Before her demise in 2019, the late Dr. Biodun Laja, founder and Chief Executive Officer, Lekki British International School, Lagos, was very passionate about education, most especially for young children. At age 27, she founded ABC Nursery land after running the schools successfully for over two decades and half years, she established the very first British boarding school in Lagos, Lekki named British International School (LBIS) adding a crèche to the sixth form and also caters to children with special learning needs.
However, since her shocking demise a few days to her 70th birthday, her children, Francis and Christian Idehen, have been at loggerheads. Francis and Christian, who are shareholders and directors of the school, have consistently been at each other’s throats over the running of the school.
The crisis between the siblings took another turn when Francis, a trained lawyer, reportedly filed a petition against Christian before a Federal High Court in Lagos. In the petition, Francis alleged that after the death of their mother, Christian relocated to Nigeria with his family with the sole aim of running the affairs of the schools. And went further to appoint himself the Chief Executive Officer without getting his brother’s consent.
Francis further claimed in his petition that their late mother had asked him, before her death, to seek international investors to run the affairs of the school as she believed neither of her sons had the requisite experience or qualifications to run the school.
As it is, the brothers no longer see eye to eye as the battle for the soul of the school gets messier while family, friends, and associates have repeatedly failed in resolving the issue.
