He
might be showing whiff of money and wealth in town but the oil and gas
magnate, Femi Otedola past is already haunting him like shadow. The
former Lagos State governor’s son, Michael Otedola, Femi is having a
serious issue with his 26 year-old love child mama, Olayinka Odukoya.
The child at the centre of this mumbo-jumbo, Christie is said to be a
split image of Femi, the Forte Oil boss.
Then loved-up Femi, we learnt, had put Olayinka in a family way when
he was selling stationeries at Iponri area of Lagos, and the result of
that effort was 26 years old, Christie, the first from his loin but his
mum did not only show disapproval, she condemned their dalliance: she
sent the poor baby mother away and took the baby to her custody.
In spite of Femi’s mother’s rejection, the arrow of love hit Femi
again and he found himself in the arms of Olayinka, who second time
around got pregnant for the Femi who has since married delectable, Nana
Otedola, the Managing Director, Garment Care and blessed with children.
As fate would have it, she lost the pregnancy seven months after. Since
then, their paths never crossed, Olayinka was shut away from her only
child, and her world became empty. She became lonesome, afraid of men,
afraid to love again. Now she’s on a search for her long-lost daughter,
her treasure, Christy.
Below is the interesting story as said by the mother of the first
daughter of Femi, the former Zenom oil boss with pictures to prove, the
emotional distressed mother provides insight into what went wrong with
the romance, how Mr Otedola and his parents hoodwinked her into parting
with her child and other intimate details in this interview…Enjoy.
For the purpose of this interview, can i have your full names?
I’ am Olayinka Odukoya.
What kind of relationship existed between you and Mr. Femi Otedola?
We used to have a love affair.
Was the love affair one that your parents knew about? I mean your own parents and his parents?
What happened was that I just finished from secondary school at that
time and I was even working when he approached me for a relationship. I
accepted his advances and somewhere along the line, I realised that I’d
taken in for him. And this was a time I was just offered an admission
into the School of Nursing in Ikoyi; I was only waiting to go for
pre-registration interview before I realised I was pregnant. And at that
point in time, there was a man, Mr. Tobun father’s house at
Odo-Irangusi.
It was through my friend that was dating the contractor that I met
Femi. And he promised me heaven and earth. As a matter of fact, we both
sworn to an oath with the Holy Bible never to leave each other. I was
about 21 years at that time and it was at that point that we started
sleeping together and I got pregnant for him. And he accepted it. But in
the long run, I realised that he didn’t tell his parents at home that
he had put a lady in the family way. It was that Mr. Tobun that later
went to his dad to tell him that his son had impregnated a young lady in
Ijebu. And his mum later called him to probe him over it after the dad
complained to her.
But he lied to his mum initially that he did not impregnate anybody.
Meanwhile, I used to go to their house regularly before then to the
extent that all his younger siblings were familiar with me. His mum even
knew me, though she did not know that I was dating her son which was
the real purpose of my frequent visit to their house. She thought I was
only a friend to Femi’s sisters. So, since I took in, I would go to him
to collect money for my upkeep and things like that. As a matter of
fact, I contemplated aborting the pregnancy at a point because I felt it
was affecting the continuation of my education but unfortunately for me
then, an old man overheard me telling a friend about my planned
abortion and the old man went straight to leak it to my mum. So, my mum
came to take me from where I was back home so as to prevent me from
aborting the pregnancy. And my dad too also prevailed on me never to try
aborting the pregnancy with the counseling that it is not only people
that are well educated that make it in life. So, I later went to tell
Femi that my parents were well aware of the pregnancy and he also plead
with me to keep the pregnancy.
What was Mr. Femi Otedola doing then? Was he working or still in school?
