The family of the late owner of collapsed Ikoyi building and Managing Director of Fourscore Homes, Femi Osibona, has denied any rift between the wife and deceased siblings.
Describing the reports of the reported feud as “sadistic,” the family said in a statement titled: “Putting the records straight about the libellous vituperations on Femi Osibona’s family” that the public should allow their family “mourn peacefully and cease from speculating unsubstantiated suppositions.”
This is just as some subscribers to the collapsed 21-storey building signed contracts ranging from over $500,000 (N206.5m) to over $3m (N1.24bn) for the purchase of luxury apartments in the high-rise from Fourscore Heights Limited.
The statement on behalf of the family by a lawyer, Olufemi Adeniyi, on Monday read: “Just few hours after the official announcement of the passing of Mr Femi Osibona (Fourscore), the owner of the ill-fated multi storey Ikoyi building, I was alarmed and literally emetic, to put it mildly, to read the heartless publication: ‘wife, brothers of late owner of collapsed Ikoyi building, Osibona fight over bank details, exotic cars, other assets, engaged lawyers’.
“What a wicked imagination from the heart of man, whom the erring news medium called, Source! This ignominious report came, as I said, at a time family, friends, classmates, church members, well-wishers and thousands of acquaintances of the deceased, some Ikenne indigenes, three Ex-Mays, staff of the deceased and others who lost their lives were thrown into a bereavement. The online media house that carried the news at first, to everyone’s knowledge, is known for its biased conducts in reportages – which I wouldn’t take my precious time to talk about.
“It’s viral contents, thereafter, got to the laps of idle persons, (equipped with a phone and data without professional wherewithal), who transmit unconfirmed news items from their homes, and off it goes. Posted, shared, liked, circulated. Lies becomes truth. The reports mentioned wife, brothers, family, etc. I have often wondered if the ‘source’ of such a news outlet with a household name doesn’t supply the names of the characters involved, I feel sorry for what journalism has turned into. It is true that in a time of universal deceit, truth is a revolutionary act.
“Now, here is the truth of the matter: The ‘brothers’ that the sadistic media houses referred to were actually Ebun, who is female and Lanre, both of whom have no time to ambush anyone on any matter whatsoever. They are the best anyone would love to dwell. While the wife in reference is a peace-loving soulful woman, Doyin, all of whom as a united family are still, more than anyone, grieving over the loss of their departed loved one. Doyin had just returned home from UK with her second daughter Pelumi who is studying medicine abroad, in order to meet the family and plan a befitting burial for her husband.
“It was all tears, hugs, condolences, sympathy, comfort, solace, prayers, and fellow feeling that followed, having not seen one another in weeks. Photos don’t lie. Just this past Saturday, 6th day of November, 2021, the grieving family were together consoling one another, as evidenced in this shot I stumbled upon, picturing Femi Osibona’s wife, one of the assumed ‘brothers’ in the carefree report, who actually is the deceased sister Ebun and Sola Olabiran the deceased big brother/confidant.
“I plead with the public to allow this family mourn peacefully, and cease from speculating unsubstantiated suppositions. Unfortunately, the assumption of fights and discord in the family which I just put on straight record and rest is only one of the numerous false allegations that is being peddled about the late Femi Osibona and the collapsed building on Gerrard Street.”
The Documents on the subscription to the collapsed building obtained by The PUNCH newspaper showed that after the payment of an initial deposit, most of the subscribers signed an agreement to pay the balance over a period of 48 months.
The documents showed that subscribers said the management of Fourscore Heights Limited made the payment plan so flexible such that intending apartment owners could pay their balance through instalment payments over a period of 48 months.
The instalments, according to them, are expected to be made either monthly, quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly, depending on the choice of the subscribers.
They also revealed that the luxury apartments on the high-rise went for various prices, with subscribers to the apartments on the upper floors paying more than those on the lower floors.
One of the subscribers, who chose to speak on condition of anonymity, said, “The higher the floor your apartment is located, the higher the price. Those on the higher floors paid more than those of us on the lower floors. I subscribed for a three-bedroom apartment on one of the floors below the eighth floor which went for $650,000. However, the owner of Fourscore Heights Limited, Mr Femi Osibana, reduced the price for some persons who were close to him. I happened to be one of those fellows. Femi and I were childhood friends.
“So, he also reduced my price to $565,000. We were together in Mayflower School in Ikene, Ogun State. We were also together at some points in London when he used to travel to Italy to buy suits and shoes for sale in the United Kingdom. Subscribers on my category were asked to pay only the initial deposit of $65,000 and then spread the remaining $500,000 over a 48-month period.
“I was told subscribers on the 12th floor and above signed agreements to pay over $1.2m over a 48-month period while those on the 17th floor and above were asked to sign agreements to pay over $3m and above, depending on terms of the negotiation and agreement.”
A subscriber explained that he was given an apartment on the fifth floor, said he planned to pay a monthly instalment of $10,416 (N4,301,808) over a period of 48 months, following an agreement to pay $65,000 (N26,845,000) as initial deposit.
According to him, the total package was $565,000 (N233,345,000) and it was meant to be paid over a four-year period, after the payment of the initial deposit of $65,000.
A copy of the subscriber’s letter, which was obtained by The PUNCH showed that aside from the luxury apartments, the 21-storey building also contained several facilities to be enjoyed by the intending owners, including a power generating plant, club house, swimming pool, communal offices, gym and spa, 24-hour security, servant’s quarter and parking space.
The package also included legal and agency fees, which were not disclosed in the offer letter.
The letter, which was on the letterhead of Fourscore Heights Limited, has the address of the company as 2-4 Mosley Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
It read in part, “We are pleased to offer for sale three bedroom Finished Flat on 5th floor Peace Building for the sum of USD 565,000.00 (five hundred and sixty five thousand dollars only), situated at 44bcd Gerrard Road as described above, under the following terms and conditions subject to contract viz details of development: three bedrooms (all en suite), one bedroom servant’s quarter, kitchen, parking space, generating plant, 24-hour security, access to club house, swimming pool, communal offices, gym and spa.
“Purpose: Strictly residential. Title: Deed of sublease. Payment terms: 1st payment -$5,000; 2nd payment – $60,000; Balance payment – (this will be spread over the period of four (4) years. Legal fees: five per cent. Agency fees: five per cent. All payments should be made in favour of O. Osibona/Fourscore Heights Limited.”
The letter also showed that subscribers were to make payments in dollars into the company’s domiciliary account, which was provided in the letter.
Efforts to get Fourscore Heights Limited to react to the development failed.
Calls were made to the official lines of the company indicated the lines were switched off. Text messages sent to the lines were also not replied to as of the time of filing this report.
