Three
years after his demise, the families of late Africa Football legend, Rashidi
Yekini, are still locked in a fierce battle over the estate of the soccer star. Jubril
Olanrewaju Mohamed, who was the personal lawyer and close aide to Yekini while
he was alive, tells Premium Times, in this exclusive interview, how challenging
it has been keeping Yekini’s estate for the rightful owners- his two
daughters, Yemisi and Mariam.
years after his demise, the families of late Africa Football legend, Rashidi
Yekini, are still locked in a fierce battle over the estate of the soccer star. Jubril
Olanrewaju Mohamed, who was the personal lawyer and close aide to Yekini while
he was alive, tells Premium Times, in this exclusive interview, how challenging
it has been keeping Yekini’s estate for the rightful owners- his two
daughters, Yemisi and Mariam.
The
lawyer also recounts the sad death of the football star, insisting there was
foul play and that justice has by no means been served. Below
are excerpts of the interview;
lawyer also recounts the sad death of the football star, insisting there was
foul play and that justice has by no means been served. Below
are excerpts of the interview;
PT:
Can you tell us a little about you?
Can you tell us a little about you?
Jubril:
Jubril Olanrewaju Mohamed is my name; I was the lawyer to Late Rasheed Yekini
and counsel to his estate.
Jubril Olanrewaju Mohamed is my name; I was the lawyer to Late Rasheed Yekini
and counsel to his estate.
PT:
How has the task of keeping Yekini’s estate being for you?
How has the task of keeping Yekini’s estate being for you?
Jubril:
It has been a challenging time in the sense that I had to ensure that the
estate he left behind is not taken away from the beneficiaries he left behind,
that is his two children. They are grown up children and to ensure that they
are psychologically stable has been challenging.
It has been a challenging time in the sense that I had to ensure that the
estate he left behind is not taken away from the beneficiaries he left behind,
that is his two children. They are grown up children and to ensure that they
are psychologically stable has been challenging.
PT:
There are talks that Yekini had more than two children. Has there been any
claim from anywhere else?
There are talks that Yekini had more than two children. Has there been any
claim from anywhere else?
Jubril:
A Togolese lady came with a three-year old girl eight days after his death
claiming that Yekini was the father of the child. The mother (Yekini’s mum)
accepted and other members of the family. Yekini actually confessed to the
relationship and one and half years after the relationship was over she came
back saying she was pregnant. It even caused misunderstanding between him and
his mum because he refused to accept the child but his mother accepted saying
the more the merrier. We asked her to do a DNA after she came back but up till
now we haven’t ascertain the authenticity of the child’s paternity.
A Togolese lady came with a three-year old girl eight days after his death
claiming that Yekini was the father of the child. The mother (Yekini’s mum)
accepted and other members of the family. Yekini actually confessed to the
relationship and one and half years after the relationship was over she came
back saying she was pregnant. It even caused misunderstanding between him and
his mum because he refused to accept the child but his mother accepted saying
the more the merrier. We asked her to do a DNA after she came back but up till
now we haven’t ascertain the authenticity of the child’s paternity.
PT:
So back to Yekini’s estate, we hear all is not well as regards that
So back to Yekini’s estate, we hear all is not well as regards that
Jubril:
The family called a number of times asking that the properties be sold and
shared among themselves. I however told them their suggestion was unlawful,
even Islamically because he had children and a mother. He (Yekini) gave his
mother some property and it would be wrong of me to take it away from her. Also
the rest of his property, he gave no instructions on how to do deal with it.
His mansion in Ibadan is still being maintained and we have looked for an
estate manager to help us look for anyone who is interested in the property to
lease it because the money you would get from there would be substantial. At
the moment the respective mothers are the ones taking care of their children
with a little input from me. Yekini has the BQ, the five flats of three bedroom
at Ijagbo, then the mansion.
The family called a number of times asking that the properties be sold and
shared among themselves. I however told them their suggestion was unlawful,
even Islamically because he had children and a mother. He (Yekini) gave his
mother some property and it would be wrong of me to take it away from her. Also
the rest of his property, he gave no instructions on how to do deal with it.
His mansion in Ibadan is still being maintained and we have looked for an
estate manager to help us look for anyone who is interested in the property to
lease it because the money you would get from there would be substantial. At
the moment the respective mothers are the ones taking care of their children
with a little input from me. Yekini has the BQ, the five flats of three bedroom
at Ijagbo, then the mansion.
Right
now however, they (the children) get nothing from the estate as we are still
waiting on the lease of the mansion since the mother takes all the proceeds
from the other properties. The family members feel they are entitled to
whatever comes from the leasing but I have said no, that these two children are
basically and primary beneficiary of that estate. They can meet their mother
for part of what she is getting from Ijagbo’s property which is massive but as
for this one, no way.
now however, they (the children) get nothing from the estate as we are still
waiting on the lease of the mansion since the mother takes all the proceeds
from the other properties. The family members feel they are entitled to
whatever comes from the leasing but I have said no, that these two children are
basically and primary beneficiary of that estate. They can meet their mother
for part of what she is getting from Ijagbo’s property which is massive but as
for this one, no way.
