‘Stop spreading falsehoods about our late brother,’ Addey family tells ex-wife

Ms. Buduka Julia Addey with her mum

Mercy Iheoma Ihedigbo

Addey Family of Ihuechi Community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State has publicly called on the former wife of their late son and brother, Mr. Arthur Iyenyemenwana Addey, Mrs. Kalinwana Ali, to desist from what they described as the continued spread of false information concerning the deceased and the alleged unauthorized use of confidential family and medical documents in legal actions against third parties.

In a detailed statement signed on behalf of the family by Mr. Godson Unula Addey, the family said it was compelled to set the record straight following what it described as persistent misinformation, particularly on social media, which it believes could mislead members of the public, judicial authorities and public institutions.

According to the family, Arthur Addey returned from England to Nigeria in 2016 and remained in the country until his death on June 5, 2020. Contrary to allegations allegedly made by his former wife and some of his children, the family insisted that the deceased was never a full-time employee of Hamilton Technologies Limited, EPSS Private Security Services Limited or any other company.

Instead, the family explained that the late Arthur Addey worked as an independent security consultant, providing professional services on a project-by-project basis, particularly in Offshore Port Facility Security assessments and related assignments.

They maintained that his relationship with the companies was purely contractual and consultancy-based, stressing that he neither occupied any official position nor received salaries as an employee.

Speaking on behalf of the family, the deceased’s younger sister, Ms. Buduka Julia Addey, said one of the companies’ Managing Director occasionally entrusted Arthur with consultancy assignments because of family ties and confidence in his professional competence.

“At no time was my late brother employed by either of the companies. He neither earned salaries from the companies nor occupied any position of employment,” she stated.

The family also provided clarification on the circumstances surrounding Arthur’s death during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the statement, an autopsy became necessary to establish the exact cause of death. To assist the medical examination, Ms. Buduka Julia Addey submitted a written account of the events leading to her brother’s death to the attending pathologist on June 12, 2020.

The family explained that the statement, along with a preliminary death certificate issued solely to facilitate the transportation of the deceased’s remains from Lagos to Rivers State for burial, was shared with Mrs. Kalinwana Ali in good faith to keep the deceased’s dependants informed.

However, the family expressed disappointment that the confidential documents had allegedly been used in petitions and legal proceedings against third parties, including companies that had engaged Arthur as a consultant and the medical pathologist who conducted the autopsy.

According to the family, neither the written statement nor the preliminary death certificate was intended for litigation, public circulation, or to support allegations against any individual, company or institution.

It emphasized that subsequent medical documentation relating to the autopsy remained entirely outside the family’s control and insisted that no member of the Addey family authorized the use of those documents for legal actions involving third parties.

The family noted that several issues arising from the dispute are already before competent courts and that some family members have been joined as parties in the proceedings.

For that reason, they said they would refrain from commenting on matters currently before the courts, explaining that their statement was limited to facts within their personal knowledge.

The family also addressed ongoing disputes surrounding the estate of the deceased.

According to the statement, shortly after Arthur’s burial, Mrs. Kalinwana Ali instituted legal proceedings against one of the companies under the belief that the deceased had been its employee.

The family further stated that Mrs. Ali and the deceased had been separated for about 12 years before his death and that their marriage had been legally dissolved.

They also disclosed that disputes later arose concerning the recognition and inheritance rights of Arthur’s daughter, who was born one month after his death.

To protect the interests of all three children, the family said it requested Ms. Buduka Julia Addey to obtain Letters of Administration solely as a protective measure pending the establishment of a trust arrangement for the children’s welfare.

According to the family, attempts were allegedly made during the litigation to exclude the newborn daughter from benefiting from her father’s estate.
Ms. Buduka Julia Addey stated that the courts eventually affirmed the child’s legal entitlement as a beneficiary of the deceased’s estate.

The family further disclosed that the court also ruled that the Letters of Administration previously granted by the Customary Court of Appeal should be set aside because that court lacked jurisdiction, adding that only the State High Court possesses the legal authority to issue such letters.

It also maintained that there was no estate to administer and, therefore, no financial account to render, a position it said had already been communicated through its solicitors.

The Addey family further declared that Mrs. Kalinwana Ali and her children, having dissociated themselves from the family for several years, lacked the authority or mandate to represent or speak on behalf of the Addey family.

The family urged the public to disregard any publication or representation made in the family’s name without its authorization.

It said the purpose of the public clarification was to preserve the dignity and memory of the late Arthur Addey, ensure fairness to all his children, correct misinformation and discourage what it described as the continued misuse of confidential family documents in disputes involving third parties.

The family concluded by urging individuals, organizations and institutions to rely only on verified facts and to allow the ongoing judicial processes to proceed without prejudice or public misrepresentation.