Olalekan Abiola, son of the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO Abiola), has revealed that 66 out of 120 individuals who claimed to be children of the late business mogul and acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, failed DNA tests meant to verify their paternity.
In an interview with Vanguard, Olalekan explained that after MKO’s death on July 7, 1998, many women came forward with children, claiming they were fathered by the late philanthropist. However, DNA tests – which were stipulated in MKO Abiola’s will – showed that more than half of those claims were false.
“My father wrote in his will that DNA tests must be conducted for all those who came forward as his children,” Olalekan said. “At the end of the day, only 54 of the 120 people passed the test.”
He explained that many of the women had approached his father for help during his lifetime – asking for shelter, money, food, or education for their children. In return, MKO, known for his generosity and strong Islamic faith, supported many of them. Some of these women, Olalekan added, later changed their children’s names to Abiola in hopes of benefiting from his legacy.
“My father was extremely charitable. Women used to come and line up outside the house every month to collect allowances. Some would beg for rent, food, or school fees. Many of them later began to call themselves ‘Mrs. Abiola,’ even though they weren’t married to him,” he said.
Olalekan noted that despite his father’s generosity and the attention he received from women, MKO Abiola lived a life deeply rooted in his Islamic beliefs. “He never drank alcohol, never partied or gambled. He held tightly to Islam and that was what shaped his kindness and his popularity among the people.”
He described witnessing a stream of 10 to 15 women visit his father daily when he was alive, not for romantic relationships but for assistance.
Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Olalekan emphasized that the greatest lesson he learnt was the importance of religion. “What made people love my father was that everything he did was rooted in Islam and charity.”
MKO Abiola remains one of Nigeria’s most iconic figures – a man whose philanthropy, business acumen, and political legacy continue to be subjects of national discourse decades after his passing.