He was a trader at Iponri Shopping Complex selling stationery
materials. And since his dad was running a printing press then, he was
also supplying them materials to work with. And when we realised he was
not showing up at our house like it was expected, my parents said I
should tell him that they wanted to meet his parents and he said no
problems. But when he refused to come with his parents like he promised,
a sister to my mum who was a registrar was even nursing the doubt that I
might not know the real owner of my pregnancy and she attributed her
doubt to the fact that the Otedola’s were well-to-do and very
responsible, so they would not tolerate their son impregnate a girl and
not do the right thing. So, there was a resolve that my mum should
follow me to their house and when we got there, it was Femi himself that
opened the gate for us. And when we met his dad, Baba Otedola, and told
him a bout the pregnancy, he probed Femi over it and he told his dad
that he was the one responsible for it. And the dad said he would have
loved his mum to be at home for the meeting because when he first heard
about the issue and raised it with the mum, Femi vehemently denied
knowing anything about the pregnancy to the extent that the mum was
saying any girl that was claiming to have gotten pregnant for her son
should go and take care of it in her parent’s house. Since her son had
said he didn’t impregnate any girl. But the dad said we should not worry
about it and that he would always send money for my upkeep. And shortly
before I would deliver my baby, the mum came around at the prompting of
Baba Otedola, I guess, she came with Baba Otedola’s elder sister. They
said they were the owners of the pregnancy since it’s their son that was
responsible for it. And when I delivered my baby, a naming ceremony was
organised at their house for my daughter.
So, since everything was cordial to that point, how did the denial of access to your daughter come into play?
Thank you. That’s exactly what I am about to tell you. After the
naming ceremony, Femi came later to tell me that his mum said he should
not marry me. And I was like if she says that then, maybe you should
leave me alone. But he said he could not do that. Later on, I told him I
wanted to learn Hair Dressing since I could not go to the School of
Nursing any more. But he advised that I should go to a Catering school
instead. So, I went to Catering school and it was while I was there that
I got pregnant for him again. But his mum still stood strongly against
our getting married. Meanwhile, I had a forced labour when the pregnancy
got into the 7th month which I had as a still birth. In fact, I almost
lost my life during the delivery. It was the placenta that came out
first before the dead baby came out buttocks first instead of the head.
My dad later went to meet him that, Femi, so, so, thing happened to me.
Though, he was fully aware that I was pregnant for him again, but he
apparently did not inform his parents. So, it was when my dad went to
their house that his dad too knew about it and challenged him over it.
But in his usual manner, he denied having anything to do with the
pregnancy and I later told him that thank God I did not die in the
course of the forced labour because that is how he would have denied me
in death.
I reminded him of how he lied that he did not know anything about
Christy’s pregnancy before he later accepted to be the one responsible.
And shortly after that was when his mum became extremely hostile to me,
telling his son that he saw girls from rich background, he didn’t go to
them. That, why would he go for someone from a humble background like
me. And it was because Femi told me that his mum might accept me if we
had a second child that I accepted to get pregnant for him again. But
when they said I should bring my daughter Christy to them when she was a
little over 2 years, so that she could start kindergarten, I left her
for them. But ever since then, the mum would not allow me to see my
daughter.
There was even a festive period that my younger siblings went to
their house to ask them to allow my daughter to come and spend some time
with us, the mum refused. And I later went myself but as soon as the
mum saw me, she took my daughter inside and locked her up. And when all
my efforts to see my daughter became abortive, I later told them that I
would always be my daughter’s mother because they cannot buy another
mother for her no matter how much they prevent me from seeing her. And
again, my mum’s younger sister told me not to worry because when it gets
to a point my daughter would ask for her mum. But when she (Christy)
was 15 and was schooling in Akure, Ondo State, while she lived with her
father’s younger brother, I still made an attempt to go and see her
there, yet they prevented me. And that was the point in time I decided
to leave the South-West for the Northern Part of the country to
cool-off. So, I stayed and worked in the North for some time before I
returned few years ago. Meanwhile, I was already aware that my daughter
had been taken abroad for further studies.
And I even made an attempt to be close to Otedola’s house but each
time I went, Femi’s mum was always like “what do you want?” And I would
tell her that I only came around to say hello and also to know if you
are hearing from my daughter.
But when it got to a point, I could no longer cope with not seeing my
daughter, I sent a Reverend Father to the mum to beg her for me. And
she was like I should never again in my life send any emissary to beg
her again. And about 7 years ago, I told my younger brother that I felt I
would need to take the matter to a relevant government authority to
contest my right to see my daughter for me. But my brother said I should
not go that far that he would go and talk to Femi man to man.
Meanwhile, at that point I was always texting Femi asking about the
well-being of my daughter, he would not reply any of the messages. There
was even a day I went to his Zenon House in Victoria Island. He saw me
face to face as he was driving in because I was standing at the gate.
