A fresh crisis is brewing in the family of the late acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election and philanthropist, Bashorun MKO Abiola, as his children are currently at loggerheads over the control of the businesses of the late renowned entrepreneur.

One of the late MKO Abiola’s children, Abdulmumuni Abiola, yesterday called on his brothers Kola, Deji and Agboola, who were children of late Simbiat Abiola, to stop playing god with the properties of their late father. Abdulmumuni, the youngest child of late Kudirat Abiola, in a statement issued yesterday on behalf of his brothers and sisters totalling 40, also revealed that his life is in danger because of his efforts to revive the abandoned projects, investments and properties of his father.

It would be recalled that MKO Abiola, died in the custody of the Federal Government during General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s military regime on July 7, 1998. And his wife, Kudirat, considered a heroine of modern democracy, was allegedly killed by state-sponsored assassins on June 4, 1996. Abdulmumuni in his statement made available to Saturday Telegraph yesterday said he is not happy with the collapsed of some of his late father’s companies.

He said: “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,” he stated. Speaking further he noted: “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.”

He, however, revealed that his life and that of his siblings could be in danger, stressing that: “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 how and 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.”

Efforts to get Mr. Kola Abiola to respond were unsuccessful as repeated calls to his telephone went unanswered. A text message sent to his phone number was similarly not responded to.

•Text courtesy of Saturday Telegraph.

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