Are you a Nigerian? Are you a blood relative of any of these 59 Nigerians who have died without a valid will? You could be entitled to hundreds of thousands of Pounds Sterling. You could even be a British Pounds millionaire without knowing. We present the most up-to-date UK unclaimed estates list of dead Nigerians!
Do you believe in overnight riches?
If you’re a Nigerian, you could be very rich without knowing it. That’s because there are over 55 Nigerians who have died in the United Kingdom with no will, and if you’re their blood relative, you could make a claim.
Here’s what we mean…
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If there Are no Surviving Relatives
In the United Kingdom, if a person dies without a valid will, and there are no surviving blood relatives who can inherit under the rules of intestacy, the estate will pass to the Crown. In other words, King Charles III will take it over. This is known as bona vacantia.
The Bona Vacantia division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department administers the estates of people who die without leaving a will and without blood relatives.
The BVD maintains an unclaimed estates list of the United Kingdom. The list is updated every working day by the BVD and newly advertised estates appear at the top of the list. After one day of publication, new estates drop into the rest of the list in alphabetical order.
Nigerians With Unclaimed Estates
Unfortunately there are over 50 Nigerians on the unclaimed estates list. And with the British Pound currently exchanging at over ₦1,500 to £1.00, this is the time to collect what is yours.
This is really sad.
Don’t JAPA and Give it All to King Charles III
How can you japa from Nigeria, go to the UK, work there all your life, and when you die, the King takes all your assets because you didn’t leave a will and your extended family don’t know about you.
One of the most familiar Nigerian names on the list is Victor Adedapo Olufemi Fani-Kayode, who died on August 15, 2001 in Birmingham, with the Birmingham City Council identified as the informant. Surely Victor Fani-Kayode must have existing blood relatives!
One of the affected persons and the oldest among them, Mark Nwogo, was said to have been born in Delta State Nigeria. He died on December 9, 1992, in the UK.
Another Nigerian, Arbel Aai’Lotta’Qua Abouarh died on February 5, 1998, in Chiswick, London with assets yet unclaimed.
Among several others, recent Nigerians who died in the UK with no will, no blood relatives, but with unclaimed properties 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.
Time Limit to Make a Claim
The Crown or the duchies of Cornwall or Lancaster become the owners of the estate, if no relatives are traced after 12 years.
The BVD will generally accept Claims within 12 years from the date that the administration of the estate was completed and interest will be paid on the money held.
However, in some cases, it is still possible to claim part of the estate for up to 30 years following the death, without any interest being paid.
If the BVD receives a claim after the 30 year time limit, the claim will not be considered. To help prospective claimants, the BVD provides as much genealogical information as it holds on its files, subject of course to its obligations under the Data Protection Act.
The UK Unclaimed Estates List of Nigerians
Here are the names of Nigerians on the current list, who have died with no will, in alphabetical order:
| BVD Reference | First Names | Surname | Date of Death | Place of Death | Date of Birth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BV984930/1 | Arbel Aai’Lotta’Qua | Abouarh | 05/02/1998 | Chiswick London W4 | 03/03/1930 |
| BV21003032/1 | Adenike | Adebiyi | 05/10/2004 | Hackney London N1 | 01/11/1965 |
| BV21711076/1 | Akanni Jeremiah | Adejumo | 31/03/2017 | Muswell Hill London N10 | 31/12/1936 |
| BV22207473/1 | Solomon | Adekanmibi | 31/01/2021 | Colchester Essex | 08/10/1936 |
| BV21401101/1 | Richard | Adesanya | 18/11/2011 | Hackney London E9 | 21/01/1935 |
| BV22107842/1 | Jeff | Adhekeh | 12/03/2021 | South Kensington London SW7 | 09/01/1957 |
| BV21304418/1 | Isaac Ademola | Adio | 17/08/2012 | Harrow Middlesex | 11/01/1935 |
| BV2097929/1 | Julius | Ajidahuan | 11/06/2009 | Ilford Essex | 20/05/1935 |
