12 Years after, Abiola family to reconcile today
From Funso Muraina in Abuja, 10.11.2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009

Twelve years after the death of Chief Moshood Abiola, and the crisis that followed the sharing of his estate, the family has scheduled a reconciliation meeting for today at the late politician's Ikeja residence, in Lagos.

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/oct/11/209.html

This is coming at a time government seems to be showing interest in getting back to the country Abiola’s assets trapped abroad.

Federal Government has resolved to investigate the allegation that some foreign firms are sitting on Abiola's wealth. But the government wants the family to first resolve their internal differences so that it could have enough evidence to probe the alleged corruption.

A source told THISDAY that Abiola’s extended family members were unhappy with the way the name of the business mogul and politician was being dragged in the mud over his property and insisted children must come together.

According to the source, Abiola was a rich man while alive and it is unbelievable to say he died bankrupt. They intend to settle the issues at the family meeting slated for 11 am.

The issue of Abiola's last will has been a subject of litigation both at home and abroad, with one of his wives, Gloria, claiming that her four children were not taken care of in the will.

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently invited Gloria and Abiola’s eldest son, Alhaji Kola Abiola, to Abuja over the issue.

The aspect of the case that attracted the federal government was the way foreign firms were said to have conspired to sit on wealth belonging to Nigerians.

EFCC’s invitation was said to have been prompted by a petition by Gloria, who was said to have been disturbed by insinuations that Abiola died bankrupt because of his involvement in politics in 1993.

Gloria, added the source, had alleged that the will, which she had probated, was forged and that the assets of her late husband were being fraudulently diverted in collaboration with some foreign firms.

The issue of Abiola’s will and assets is, ordinarily, a private matter that should be dealt with by the family. But the criminal imputations and disagreements within have drawn government’s involvement. THISDAY learns from the invitation that over 165 documents relating to Abiola’s interests in banking, oil, and other conglomerates were submitted to the anti-graft agency. On the basis of this, EFCC invited necessary parties for interrogation.

Perhaps, in reaction to newspaper publications about the management of Abiola’s assets, one of the administrators of his estate, Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge, wrote a letter, dated May 30, 2008, to the family to try to clarify issues relating to Abiola’s property in the company’s custody. They disclosed that Abiola was indebted to some organisations and had gone bankrupt because of his involvement in the 1993 presidential election, which he was poised to win before it was annulled by former military president Ibrahim Babangida. Attempts by Abiola to reclaim the presidential mandate led to his incarceration and subsequent death in prison detention.

Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge claimed there were no substantial funds belonging to Abiola withheld by international banks as some of the monies had been used by his eldest son, Kola, to clear his father’s debts.

[size=16pt]“If some huge sum existed offshore, the question that has to be asked is, why was it not used during chief’s lifetime to discharge this indebtedness? We believe, as was set out in the 3rd March report, that Chief MKO Abiola, for all his fabled wealth prior to his election campaign, was effectively bankrupted by his efforts. The only way in which he would have been able to restore his fortune would have been to assume the office which was so summarily and brutally denied him,” Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge stated.[/size]

In the letter, the firm expressed dismay at the publications in which Gloria alleged that foreign firms were sitting on her husband’s assets and that the 1989 version of Abiola’s will that she probated was forged.

The only way in which he would have been able to restore his fortune would have been to assume the office which was so summarily and brutally denied him,” Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge stated.

God saved us from Abiola.

I don't understand this one o! Is EFCC becoming a court to decide wills?

this report smells of beaf

Beaf:

I don't understand this one o! Is EFCC becoming a court to decide wills?

EFCC is involved probably because they are investigating ITT.

Quite interesting

The only way in which he would have been able to restore his fortune would have been to assume the office which was so summarily and brutally denied him,” Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge stated.

interesting.

candylips:

this report smells of beaf

Wetin I do you na?

Re: Abiola Spent All His Loot On June 12 Election
« #7 on: Today at 05:26:51 PM »
Quote
The only way in which he would have been able to restore his fortune would have been to assume the office which was so summarily and brutally denied him,” Edwards Angell Palmers & Dodge stated.

interesting.


This is an eye opener and it shows how outsiders think of every Nigerian leader. Could this be the reason the man wanted to be president?

He made his Wealth by Stealing/Duping the poor masses, ie why Mohammed Rejected his Soul. For his Family to have peace they hav to give back the Money their father looted.
Surely Nigerians Cursed Abiola because of ITT.

The man has always been a rogue and was aiming at becoming a superrogue before he was incarcerated.

He spent all his money on Rice, Tinned Milk and Tinned Tomatoes which he used to bribe the hungry masses for their vote.

If Abiola had not verbally told his estate managers that he was going to recover all the spent funds multiple fold from the sweat of Nigerians, they won't be quoting him so. Ole!

