By: Fex Born
Son of the late Chief MKO Abiola, recently revealed a shocking betrayal by his elder brother, Kola Abiola, during a tumultuous time in their family’s history.
Abdulmumuni disclosed that while their father was unjustly imprisoned following the June 12 crisis, Kola was romantically involved with Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s daughter. This revelation sheds light on the complex dynamics within the Abiola family during a period of political turmoil and personal strife.
Tragically, MKO Abiola passed away in detention on July 7, 1998, after his election victory on June 12, 1993, was annulled by Babangida. This prompted Abacha to imprison Abiola after he declared himself president.
Abdulmumuni shared these revelations during a podcast interview on Mic On, TV anchor, by Seun Okinbaloye. He also recounted the assassination of his mother, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, in June 1996, as she fought to uphold her husband’s electoral victory.
To exacerbate the tragedy, Abdulmumuni’s mother, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, was assassinated in June 1996 by agents of state-linked directly to the government of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, while trying to actualise the June 12 presidential election won by her husband.
Expressing his disappointment in Kola’s betrayal by aligning himself with their father’s oppressors, instead advocating for true democracy and honouring their father’s legacy.
Saying, “He could have been a strong voice for a true democracy but he chose not to. When my father was still in jail, he was having a relationship with Babangida’s daughter.”
Abdulmumuni is saddened not only by the cruelty his father endured at the hands of his oppressors but the silence of his elder brother. Which reminded him of the saying that in the end, one remembers not the words of their oppressors, but the betrayal of their own kin.
He said he often wishes his father could come out to witness how his eldest son, Kola, was hobnobbing with those who caused him harm.
“It is just sad that my father can’t come out to see what his first son has turned out to be. I am unhappy and I think Nigerian people are unhappy.”
Mumuni asserted that he definitely blamed Kola for how things had gone and believed that the legacy of Abiola would have been properly sustained, especially considering Kola’s better position after the whole crisis.
Abdulmumuni Abiola berated his elder brother, Kola Abiola, over the mismanagement of their late father’s wealth and threw the rest of the siblings into abject poverty.
“We saw how many people voted for him when he said he wanted to be President. How could he be a president? He cannot manage Abiola’s empire, does he want to manage Nigeria? He doesn’t deserve a high position.
Some Of My Siblings, MKO Abiola’s Children Who Couldn’t Afford Drugs Have Died In the Last 30 Years, he lamented.
Abdulmumuni’s poignant reflections serve as a reminder of the complexities and challenges faced by the Abiola family during a dark chapter in Nigerian history. His words underscore the importance of integrity, loyalty, and the enduring legacy of MKO Abiola in the fight for democracy.