When 25 Years Together Counted for Nothing: Helen Prest-Ajayi’s Inheritance Battle
The fight over Dr. Tosin Ajayi’s multi-million-naira estate turned on a technicality. After separating from his first wife for 35 years, he spent a quarter century building a life, family and business with Helen Prest-Ajayi. She served as his partner, co-director at First Foundation Medical Engineering and mother to their daughter, Tomisin. On his death, Mrs. Adenike Ajayi successfully claimed sole widow status under Nigeria’s statutory marriage laws. The Lagos High Court held that a long separation does not end a valid marriage without a formal divorce, dismissing Helen’s customary marriage and equity arguments. Helen Prest-Ajayi has appealed, pointing to a prior consent judgment and decades of shared life and work. Her case challenges how courts balance strict legal rules against genuine family bonds when dividing an estate.
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