Crisis is brewing over an alleged attempt by some people to sell a property belonging to the late Bashorun MKO Abiola in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The property, which houses an Islamic school and a mosque, is located on a parcel of land along Abiola Way and is used for Sunday worship and other activities.
The Governing Council of Zulikha Abiola Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Abeokuta raised the alarm.
According to Mutiu Agboke, solicitor to the governing council, an influential family close to the Abiola family in Abeokuta (name withheld) was allegedly attempting to sell the property.
Agboke, who issued a press statement, ‘on the instruction’ of the governing
council, said those attempting to sell the property were allegedly working with some unnamed members of the Abiola family.
The legal practitioner explained that the Islamic and Arabic School had been on the land since 1978 and was dedicated, through a will, to be an Islamic centre after the death of Abiola and entrusted to the governing council of the institution.
Agboke said the first son of the late politician, Kola Abiola, was made the proprietor of the Islamic centre, stressing that Abiola’s family had, at no time, sold, leased or licensed the property to any individual or group to take over the property for the purpose of sale or lease.
He stated that when he learnt about an attempt by some people to sell the property, a Caveat Emptor was written on the walls of the property only to be wiped by some ‘faceless people’.
Agboke’s statement read in part: “The attention of our client has been drawn to the activities of some unscrupulous elements parading themselves as the bonafide owner of the expanse of land upon which both Zulikha Abiola College of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Zulikha Abiola Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies were built.
“The individuals have been making frantic effort to sell the said parcel of land, with the block of classrooms, mosque and other
structures thereon belonging to our client. We reiterate strongly, on behalf of our client that the named property belonged to the late Chief MKO Abiola and had been duly entrusted with the council of the college.
“We write on behalf of our client that the Abiola family had at no time sold, leased, licensed the property to any individual, group or delegated any individual or group to sell or lease the property on its behalf.”
The solicitor advised anyone attempting to buy the property to desist “for doing so will amount to buying nothing.”

Rumpus over MKO Abiola’s property