ^ "LAWAL-OSULA v. LAWAL-OSULA". UNN Law Documents.
- ^ "Women confab holds in Benin, July 17". Nigerian Observer. July 15, 2014.
- ^ "PRESS RELEASE -Edo Women Conference: Our Issues, Our Voices, Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre". African Network for Environment & Economic Justice. July 14, 2014.
- ^ Asuquo, O. "LAWAL OSULA V. LAWAL OSULA". Compulaw.com.ng. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Chief (Dr.) Mrs. Ododo Odaro rejuvenates National Museum, Benin City. Smithsonian Libraries. African Art Index Project. 1996. p. 4.
- ^ a b U M Lawal Osula (1965). My impressions of Great Britain. OCLC 2930150. Retrieved September 25, 2016 – via worldcat.org.
- ^ a b U M Lawal Osula (1965). My impressions of Great Britain. Retrieved September 25, 2016 – via Mcgill.worldcat.org.
- ^ "Osula, U. M. Lawal – LC Linked Data Service | Library of Congress". Id.loc.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
- ^ Usuanlele, Uyilawa; Agbontaen, K.A. (2000). "A History of Modern Literary Development Among the Edos 1897-1960". Africa: Rivista Trimestrale di Studi e Documentazione dell'Istituto Italiano per l'Africa e l'Oriente. 55 (1): 109. JSTOR 40761432.