By Emmanuel Daniji

The family of billionaire industrialist Chief Razaq Okoya has pushed back against claims by Fatai Okoya, who recently spoke publicly about his long separation from his father and appealed for reconciliation after about 40 years apart.

In a statement signed by Nathaniel Omeninwan, Senior Public Relations Manager of Eleganza Industries Ltd, the family disputed Fatai’s account and accused him of bringing private family matters into the public space to gain sympathy and discredit other members of the family.

The statement also challenged Fatai’s claim to be his father’s first child, describing him instead as the industrialist’s third child.

According to the family, Fatai has received considerable financial support from his father over the years. It claimed that he had been given four flats in the Ogunlana area of Surulere, Lagos, and had also received assistance with medical bills.

The family said it found it regrettable that the dispute had become a public issue, insisting that Fatai had continued to benefit from his father’s support.

The statement also addressed Fatai’s allegation that his stepmother, Shade Okoya, prevented him from seeing his father during a birthday medical outreach. The family denied the claim, maintaining that Shade did not stop him from meeting the industrialist at the event.

Fatai had recently spoken about his strained relationship with his father and expressed a desire to reconnect after decades of separation. His account brought renewed attention to the family dispute and raised questions about what had kept father and son apart for so long.

The family’s response presents a different version of events, particularly regarding the extent of financial support Fatai allegedly received and the circumstances surrounding his attempt to see his father.

With both sides offering conflicting accounts, the disagreement remains a deeply personal family matter that has now drawn public attention. The family’s statement does not, however, resolve the underlying issues behind the reported estrangement or establish whether reconciliation between father and son is imminent.