THIS DAY

*Estranged wife spills the beans

By Davidson Iriekpen, 01.16.2008

Gbenga, first son of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, got contracts from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) while his father was in office, his estranged wife, Mojisola, has claimed.

Mojisola and Gbenga are currently seeking the dissolution of their seven-year-old marriage at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja Division, in Suit No. ID/172HD/2006.

While Gbenga is claiming that his wife was sleeping with the former president  - his own father - in order to get government contracts, Mojisola claims her husband has been violent towards her.

In her cross-petition against Gbenga, who is the petitioner, Mojisola is demanding hefty compensation because of the financial status of the husband.

She claimed under �Particu-lars of Income of the Petitioner� that the petitioner (Gbenga) makes an average annual income of N500 million.
According to her, �The Petitioner earns from commissions paid to him as an Agent to a construction company with various construction projects, which was recently awarded an 11 billion Naira construction contract.

�The Petitioner has several construction contracts from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
�The Petitioner owns substantial shares in an Oil Trading Company, Linetrale Trading Company Ltd, a Company engaged in importing, selling, supplying and marketing of petroleum products.
�The Petitioner also collects oil allocations from Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
�The Petitioner receives payments from Health Aids Support Services, an HIV consulting firm currently working on a transaction with MTN, and some state governments.
�The Petitioner receives commission for brokering different deals on behalf of foreign companies and earns a sizeable commission therefrom.
�The Petitioner received Commission for the supply of 800 vehicles to Ogun State.
�The Petitioner has substantial investment in some Oil Blocks.
�The Petitioner has substantial investment in Glo Oil Ltd. and Hyster Investments Ltd.�

She claimed Gbenga had the capability to earn income because he is a �medical doctor with a Masters in Public Health and a PhD from Johns Hopkins University, USA. The Petitioner has the goodwill of being the son of the serving President of the largest black nation in the world which gives him access to several eminent world political leaders and business personalities all of which he has utilised and continue to utilise and leverage upon to earn considerable income [�] all state governors in Nigeria, Commissioners of various States in Nigeria top executives in the public and private sector of the Nigerian economy.�

She listed the physical estate of her husband as �land in Maitama, Abuja, land in Banana Island, Ikoyi, land in Lekki Phase 1, land in Abeokuta, a house in GRA Ikeja, Peugeot 607, Land Cruiser Jeep 2006 model, Kia Opirus� among others.

She claimed she became aware of the particulars of Gbenga�s income as a result of �prior discussions� between them while they lived together.

As �ancillary relief� for the dissolution of the marriage, Mojisola asked the court for a permanent order directing the Petitioner to pay a lump sum of N54 million for the maintenance of the Respondent (herself) and the two children of the marriage, Boluwatife and Wuraola, till the children attain  adulthood.

She also sought an order that the Petitioner provide two of the fleet of cars owned by him for the Respondent and her children's use together with a chauffeur to be paid by the Petitioner; an order that the family house at No. 8 Ladipo Bateye Street, GRA Ikeja be settled on the Respondent or in the alternative the Petitioner be ordered to pay the sum of N50million to be used by the Respondent to purchase a decent house of comparable standard for the accommodation of the Respondent and her two children; and an order directing the Petitioner to make adequate financial arrangement for provision of security for the two children of the marriage (including adequate security safeguards for the premises where they will be residing) being grand children of the incumbent president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Mojisola is seeking a monthly payment of N300,000 for the period of 15 years or till the children attain adulthood.

She is also seeking that the Petitioner pay a lump sum of �360,000 or its Naira equivalent and $400,000 or its Naira equivalent for the education of their two children of the marriage. The sum of �360,000, she claimed, would cover cost of school fees for a period of six years each for the two children at a secondary school in Switzerland already picked by their father, while $400,000 would be the cost of a four-year degree programme for both of the children in an American University.

Gbenga�s younger sister, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, a former commissioner in Ogun State, is currently being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over claims that she assumed a �fraudulent� identity to help an Austrian company, in which she had interest, to secure power contracts in Nigeria while her father was president.

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