Abuja, Nigeria – (African Boulevard News) – Omolola Famuyiwa, a Nigerian-American widow, was forcefully evicted from her late husband’s property at 455 Grandview Avenue, Eaglewood City, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, despite claiming rightful ownership. Famuyiwa’s husband, who passed away in February 2016, owned the property which consisted of two adjoining units with separate addresses, 455 and 457 Grandview Avenue. The couple had lived there for years, and they had always paid their rent on time, but things took a different turn after the man’s death.
Famuyiwa, 67, said the eviction was carried out without any notice, and she only found out when a letter from the state police was left at her doorstep informing her of the eviction order. She said she had no prior knowledge of any legal dispute against her husband’s estate, and the eviction came as a rude shock. She explained further that she had been locked out of her property without any warning, and all her belongings were thrown out on the street.
According to a court document, the eviction was carried out following a judgment against Famuyiwa’s husband, which ordered the sale of the property to reimburse a loan obtained from a lender, who claimed to have an interest in the property. The lender, identified as Valley National Bank, claimed that Famuyiwa’s late husband used the property as collateral to secure a loan but failed to pay back the debt.
However, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Soji Ayorinde, Esq, described the eviction as an unlawful and predatory attempt to strip an elderly woman of her lawful property rights. He argued that his client had never been served with any notice of foreclosure proceedings by the bank, and she was not given an opportunity to defend herself against the allegations of default before the court gave the final verdict.
“This is a classic case of property theft and elder abuse. The bank had no right to sell the property without notice to my client, who is a lawful occupant of the property. We are going to fight this injustice with every legal means at our disposal,” Ayorinde said.
The case has generated widespread outrage, especially among the Nigerian community, who see it as a clear case of injustice against a vulnerable widow. Many have expressed their disgust at the bank’s conduct, with some calling for a boycott of the bank’s services until justice is done.
The incident highlights the challenges faced by Nigerians living abroad, who sometimes have to contend with discriminatory practices in foreign lands. The case has also sparked a debate about the need to safeguard the property rights of citizens, especially the elderly.