My
jurisdiction is limited to this one mansion because I do not want to stop what
Yekini did not stop in his life time. The property would naturally revert back
to Yekini’s estate after her demise and according to our traditions, no elderly
person wants to be left behind while their child or grandchild dies, so the
rent that accrues after her demise becomes that of Yekini’s children.
jurisdiction is limited to this one mansion because I do not want to stop what
Yekini did not stop in his life time. The property would naturally revert back
to Yekini’s estate after her demise and according to our traditions, no elderly
person wants to be left behind while their child or grandchild dies, so the
rent that accrues after her demise becomes that of Yekini’s children.
PT:
You have fingered foul play in the death of Yekini, do you still maintain such
stance?
You have fingered foul play in the death of Yekini, do you still maintain such
stance?
Jubril:
I maintain that stance because of the circumstances surrounding his death. He
did not die naturally and I asked some questions on the circumstances leading
to his death and they have not been able to provide me with answers. According
to the report of his late younger sister who died shortly after he died and was
the mastermind of his abduction, she said that morning of May 4, she said they
gave him tea because he was tied down because they felt he would escape if they
did not tie him down. She said Yekini begged to be released to see me and that
he was being smoldered where he was. It was after he took a cup of tea which he
requested for, he became restless and started gasping for breath. That was when
they took him to a nearby hospital Al-Amin Hospital in Apete, in Ibadan.
I maintain that stance because of the circumstances surrounding his death. He
did not die naturally and I asked some questions on the circumstances leading
to his death and they have not been able to provide me with answers. According
to the report of his late younger sister who died shortly after he died and was
the mastermind of his abduction, she said that morning of May 4, she said they
gave him tea because he was tied down because they felt he would escape if they
did not tie him down. She said Yekini begged to be released to see me and that
he was being smoldered where he was. It was after he took a cup of tea which he
requested for, he became restless and started gasping for breath. That was when
they took him to a nearby hospital Al-Amin Hospital in Apete, in Ibadan.
According
to the doctor who attended to him, Yekini was virtually dead when he was
brought in because the pulse was actually very feeble before he could do
anything the man was gone. So I wanted to see those guys who took him away and
ask them what his treatment plan was because you can’t die in such
circumstances and it would not raise suspicion. By the laws in Lagos state,
there would have been an inquest into his death; the coroner should have been
brought in to verify the cause of his death. That was what I was asking for.
The family members might have had genuine reasons for doing what they did and I
was not out to persecute them. I just wanted to know the cause of Yekini’s
death. Just like what happened to Michael Jackson, there was an inquest. If it
were a nobody now, we could just overlook such things but a whole Rasheed
Yekini was taken to the native doctor forcefully and he died there and we did
not know the cause of his death.
to the doctor who attended to him, Yekini was virtually dead when he was
brought in because the pulse was actually very feeble before he could do
anything the man was gone. So I wanted to see those guys who took him away and
ask them what his treatment plan was because you can’t die in such
circumstances and it would not raise suspicion. By the laws in Lagos state,
there would have been an inquest into his death; the coroner should have been
brought in to verify the cause of his death. That was what I was asking for.
The family members might have had genuine reasons for doing what they did and I
was not out to persecute them. I just wanted to know the cause of Yekini’s
death. Just like what happened to Michael Jackson, there was an inquest. If it
were a nobody now, we could just overlook such things but a whole Rasheed
Yekini was taken to the native doctor forcefully and he died there and we did
not know the cause of his death.
PT:
Do you think you could have done more to avert Yekini’s death?
Do you think you could have done more to avert Yekini’s death?
Jubril:
Yes, I wish I did more to keep him safe. I thought the police order was good
enough but may be stationing a policeman would have been better. I was
disappointed that the police failed to make any arrest and ended up calling it
a family affair and saying no one had come to declare their grievances. I asked
them if there was a corpse lying in the street would they leave it there
because no one came to report? They however were waiting for me to write a
petition and I did not do that because I expected the police to bring up the
coroner law and find out the cause of death of a man who was kidnapped from his
house and later found dead despite an order restraining some people.
Yes, I wish I did more to keep him safe. I thought the police order was good
enough but may be stationing a policeman would have been better. I was
disappointed that the police failed to make any arrest and ended up calling it
a family affair and saying no one had come to declare their grievances. I asked
them if there was a corpse lying in the street would they leave it there
because no one came to report? They however were waiting for me to write a
petition and I did not do that because I expected the police to bring up the
coroner law and find out the cause of death of a man who was kidnapped from his
house and later found dead despite an order restraining some people.
PT:
Finally how are Yekini’s children faring?
Finally how are Yekini’s children faring?
Jubril
: Yemisi is close to 20 and the other is 15. The 20-year-old is studying at the
University of Leicester where she is studying performing arts. The second one
is in Osogbo. She will be writing her final year exams soon.
: Yemisi is close to 20 and the other is 15. The 20-year-old is studying at the
University of Leicester where she is studying performing arts. The second one
is in Osogbo. She will be writing her final year exams soon.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
