Fatai Okoya, son of Nigerian billionaire industrialist Razaq Okoya, has opened up on what he believes caused the decades-long rift between them. He spoke on TikTok Live with YeyeKudi Courtroom on Sunday, after publicly asking his father for forgiveness and a chance to reconcile. In the video posted on YeyeKudi Courtroom’s page on Monday, Fatai said his father’s rejection had been a painful experience.
He also said he was Mr Okoya’s first child. Speaking about the circumstances he believes contributed to their troubled relationship, he said: “My daddy held on to one thing: he did not want me to marry the first woman I married, but I did not listen to him. I went ahead and married her. I was young, had spent a long time abroad, and thought I understood how love could make someone behave.
That was why I fell into that trap and married her. “After that, I could not think of anything serious enough that I had done to make him angry with me, apart from a few minor things I did while managing his industries. I did not embezzle much money because, if I had, I would have built houses, bought an aeroplane, and acquired other [possessions].
If anyone says I embezzled money from the industries, perhaps it was a small amount I made through my work there, not a substantial sum. I did not even buy cars while managing the industries.” Fatai said he and his father were once best friends, adding that he hoped his father would forgive him for his past actions. He attributed his behaviour to youthful indiscretion, noting that although making mistakes is human, forgiveness is divine.