Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, or MKO
for short, was known for his amazing prosperity as well as his amazing
generosity. Indeed, the late businessman and politician was a generous
soul with a generous spirit. This is why it is amazing that his children
are ironically divided over his assets, which is a sad sign that perhaps they
did not inherit MKO’s legendary generosity of spirit.
A January 12 statement by one of MKO’s
children, AbdulMumuni Abiola, painted a thought-provoking picture of sibling
conflict: “My brothers, sisters
and I, totalling 40 children of Abiola,
are not fighting 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.”
AbdulMumuni added: “I am ashamed just like my
other brothers and sisters that after MKO Abiola’s death, many of his legacies
appear to be in a shambles. 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.”
It is noteworthy that this revealing statement
came a few days after four men were reportedly arraigned for allegedly entering
the late MKO’s bulk purchase bookshop in Oshodi, Lagos, to steal properties
valued at N1bn.
AbdulMumuni said: “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? … 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.”
Another voice reinforced AbdulMumuni’s voice.
Aliu, also one of MKO’s children, spoke against his older siblings who were
allegedly shortchanging the others. Aliu was quoted as saying: “The
truth of the matter is, when things of this nature happen — 20 years go by, and
a certain group of people sit on the commonwealth of others — then definitely
those who have been disenfranchised, like my brother, Abdul, and many of us as
he mentioned, have to seek redress by any means available. So, the assets in
question are assets that everyone knows were owned by our late father. Such
assets should be used for the benefit of all his children, rather than a small
group of people.”
Aliu provided concrete examples: “There is a
warehousing complex in Isolo, for instance, which is currently being leased
out. Monies are being paid on annual basis for the property in question and no
member of the family is taking any money from the money that is being paid. He
(MKO Abiola) has the hangars at the airport that are being leased out — two of
them are being leased out. Monies are being paid; nobody is taking a dime from
that.”
It is curious that no voice from the opposing
camp has publicly countered AbdulMumuni and Aliu. What could this
mean? Those who have been accused of bad conduct in this matter
should know that their silence does not help matters.
MKO’s life and times should serve as a lesson
to his offspring. He was born poor. A profile of MKO says: “At the age of
nine he started his first business selling firewood gathered in the forest at
dawn before school, to support his father and siblings. He founded a band at
the age of fifteen and would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for
food. He was eventually able to require payment for his performances, and used
the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys
High School, Abeokuta.”
In a striking story of progress, MKO later
attended Glasgow University, Scotland, where earned a first class degree in
Accountancy; he also “gained a distinction from the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Scotland.” His business interests included: Abiola Farms, Abiola
Bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder Bakeries, Concord Press,
Concord Airlines, Summit Oil International Ltd, Africa Ocean Lines, Habib Bank
and Decca W.A. Ltd.
MKO reportedly received 197 traditional titles
from 68 different communities across Nigeria. These titles were reportedly
conferred on him “in response to his having provided financial assistance in
the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41
libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria.”
MKO was a phenomenal philanthropist whose
giving spirit caught the world’s attention. This is what the Congressional
Black Caucus of the United States of America said in a tribute to him: “Because
of this man, there is both cause for hope and certainty that the agony and
protests of those who suffer injustice shall give way to peace and human
dignity. The children of the world shall know the great work of this
extraordinary leader and his fervent mission to right wrong, to do justice, and
to serve mankind. The enemies which imperil the future of generations to come:
poverty, ignorance, disease, hunger, and racism have each seen effects of the
valiant work of Chief Abiola.”
There is no doubt that when MKO died in
detention under a military regime on July 7, 1998, after the unjust annulment
of the June 12, 1993, presidential election which he won, millions of Nigerians
were shattered. His magical life inspired a popular belief in his capacity to
turn things around in a country that needed transformational leadership.
It is food for thought that his inheritors who
are reaping where they didn’t sow won’t reflect on the sower. Eating the fruits
of MKO’s labour can be done without the noisy infighting that dishonours the
great man.
Ref: http://thenationonlineng.net/
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