
The magazine had died with Dele. Its burial was only a matter of time. Its case was like Nigeria's case that Dele wrote about in Death of Innocence,"those who were supposed to help save it were those pillaging it."
Dele's partners on the magazine either had abandoned the true spirit of partnership or the spirit had abandoned them, following Dele's assassiantion and the poltics of self interest had set in.
It informed their position of supporting Dele's wife against the family soon after Dele's assassination than making the woman see the truth that she needed to cooperate with the family to enable the family protect Dele's interests, as the lawyers said that Dele died intestate. In supporting her, they were playing a game of fending off the family, before they will eventually toss her away, and for Dele's interest in the company to be moribund.
The division between the family and Dele's wife known to Ekpu, served Dele's partners Machiavellian plans. I called Dan Agbese's attention to the danger of Ekpu's position of blind support for Dele's wife. He acknowledged my act of truthfulness, and promised to call Ekpu back.
Ekpu worked to fend off Dele's siblings, while Yemi Ogunbiyi was collecting money from where he only could tell the public, to tear the family apart and to effectively give Dele's wife the final say. One of such money was a $10,000.00 Ogunbiyi brought to the United States, opened $5000.00 account each for Dele's two children, sat their mother down and implored her to withdraw a letter she had written to a lawyer in Nigeria asking me to protect her own and children's interest on Dele's estate. Ekpu wasn''t unaware of Yemi's plan to visit the U.S for his plans. Yemi visited the Newswatch, talked and showed off about his intention.
Dele's childrens' mother in the U.S withdrew the letter she had sent to a lawyer for me to represent her and children's interest on Dele's estate. It led to my final withdrawal from overseeing the esate's management as a member of the family. I sent a letter to all members of the family intimating them of my decision, and that Billy- Dele's first son-being of age could join his father's wife in the management of his father's estate. I told my immediate elder brother that withdrawing was the best option opened to me, since Dele's children's mother in the US had withdrawn her letter of attorney.
But he said he could not withdraw because he was a member of the management committee along with Dele's wife. At this point he couldn't see that he had become a rubber stamp member. His persona-non-grata's position came to light when the Newswatch invited Dele's wife and Billy to a meeting over Dele's interest in the company, excluding him.
At the meeting the Newswatch partners of Dele held with Dele's wife and Billy, they were told that Dele's share in the company was represented by his professional contribution while alive. And since he was no longer alive to give his professional contribution, the wife and first son would have to look for money to cover the 15% that was Dele's share in the company. The meeting ended with the woman and her former supporters throwing unprintable words at each other. And that was about 24 years ago.
The same scenario is repeating itself in 2012 between Jimoh Ibrahim, the business man Dele's partners sold the company. Ibrahim paid each of them more than N50m and they all resigned their position in the company with Ibrahim having controlling shares. Ibrahim then asked a court to ban them from interfering with affairs of the company, unless they can pay enough money to cover their own shares.
The matter is currently in court in Nigeria, to be called again on Dec. 7, 2012. Meanwhile, Ibrahim had closed the company down. According to him, to enable a surgery for the revival and re-vitalization of the company.
I am watching.