The Okoya family has pushed back against Fatai’s claim to be billionaire industrialist Razaq Okoya‘s first child, saying he is the third child and that he has enjoyed generous support from his father, including four Lagos flats.
Fatai had gone public with an appeal to reconcile with his
86-year-old father after four decades apart, calling his rejection painful.
He claimed first-child status and accused Shade Okoya, his
father’s wife, of blocking him from seeing the patriarch on his birthday.
But in a statement issued through Eleganza Industries Ltd
and signed by senior PR manager Nathaniel Omeninwan, the family described
Fatai’s move as an attempt to win public sympathy, grab attention and “unfairly
damage” other family members.
It noted that Fatai’s fallout with his father predated the
marriage to Shade by years.
The statement recalled that Rasaq has said repeatedly that
any child unwilling to respect and abide by his wishes is on their own.
It also listed what Fatai has received: four flats in
Ogunlana Surulere, where he lives, plus intermittent payments toward his
medical bills.
The family said the billionaire has backed all his children,
including those who went into business for themselves, and called any narrative
that ignores that support unfair.
“The Okoya family finds it regrettable that Fatai Okoya (who
is in fact the third child of Aare Rasaq Okoya, CON) has dragged what are
otherwise private family matters into the public domain to attract public
sympathy, gain attention and unjustifiably discredit other family members.
Fatai Okoya fell out with his father and stopped visiting him long before his
father married Chief Mrs Shade Okoya, MON,” the stamens reads.
“Aare Rasaq Okoya, CON, has also publicly stated on numerous
occasions that any child of his who is not prepared to respect, appreciate and
abide by his wishes is on their own.
“Fatai Okoya has benefited immensely from his father and
continues to benefit. He lives in, and has been given, four flats by his father
in Ogunlana Surulere, and has at times been receiving payment for his medical
bills.”
The family also recalled that four influential friends had
stepped in over 40 years ago, holding an all-night meeting to settle the
dispute. Though taken aback by Fatai’s demands, they agreed his father should
meet them and he did.
“Surprised by what Fatai was asking for, they still
concluded that his father should settle him with what he was asking for, and
this was carried out accordingly,” the statment reads.
“During the medical outreach organised for the Aare’s 86th
birthday, Chief Mrs Okoya was introduced to Fatai Okoya. A family member then
spoke to Fatai Okoya and advised him that the occasion was not an appropriate
time or place to discuss the issues he has with his father.
“On that advice, which Fatai Okoya agreed with, he left the
medical outreach venue. Other than exchanging pleasantries with him, Chief Mrs
Shade Okoya, MON, said nothing to him that day, and several guests witnessed
the entire incident.
“Aare and Chief Mrs Okoya, and indeed the entire Rasaq Okoya
family, are very quiet, private and easygoing citizens focused on their family,
their charitable work and their businesses.
“Chief Mrs Okoya respects her husband and his wishes. They
do not intend to turn private affairs into disputes to air or discuss on social
media. No misunderstanding can be settled online.”
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