| BV2064136/1 | Lasisi | Akinrinoye | 19/04/2006 | Holborn, London WC1 | 06/03/1939 |
| BV960071/1 | Julius Taiwo | Akinyeye | 19/07/1995 | Derby Derbyshire | 18/12/1942 |
| BV21213206/1 | Charles Ayodele | Aliu | 31/03/2011 | Solihull West Midlands | 04/11/1935 |
| BV2026061/1 | Peter Ifeanyi | Arinze | 23/03/2000 | Camberwell London SE5 | 11/04/1946 |
| BV2037690/1 | Folayele Festus | Awosika | 01/03/2001 | Hammersmith London W6 | 22/06/1945 |
| BV974293/1 | Olajide | Ayinde | 25/04/1997 | Hackney London E9 | 17/05/1920 |
| BV2084437/1 | Matthew | Balogun | 31/12/2005 | Clapham London SW4 | 22/09/1946 |
| BV2074183/1 | Henry | Banjoko | 11/04/2007 | Hampstead London NW3 | 12/01/1934 |
| BV21105049/1 | John Olaolu | Bankole | 27/04/2010 | London EC1V | 02/08/1958 |
| BV2051782/1 | Tessi | Bello | 15/10/2003 | Camden London NW3 | 19/11/1919 |
| BV2087609/1 | Paul | Bernard | 12/10/2008 | Camden London NW1 | 01/07/1926 |
| BV21918199/1 | Peter | Benson | 01/02/2019 | Stratford London E15 | 06/06/1973 |
| BV22108784/1 | Eugene | Bucknor | 02/03/2021 | Brockley London SE4 | 28/11/1927 |
| BV21201209/1 | Samuel Emeka | Chude | 05/10/2011 | Birmingham | 11/02/1934 |
| BV21211255/1 | Nathaniel | Davies | 07/04/2010 | Clapton London E5 | 26/05/1937 |
| BV21817506/1 | Charles | Dixon | 04/08/2018 | Basingstoke Hampshire | 03/03/1938 |
| BV21106358/1 | Enwukwe Graham Kwedi | Edde | 06/01/2011 | Lambeth London SE1 | 25/07/1946 |
| BV21114789/1 | Sunny Eyo | Edem | 16/09/2011 | Fulham London SW6 | 01/06/1921 |
| BV2026069/1 | Victor Adedapo Olufemi | Fani-Kayode | 15/08/2001 | Birmingham West Midlands | 20/01/1926 |
| BV21106495/1 | Samuel William MacAuley | Godwin | 25/02/2010 | Lambeth London SE1 | 20/06/1924 |
| BV2091608/1 | Salamatu | Harford | 11/08/2003 | South Norwood London SE25 | 01/06/1954 |
| BV22201373/1 | Louisa | Holmes | 24/05/2021 | Cheam Sutton | 17/03/1956 |
| BV2011682/1 | Tamunokombia Morris | Isodiki | 02/10/2000 | Camden London NW1 | 28/06/1956 |
| BV21400247/1 | Oyinoluwa Ttijesulase | Jesugoodness | 04/05/2011 | Tottenham London N15 | 11/10/1963 |
| BV21307554/1 | Ibidun | Johnson | 14/02/2003 | Peckham London SE15 | 06/03/1955 |
| BV21200174/1 | William | Kadry | 01/11/2011 | Fulham London SW6 | 31/08/1931 |
| BV21914328/1 | Victoria | Myers | 07/08/2010 | St. Johns Wood London NW8 | 03/02/1928 |
| BV93623/1 | Mark | N’Wogo | 09/12/1992 | Surrey Mid-Eastern Surrey | |
| BV2040843/1 | Zacheus Idowu | Ogunsanya | 29/08/2003 | Camberwell London SE5 | 21/12/1930 |
| BV21705991/1 | Ifetayo | Ogunyemi | 20/11/2016 | Upper Edmonton London N18 | 06/09/1940 |
| BV2071815/1 | John Emanuel | O’Hosi | 18/02/2007 | Leeds West Yorkshire | 21/03/1925 |
| BV21508718/1 | Stephen | Oliyide | 20/10/2013 | Catford London SE6 | 16/09/1935 |
| BV21503408/1 | Joyce | Omoni | 28/02/2014 | Peckham London SE15 | 19/09/1955 |
| BV21609894/1 | Adeoye Kuyoro | Onanuga | 30/08/2008 | Kingston upon Thames Surrey | 10/05/1939 |
| BV21202011/1 | Kayode | Orishagbemi | 10/03/2010 | Northampton Northamptonshire | 22/02/1932 |
| BV20911088/1 | Tex | Orrico | 28/09/2009 | Marylebone London W1 | 26/11/1937 |
| BV21501417/1 | Florence Baby | Osikpa | 08/01/2015 | Paddington London WC2 | 06/12/1964 |
| BV21906100/1 | Kate Blessing | Osolase | 09/09/2014 | Wednesbury West Midlands | 29/11/1963 |
| BV22005943/1 | Gabriel Nduaguba | Ozokoli | 23/04/1994 | Edmonton London N18 | 13/01/1942 |
| BV21110413/1 | Cecilia | Ricketts (aka Ndubuisi) | 15/10/2010 | Hackney London E9 | 23/11/1960 |
| BV2077793/1 | Henry George Babatunde | Taylor | 05/12/2006 | St Pancras London WC1 | 31/07/1937 |
| BV21815461/1 | John | Uzoma | 14/07/2016 | Camden London NW3 | 03/03/1939 |
| BV2081939/1 | Akinola | Williams | 16/02/2008 | Northampton Northamptonshire | 12/07/1929 |
| BV21315131/1 | Akinlolu Olaniran | Williams | 26/07/2013 | Sheffield South Yorkshire | 13/09/1936 |
| BV2092299/1 | Nathaniel Babatunde | Williams | 22/02/2009 | Birmingham West Midlands | 16/06/1938 |
| BV21808988/1 | Samuel Ademola | Williams | 21/01/2016 | Wanstead London E11 | 09/12/1952 |
| BV21713497/1 | Salihu Ajadi | Yusuff | 04/01/2017 | Leeds West Yorkshire | 05/04/1947 |
How to Make a Claim
Are you related to any of the people on the list? If you’re a blood relative, no matter how remote, you may be able to make a claim.