And when he got out of the vehicle, he looked back at me and I said
“Femi, you are the one I have come to see”. But he rushed into the
office and never came out till I left. I got there around 8am and left
at 12 noon. I later dropped a note for him with his security guys
stating that I did not come to fight him but to see him and ask after my
daughter. The number that my younger brother had was no longer going
through, so, he got another number of his from me which he called
without any one picking it. And he decided to send him a text that why
would he not allow his sister to see her daughter. And that he should
redress the situation since the child belongs to him and his sister.
But by the second or third day, he called his mum to go and warn
Felix, that is my brother, that he was threatening his life. And the mum
went straight to my dad’s house to fight him. That he should warn his
son who was threatening the life of her son. My dad called my younger
brother from Ijebu immediately asking why my
brother would wade into the matter. And when my brother went to Ijebu
some time later, he told anyone that cared to listen to go and tell
Femi’s mum that he had come to town and that she should come and arrest
him, maybe the Police would be able to resolve the matter once and for
all. But after spending 3 days without seeing anyone come to arrest him,
he returned to Lagos.
So what happened after then?
We decided to give them some time again before raising issues over
the matter. In fact, at a point, I decided to go to Human Rights
Advocacy Groups and I was already in Ikeja with pictures before my
brother called me and plead that I should not do anything like that.
Because no two opposing parties in a court case return as friends.
He said he believed dialogue could still do it. Meanwhile, I had gone
to the monarch in our town, Kabiyesi Odu-Iragusi, to plead with them
for me but they still turned deaf ears. I even went to one Tejuosho’s
son who is Femi’s friend in Ilupeju, Lagos, to discuss the matter with
him. But still nothing changed. My brother even went to the Kabiyesi
over the matter for the second time, yet they did not yield to my
request to see my daughter. So, about 5 years ago, Femi’s mum told me
that I should not worry that as soon as my daughter was through with her
Masters Degree, I would be allowed to see her. And after Christy
finished her master’s, it was Femi’s mum that called to tell me about it
and asked if I was coming to Ijebu for Xmas to which I said yes. And
she said she would make sure that I see my daughter. But as I speak to
you my brother, I have still not set my eyes on my daughter.
Interestingly enough, during the last subsidy removal crises, I was
just leaving Irangusi for Omu, when one of my younger brothers called me
that he just sighted my daughter in town. And I took a bike with N1,500
that day to return to Iragusi, a journey that was not supposed to be
more than N300.00. But when I almost got to Otedola’s house, I caught a
glimpse of my daughter being chauffeur-driven out and I was trying to
wave down the vehicle but she did not see me.
How long ago is it now that you had a contact with your daughter last?
I have not had any contact with her since they took her from me when she was a little over 2 years old.
Do you have any idea of what she is doing abroad now?
I think she is now working there. Because Femi’s mum once told me something like that.
And you have not spoken with Mr. Femi Otedola too?
Yes. I have not spoken with him ever since. Even when his dad
celebrated his birthday last year and I went there, he avoided me all
through. Even, his older brother who I spoke with and told that they
have not allowed me to see my daughter for years could not believe it
because the brother just returned to Nigeria from abroad. And he
promised to do something about. Yet, nothing has happened.
Are you married to someone else as we speak?
Not really. I only had an affair with a man for whom I also have a
daughter, Eniola. But I could not bring myself to marry him because
Femi’s experience has made me to be scared of men.
So, what exactly do you want from Mr. Femi Otedola?
All I want is access to my daughter and the full rights to be a mother to her. Because they could have told her mum is dead!
DailyPost
He
might be showing whiff of money and wealth in town but the oil and gas
magnate, Femi Otedola past is already haunting him like shadow. The
former Lagos State governor’s son, Michael Otedola, Femi is having a
serious issue with his 26 year-old love child mama, Olayinka Odukoya.
The child at the centre of this mumbo-jumbo, Christie is said to be a
split image of Femi, the Forte Oil boss.
With
this development, Ekweremadu was forced to cancel the planned civic
reception in honour of the President of the Senate, David Mark and
himself by Enugu West Senatorial District earlier scheduled for Friday,
December 28.
The
Conference of National Political Parties (CNPP) has expressed its
disappointment over the appointment of Chief Anthony Anenih as the
chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
