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.”
By Testimony Adebisi
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