Abdulmumuni Abiola, a brother to Kola Abiola and son of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the late MKO Abiola, has criticised the poor handling of his father’s legacies.
He expressed his disappointment in the podcast MIC ON with Seun Okinbaloye, released Saturday night.
He also blamed Kola, Abiola’s eldest son, who he said was in a position to hoist his father’s legacy but failed to do so.
This is as he alleged that Kola, who could have carried on with his father’s struggle, was in a relationship with former Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida’s daughter while his father was in prison.
Babangida’s regime annulled the 1993 presidential election, which was adjudged to be the most free and fair election in the country.
Abiola’s insistence, among other struggles, led to his incarceration in 1994 until his death in 1998.
Abdulmumuni also emphasised that the efforts and sacrifices of his father have not been adequately preserved or honoured.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari honoured Abiola with the highest national honours during his tenure.
Abdulmumuni called for a more concerted effort to recognise MKO Abiola’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy, urging both the family and the nation to take more significant steps in preserving his legacy.
When asked if he was in a good relationship with his brother, Kola, he answered negatively and laid out more of his grievances.
He declared that he wasn’t in the country upon his father’s death and that he told Kola when he arrived to lay claim to MKO’s investment abroad, but those within Nigeria are for all.
He said, “Well, I don’t think we really are. The last time I saw him, he said, and I quote, “Do I want to do fire for fire?”
“I asked him, ‘taba se fire for fire se ama jeun?’ (Would we eat if it’s done that way?) when the whole of Nigeria is on fire. So if the idea is that I’m already on fire, let’s do it.
“As long as there are proceeds that will come out, I will be able to take care of my family and people who need help in general.
“So yes, we’re not on good terms, and it’s sad for me to say that. You know I don’t want to have an issue with my older brother. He’s my older brother. I love him, you know, and I hope he loves me, but I have no ill-will.”
Abdulmumuni stated that maintaining his father’s legacy was not a one-man business.
“I’m just saying that this is our collective responsibility, and if you’re not doing your part, then you should just step aside. It’s very simple,” he added.
Meanwhile, Okinbaloye also asked if he blames Kola for the manner in which things have gone and if he thinks that the legacy of the late MKO Abiola would have been properly sustained better than it is presently.
Abdulmumuni insisted Kola could have been a strong voice and that Nigerians and himself are unhappy with the way the struggle went post-MKO’s demise.
He responded, “I definitely do because he was in a pivotal position, especially after the whole crisis. He (Kola) could have he could have been a voice.
“He could have been a strong voice of true democratic values. He could have.
“He chose not to—apparently, at the time my father was still in jail—he was having a relationship with Babangida’s daughter. I don’t want to go down there. You know—it’s just sad, you know.
“I’m actually a little bit displeased that my brother didn’t get to come out and see what the people’s response to his first turnout will be (to test his acceptability and popularity and ride on Abiola’s legacies).
“Therefore, I am unhappy with him, and I think Nigerian people are unhappy.”
Abdulmumin mocked the idea that people who are unable to manage smaller capacities shouldn’t even have the chance to oversee bigger ones.
Firing his shot at Kola’s presidential election bid, he asserted, “How will Nigerians vote for someone who can’t manage the late MKO Abiola’s empire and businesses?”
Recall that Kola ran for the presidential seat in the 2024 general election under the People’s Redemption Party, where he garnered 2,097 votes across the nation.
He continued, “You saw how many people voted for him when he said he wanted to be president. I wonder how he thought he could be president.
“You cannot manage Abiola’s empire. How do you want to manage Nigeria? How does that work?
“This is the problem in Nigeria. People who are not showing capacity in their own little spaces of work want to now get a higher position. You don’t deserve a higher position.”
Asked if he voted for his brother (Kola), he added, “I told him—I said, ‘You’re not going to use my money to do a campaign. Give me my money first and go and campaign’.”
And when the host asked if and why he thought Kola owed him anything, Abdulmumin declared, “He owes me a lot.
“Well, first of all, if he just listens to what my father said in the will and does what he’s rightfully supposed to do like every other person has done, he’s not the first to be the first son. Look at the Folawiyos as an example.
“We have lost so much. There’s so much property that my father had in this country that we can never get back because people have sat on it and they’re using it to take care of their families, but the issue here is: who is to lose? It was our money that was used to buy these things.
“Those properties—you cannot build them today with the kind of money you’re going to spend. I’m talking about the silo in Lafiagi, Kwara State—20,000 metric tonnes of silo on 10,000 hectares of land. How much do you want to pay for that land now?
“You know it’s sad that you know your father has reached a certain level and you cannot continue from where he stopped.”
Likewise, Abdulmumuni blamed Kola for the misfortunes that beset some of Abiola’s children, who, as a result of penury, cannot fend for their needs due to the former’s imprudence.
“I would like him to explain to me exactly where he has gone in this direction. It’s like you’re going down a dead-end road and you see the signs, but you still keep going. I don’t understand this, and this is 30 years down the line, so it’s not like I waited a year after my father died and I’m making these accusations.
“I’m saying people have died in these 30 years. I’m talking about Abiola children who could not buy medicine or who could not just take care of themselves.
“This is sad, and I’m sure my father will not be pleased about it. So, I am not pleased, and it’s not because, like I said, it’s not because I want it. It’s like I wake up in the morning and my phone is inundated with text messages from people saying I need help! I need help!
“How many people can I help, and if I want to help somebody, I have to first be able to help myself? It’s important that we do things the right way, and that’s, I think, just my issue on this,” he lamented.
Going forward, Okinbaloye asked if he had been able to speak to Kola about some of these grievances.
The host added that many people believe that MKO Abiola’s wealth would have been generational wealth because he had so much wealth and spread across the country that there are those who believe that no Abiola’s blood should ever be poor based on what Abiola had.
Abdulmumuni responded positively and indicated that the late MKO Abiola’s wealth was beyond people’s imagination and far greater than what they see in Nigeria.
“You’re right, and you have to understand that what I’m talking about are just the properties in Nigeria.
“This is not where Abiola had his real wealth. Abiola had those companies in Nigeria just to help Nigerian people. They were losing money. They were bleeding money, but he did this because he understood the Nigerian people needed something to do.
“Give somebody nothing to do, and they’ll pick up a gun. You need something to do. So, he understood that,” he added.
Efforts by PUNCH Online to reach out to the PRP candidate and MKO Abiola’s eldest son (Kola) were futile, as calls made on Monday and Tuesday to his line all rang out and text messages sent to him have yet to be responded to.
Meanwhile, in a 2021 interview, Abdulmumuni responded to claims by former military dictator, Babangida, that his annulment of the historic poll prevented a bloody coup.
The deceased’s son, in the interview, surprisingly noted that Babangida was even his godfather at birth in December 1984.
PUNCH Online reports that Abdulmumuni is a son of the late MKO Abiola and Kudirat Abiola, while Kola is Simbiat’s son.
Credit: Punch