The administrators of Amakaeze Estate in Wuse, Abuja, where Obi Cubana’s business, Cubana Group, is located, have refuted claims that he owes rent and was served a quit notice.
The rebuttal follows viral reports across multiple media outlets (not PREMIUM TIMES), alleging that Mr Cubana, an Anambra-born businessman, was issued a seven-day quit notice on Thursday to vacate the premises housing his popular Cubana Lounge in Wuse II, Abuja.
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In a statement made available to this newspaper on Friday, the Administrators of Amakaeze Estate claimed Chidiebere Amakaeze, a reverend, said to be the landlord of the lounge property, alleged that Obi Cubana had not paid rent since 2019.
A notice to quit, reportedly issued by Mr Amakaeze’s solicitors, Prince Ben S. Ikani Esq. and E. I. Nwafor Esq. of Citadel of Justice Law Firm, Abuja, was dated 14 January.
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According to them, the notice also demanded that Mr Cubana vacate the premises at Plot 81, Ademola Adetokunbo Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, alleging that his ten-year lease, which ran from 1 April 2009 to 1 March 2019, had expired.
Not our Tenant
However, the administrators of the Amakaeze Estate clarified that Mr Cubana is not their tenant and that the alleged eviction notice was issued without their “consent.”
In a statement obtained by this newspaper, signed by Chukwunwem Amakaeze, co-administrator of the estate, on 30 January, the administrators dismissed reports that Cubana defaulted on rent payments and was given a seven-day notice to vacate.
“The attention of the majority administrators of the estate of the late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze has been drawn to a recent publication titled: ‘Obi Cubana Served 7-Day Notice to Vacate Property Over Alleged Unpaid Rent.’ The property, located at Plot 81 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, is part of the late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze’s estate’” the statement read.
The administrators confirmed that Cubana Lounge Ltd, not Obi Cubana, leased the property for ten years from 1 November 2009, with a renewal after expiration in 2019, and that the lease is still valid with no unpaid rent.
“Obi Cubana is, therefore, not our tenant in the property or any property belonging to the estate. The validity of this lease and the Letters of Administration dated 16 January 2018 were confirmed by the High Court of the FCT in a judgement delivered on 16 July 2021 in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1325/20 – Cubana Lounge Ltd vs. Rev. Chidi Amakaeze & 5 Others.
“We, the estate’s administrators, have not issued any notice to the company, as its lease remains valid, and it is not owing the estate,” the administrators affirmed.
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Null approval
The statement accused Mr Amakaeze of issuing a notice to quit to Obi Cubana without the approval of the other administrators and beneficiaries. The estate administrators rejected the notice, asserting it has no legal basis.
“Recently, Rev. Chidiebere Amakaeze, who claims to be the sole landlord of the property in defiance of the court’s judgement, issued a quit notice to Obinna Iyiegbu on 14 January 2025, demanding that he vacate the premises. This notice was served without the consent of the other co-administrators and beneficiaries of the estate of the late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze.
“The administrators, administratrix, and beneficiaries wish to clarify that Obinna Iyiegbu does not owe any rental fees,” the statement concluded. “The quit notice issued by Rev. Chidiebere Amakaeze is therefore considered invalid, null, and void. It does not represent the position of the other administrators, administratrix, and beneficiaries of the estate of the late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze.”
See the rebuttal statement here
BELOW IS THE FULL TEXT OF THE STATEMENT BY THE ESTATE ADMINISTRATORS BELOW
OBI CUBANA IS NOT OUR TENANT AND WE DID NOT SERVE HIM ANY NOTICE TO VACATE PROPERTY OVER ALLEGED UNPAID RENT
The attention of the majority administrators of the estate of late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze has been drawn to a recent publication titled: Obi Cubana Served 7-Day Notice to Vacate Property Over Alleged Unpaid Rent”, dated January 30, 2025.
We note that the property in question situated at Plot 81 Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse 11, Abuja, currently occupied by Cubana Lounge LTD, forms part of the estate of late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze. Obi Cubana is therefore not our tenant in the property or any property whosoever belonging to the Estate.
Cubana Lounge LTD was initially granted a ten-year lease, (registered as Number FC136, Page 136, in Volume 32 (MISC) of the Federal Capital Territory Land Registry Office in Abuja. The lease began on November 1, 2009. The lease was renewed for another ten years upon its expiration on October 31, 2019.
The validity of this lease and Letters of Administration dated January 16, 2018, were confirmed by the High Court of the FCT in a judgment delivered on July 16, 2021, in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/1325/20— Cubana Lounge Ltd vs. Rev. Chidi Amakaeze and 5 others. We, the Administrators of the Estate have not issued any notice to the company as its lease is still subsisting, and it is not owing the Estate.
Recently, Rev. Chidiebere Amakaeze, who parades to be the sole landlord of the property in defiance of the judgement of the court, issued notice to quit to Obinna Iyiegbu on January 14, 2025, demanding that he vacates the promises. This notice was served without the consent of the other co-administrators and beneficiaries of the estate of the late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze.
The Administrators/Administratrix and beneficiaries wish to clarify that Obinna Iyiegbu does not owe any rental fees, and the notice to quit as issued by Rev. Chidiebere Amakaeze is therefore considered invalid, null and void, and does not represent the position of the other Administrators/Administratrix and beneficiaries of the estate of late Michael Nwobi Amakaeze.
Signed: Chukwunwem Amakaeze
Co-administrator, Amakaeze Estate
30/01/2025
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