KnowAll:

I see , that is why we dont hear what his kids are up to. They are broke and when u are broke nobody wants to know u. 

They are not all that broke. Kola still get small pepper.

Aloy~Emeka:

They are not all that broke. Kola still get small pepper.

what about the other cargo of kids from his harem?

Kola made away with all the loot, leaving his siblings to suffer.
That guy is unbelievable!

I have always said, Abiola was a president that God never wanted Nigeria to have.

na wao.

nuzo:

Kola made away with all the loot, leaving his siblings to suffer.
That guy is unbelievable!

how do you feel comfortable making such comments?
how do you know?
this is not a political matter but an internal family affair.comment with some sense of decency.

so EFCC now settles family matter?
very soon they will settle bedroom issues.

mbulela:

how do you feel comfortable making such comments?
how do you know?
this is not a political matter but an internal family affair.comment with some sense of decency.

As comfortable as when am eating noodles or calling for the head of other thieves in nigeria.

Who doesnt know that Kola diverted a large chunk of the loot leaving his sibling with almost nothing?
And since when did sharing of loots from the nigerian treasury become internal family affair?

nex:

The man has always been a rogue and was aiming at becoming a superrogue before he was incarcerated.

He spent all his money on Rice, Tinned Milk and Tinned Tomatoes which he used to bribe the hungry masses for their vote.

If Abiola had not verbally told his estate managers that he was going to recover all the spent funds multiple fold from the sweat of Nigerians, they won't be quoting him so. Ole!

That is the difference between SDP and PDP. SDP needed some votes to win but PDP does not need any vote to win. The PDP setting is more like a caucus of Nigeria's creme de la creme who contributes money to make their appointed acquittance the president and in return, he or she will pay them back in hundred folds. It was the same under SDP except that the presidential candidate bears the brunt of 80% of the campaign expenditure. How much did Obasanjo have during his campaign?. He didn't have to buy onions and tinned milk for the poor women in the village in order to win election. All he needed was money for media campaigns and the rest goes to bribing electoral officers.

Not to derail the thread but I heard Abiola died of natural causes in jail. Someone assured he was not killed at all; said, he died of sexual starvation.

Onlytruth:

Not to derail the thread but I heard Abiola died of natural causes in jail. Someone assured he was not killed at all; said, he died of sexual starvation. 

Though you are being sarcastic but its good to debunk such fallacies before it is misconstrued.

Abiola was always allowed a good home cooked meal and sex from Kudirat while in jail. Unless it was unhealthy for him to stick to only one kitten.

nuzo:

Though you are being sarcastic but its good to debunk such fallacies before it is misconstrued.

Abiola was always allowed a good home cooked meal and sex from Kudirat while in jail. Unless it was unhealthy for him to stick to only one kitten.

Who was servicing him when Kudirat died?

Hmmm. From loot to servicing.

nuzo:

Though you are being sarcastic but its good to debunk such fallacies before it is misconstrued.

Abiola was always allowed a good home cooked meal and sex from Kudirat while in jail. Unless it was unhealthy for him to stick to only one kitten.

Its obvious there is no YAR' DULL moment in nairaland.

Aloy~Emeka:

Who was servicing him when Kudirat died?

Pls can some one answer?.
=================================================================
Where is bialegend and banom?

Yoruba people do not post on this topic. It is propaganda against Yorubas. stay away from the topic to kill it.

Why y'all acting like its a "shocking" revelation?
That dude was a crime lord!!!
And as for you Becomrich, why don't you just abstain from reality and keep off this page!
This has nothing to do against a tribe, its the facts that i am interested in.

Aloy~Emeka:

That is the difference between SDP and PDP. SDP needed some votes to win but PDP does not need any vote to win. The PDP setting is more like a caucus of Nigeria's creme de la creme who contributes money to make their appointed acquittance the president and in return, he or she will pay them back in hundred folds. It was the same under SDP except that the presidential candidate bears the brunt of 80% of the campaign expenditure. How much did Obasanjo have during his campaign?. He didn't have to buy onions and tinned milk for the poor women in the village in order to win election. All he needed was money for media campaigns and the rest goes to bribing electoral officers.

They both operate under the same policy, "Win at all cost"!

bibiking1:

Why y'all acting like its a "shocking" revelation?
That dude was a crime lord!!!
And as for you Becomrich, why don't you just abstain from reality and keep off this page!
This has nothing to do against a tribe, its the facts that i am interested in.
They both operate under the same policy, "Win at all cost"!

Win at all cost but SDP had a more humane spirit than PDP.

becomrich,:

Yoruba people do not post on this topic. It is propaganda against Yorubas. stay away from the topic to kill it.

Suggestion: spam it with maps or have you been banned by google and  getty images for using their pictures without permission?

I thought they have immortalised the criminal?