Abdul Mumuni Abiola, one of the children of late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, has called on his brothers – Kola, Deji and Agboola to stop playing god with the properties their late father left behind.
In a statement he signed on behalf of his other brothers and sisters numbering 40, Abdul also alleged that his life was in danger.
The released statement reads, “I want my brothers, Kola, Deji, and Agboola to stop playing god with our father’s properties and abandoned projects and investments. I, my brothers and sisters totalling 40 children of Abiola are not fighting with them. We don’t have a bone to pick with them. But we need to step out of the past and of our father’s shadow. Kola, Deji and Agboola have been peddling lies in the media about my efforts to bring about changes to the dwindling fortunes of the Abiola family.
“I am ashamed just like my other brothers and sister to see that after MKO Abiola’s death, many of his legacies appear to be in shambles. No, it shouldn’t be like that. That is not what MKO Abiola stood for while he was alive. I want the good people of Nigeria to prevail on Kola and his cohorts to stop using the police to harass me or those who are working with me to restore the lost glory of the Abiola family.
“Let me cite an example: Recently, four men were allegedly arrested and arraigned before a magistrate’s court for breaking into MKO’s bookshop at Oshodi. They were accused of stealing equipment and other materials valued at N1 billion. That is a farce. Deliberately, Kola and Deji ensured that my name was not mentioned in the newspaper that carried the news report
“Every effort I have been making to renovate my father’s properties is not self-driven. It is for all my siblings and for the name of Chief MKO Abiola not to be dragged through the mud. Why should some people be sending thugs and miscreants after me and those working with me to renovate MKO Abiola’s properties? Why should that be? Do we have to wash our dirty linen in the public?
Why should only a select few of Abiola’s children sit on our father’s properties? I am not even asking them to give me and my other siblings a share of the money-spinning companies of my father that they sit on. Our humble request is that they should allow me and my other siblings who are interested in renovating Abiola’s derelict properties. They should allow us to revive MKO Abiola’s abandoned projects.
“I have been painstakingly patient for 18 years. I have watched with long-suffering and regret how few of my siblings have arrogated to themselves what belong to all of us. MKO Abiola’s properties don’t belong to Kola, Deji and cohorts alone. They belong to all his children. We have been put through enough ignominy by Kola. Enough is enough.
“I am also informing the public that my life is in danger. I don’t feel safe any longer. If anything untoward happens to me Nigerians should know who to hold responsible. If anything should happen to me or my siblings, Kola and his cohorts should be held responsible. I love life but I will not sit down cowardly. It is time all of Abiola’s children sat down and discuss what exactly we want to do with our father’s properties and investments. We really don’t want handouts from anybody. We’re MKO Abiola’s children. We must uphold the integrity, fame and humanity of Chief MKO Abiola.”
“We have been trying to reach out to some prominent Yoruba leaders but so far, nothing has been resolved. Note, I’m not trying to scatter our family but to solve our problem.
“I released this statement because the thing was becoming too much. I was been harassed, they were releasing false reports, so everyone around was suspecting me. I believed the harassment was unnecessary. What am I doing with dilapidated properties that have been abandoned for years.” (Photo credit: Nigerian Tribune)