UK Government Releases Names Of 56 Dead Nigerians With Unclaimed Estates, Seeks Relatives

The United Kingdom government has released the names and information of 6,743 persons who have died with unclaimed estates.

Among the names listed are 56 Nigerians officially recorded to have died between 1996 and 2021 in the United Kingdom.

The unclaimed estates have a 30-year time limit from the date of death before it is removed if no one comes for it.

Sadly for most of the deceased, there was little information on relatives to whom their assets may be transferred.

According to data from UK Treasury Solicitor and last updated on September 8, 2022, one of the Nigerians identified is Julius Taiwo, who died on July 19, 1995, at Derby Derbyshire, UK.

A familiar name on the list is a certain Victor Adedapo Olufemi Fani-Kayode, said to have died on August 15, 2001, in Birmingham, with the information on his death listed as the Birmingham City Council.

The list also includes a certain Arbel Aai’Lotta’Qua Abouarh, that died on February 5, 1998, in Chiswick, London, and is thought to have different variations in the spelling of his name. Information on file indicates that he may have been married in December 1959 (place unknown) and had 4 children from the marriage.

There is also Paul (Akinola) Bernard who was born in Lagos and died in London on October 12, 2008. Available information suggests he married a 2nd wife, Marie Vidarte de Castro in 1970, but she also died in August 2008. He is believed to have a daughter from his first marriage which ended around 1970.

Born in Ibadan on August 2, 1958, John Olaolu Bankole died in London on April 27, 2010. The information available includes a Decree Absolute dissolving the deceased’s marriage on 11 November 2002, while his marriage certificate states that his father’s name is Oladipupa Bankole.

While Enwukwe Graham Kwedi Edde, who died on January 6, 2011, in London is only known to have been born in Diobu, River State, Charles Ayodele Aliu, who died on March 31, 2011, in Solihull, West Midlands is said to “have a possible cousin in Nigeria”.

Sunny Eyo Edem, who died on September 16, 2011, in Fulham is believed to have a “Possible son and relatives in Calabar, Nigeria”. Also, William Kadry, who died on November 1, 2011, in Fulham, is said to have been born in Iponri, Lagos State, and his father Akanni Kadiri died in 1941, while his mother Muniratu Kadiri died in 1958.

Recent additions to the list include Solomon Adekanmibi who died on January 31, 2021, in Colchester, Essex; Eugene Bucknor, who died on March 2, 2021, in Brockley, London; Jeff Adhekeh, who died on March 12, 2021, in South Kensington, London and Louisa Holmes, who died on May 24, 2021, in Cheam Sutton.

“We often hear of accounts of deceased persons in financial institutions that are never claimed and are never made public by these institutions. I believe we can borrow a leaf from the practice in the UK in this regard to promote transparency,” says Olaitan Akinnubi, a lawyer based in Lagos.

“I believe that information about deceased persons and their unclaimed assets being made public in the UK is something that is worthy of emulation here in Nigeria.”

“for the relatives of any such deceased person or any other person entitled to the estate of any of the listed deceased persons, they should engage a Probate Solicitor or Practitioner in the UK to help and guide them through the process of obtaining letters of administration in respect of the deceased person’s Estate in the UK,” he added.

He further said a lesson to be drawn from this, is the importance of writing a will while one is alive. Once a person starts acquiring properties (real or personal), they should start thinking of writing a will, he advises, as this would help their family, friends and loved ones identify their assets and administer them accordingly upon their death.

“Who knows if the relatives of any of these deceased are languishing in poverty while their dad, brother, son, etc has a property of value in the UK? If these assets are not claimed after a long period, they become bona vacantia i.e. goods or assets without an owner; and they eventually are taken over by the Crown or government in the UK,” he said.

The govt said those with claims to any of the listed names will have to provide details of the relationship.

The UK noted that: “If you are, for example, a first cousin of the deceased, you would only be entitled to share in the estate if there are no relatives above you in the order of entitlement, for example, a niece or nephew.”