Please note that this guidance is for information only. It is not intended to be legal advice nor is it intended to cover every situation that may arise when claiming an estate. You are advised to seek independent legal advice from a UK solicitor.
First, Check your entitlement
So who qualifies to make a claim for anyone who has died without a will in the UK?
Order of priority to share in an intestate estate
If someone dies intestate in the UK (i.e. without leaving a valid or effective will) the law says that the following are entitled to the estate in the order shown below:
- Husband, wife or civil partner
- Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so on
- Mother or father
- Brothers or sisters who share both the same mother and father, or their children (nieces and nephews)
- Half brothers or sisters or their children (nieces and nephews of the half blood or their children). ‘Half ’ means they share only one parent with the deceased
- Grandparents
- Uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins or their descendants)
- Half uncles and aunts or their children (first cousins of the half blood or their children). ‘Half’ means they only share one grandparent with the deceased, not both
How the Order of Priority Works
For example, if you’re a first cousin of the deceased person, you can only share in the estate if there are no relatives above you in the order of entitlement, for example, only if there is no a niece or nephew.
If your relationship to the deceased is traced through someone who survived the deceased but has since died, you will need to confirm who is entitled to deal with that person’s estate. The person entitled to deal with someone’s estate is known as their ‘legal personal representative’. They are the person entitled to make the claim to the deceased’s estate. Please see “Claims from personal representatives” below.
For example, as a child you can only share in an estate if your parent died before the deceased person, in which case you take your parent’s share of the deceased’s estate.
If your parent survived the deceased but has subsequently died, then it is your parent’s Personal Representative who can claim. See “Claims from Personal Representatives” below.
Claims from Personal Representatives
If an entitled relative survived the deceased but has since died, that relative’s personal representative (the person legally entitled to deal with their estate) must make a claim to the deceased person’s estate.
A personal representative is defined (in descending order of priority) as:
If the person who has died left a valid will:
- The person named on the grant of Probate (or Letters of Administration with will annexed) or
- If Probate was not granted to the will, the executor named in the will, or
If they did not leave a valid will:
- The person named on the grant of Letters of Administration or
- If no grant of Letters of Administration, the person entitled to administer their intestate estate
If deceased person’s Personal Representative subsequently dies then it will be their Personal Representative who will be entitled to deal with the 2 estates.
The BVD will always require a copy of all Grants of Probate or Letters of Administration to the relevant estates. that are sealed by the Court, in cases where you either make a claim as a Personal Representative, or the entitlement is traced through a Personal Representative or Personal Representatives (as the case may be).
If you are in any doubt about your entitlement to claim the estate, you can send a family tree, including the dates of death of family members on it, to:
BVD – Estates. You can do this by email to: bvestates@governmentlegal.gov.uk
Using the probate search service, you can check whether a Grant of Probate or a Grant of Letters of Administration has been issued. You can also easily obtain court sealed copies of any Grant by making a postal application to the Probate Registry.
Secondly, Send in Your Family Tree
Having checked your entitlement, if you believe you are entitled to claim from an estate that is being deal with by the BVD, you need to prepare a family tree showing how you are related to the deceased person, including the dates of birth, dates of marriage(s) and dates of death of all those on the tree.
Next, send the family tree to the BVD. You can do this by email to: bvestates@governmentlegal.gov.uk
If the BVD believes that you may be entitled to claim the estate, they will ask you to provide documentary evidence that proves your entitlement.
Further Information
If you require further information on how to make a Claim, please see The Guide on How to Make a claim to a deceased person’s estate.
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