How misinformation led to 10 year-old needless family feud – Blueprint Newspapers Limited
A simple family matter that ordinarily would have been resolved amicably without any third party lingered for 10 years because of misinformation as those involved express their regrets. OGUNTADE ISMAILA reports.
Before trouble ensued, for years, two relations, Abayomi Arodu and Oluwatoyin Osho, had lived peaceably. Arodu is Osho’s uncle, so they had a strong relationship such that when Arodu took ill sometimes in 2009 and wanted to travel to India for medical treatment, he handed over his family and businesses to Osho because he was not sure of returning alive judging from the severity of his illness.
“I entrusted all my landed property into his care with the conclusion that I may not make it as a result of the sickness, but God’s mercy preserved my life,” Arodu said.
According to him, his nephew (Osho) had offered him millions of naira when he was planning to travel, but turned it down because his own company had already taken over his travel expenses.
“All I needed was just for him to be there for my family while I was away,” he said.
Matters however turned sour when he returned four months after and met Osho with the hope of repaying the loan he (Osho) allegedly used to support his (Arodu’s) business on his behalf. To his chagrin, Osho spent N19.8 million to sustain the the business.
Therefore, the process of repaying that debt set the ground for what had lingered for 10 years leading to a serious family feud between them. Since then, the matter had moved from police stations to the courts and finally got the attention of a news media which wrongly reported the incident without correct details about the facts.
In reality, Osho actually stood in for Arodu by managing his private business with his own personal funds.
As a way out, Arodu sought the understanding of his nephew for repayment by instalments for which he paid 10m naira with a balance of N9.8m.
According to Arodu, Osho however refused to come for amicable draft of the loan repayment schedule, even when some family elders intervened.
Meanwhile, another family problem arose between the two men which made the gentleman agreement between them to be discarded. What was a brotherly gesture turned into a quarrel that led them to police stations and eventually a Magistrate Court in Ogba, Lagos.
Blueprint gathered that the whole thing was aggravated by Osho who was also having some personal issues and frustrations in his business of which he needed some money to sort them out immediately. So, he went to his uncle to claim the balance of his money. That was how the transaction degenerated into an intractable case for years.
Luckily for the two, the Presiding Magistrate at that time threw out the matter and advised them to go amicable settlement being a civil matter.
While that was in the offing, a reporter of a national daily picked the story and reported that Arodu duped Osho (his nephew) the sum of N9.8million, a report even Osho himself was shocked at.
In his reaction, Osho said the matter was a little family issue that was escalated along with his own financial pressures. “From Mowe, Isheri to Area G Ogba Police Stations and to the Magistrate Court, there was never a day I mentioned that my uncle duped me. I only said he was owing me. My statement is still at Area G Police Station and even the court records can show that. I had no single idea that the newspaper said I accused my uncle of defrauding me. That story still baffles me till date. There is no way I could have accused a man who is like a father to me of duping me. That’s not possible. I maintain till today and even up to the time of going to my grave that my uncle never duped me.”
As to how the story probably came about, Osho said he suspected either some security officials or court officials must have twisted the story.
“I was even shocked to see the story in a newspaper. I have went to any newspaper to narrate my story. I want to state again that my uncle never duped me. It was a misunderstanding that arose from a family issue that triggered the whole thing, which we have settled at home,” he said.
Uncle Arodu said but for divine and family interventions, the publication would have landed him in prison and tarnished his reputation as an honest businessman.
Narrating further Osho said as at that time, he felt embittered that he wasn’t appreciated for his love towards his uncle (Arodu) and his immediate family members, maintaining that the police added to the issue, which prompted him to take action against his uncle up to the court as he was accused of gun possession, which was not true.
“Again, I felt abandoned by my uncle when I needed him most at the first police station, which was the reason I wrote a petition against him,” he said.
However, he is now remorseful and bothered that 10 years, a matter like that lingered, saying he wronged his uncle beyond bounds, but maintained that he never accused him of fraud or arrange a reporter to cover the court proceedings.
Rather, he alleged that it was either the reporter picked the story from the court when the proceedings was on and made a wrong interpretation out of it or some police officers got the story twisted.
“I never accused my uncle of defrauding me nor did I arrange any reporter to publish a false report about him. I don’t do the kind of business he does. So, I couldn’t have said I gave him money to buy goods that I know nothing about. For me. It’s just not possible. I didn’t say that at all,” he emphatically stated.
He added that though he was deeply hurt and was naughty out of frustration, he maintained that he did not accuse his uncle of defrauding him and expressed gratitude to his uncle for putting a closure to the 10-year row in the family by accepting him back as the proverbial father to the prodigal son.
“I am grateful to my uncle/father. Words are not enough to convey the weight of my appreciation. I’m also using this medium to apologise for the inconvenience I might have caused him and his family, especially his image. And I hope he truly finds it easy in his heart to forgive me,” he said.
