Controversial Nigerian journalist and media personality, Dr. Kemi Olunloyo, has started a social media storm. She publicly renounced ties with her family following the death of her father, the late former Oyo State Governor, Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo. In a series of emotionally charged video posts and written statements on Facebook and TikTok, Kemi declared she no longer considers herself part of the Olunloyo family, refusing to accept condolences over her father’s passing
Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo was a renowned mathematician. He was also a respected political figure in Nigeria. He died on Sunday, April 6, 2025, at the age of 89. His legacy as a brilliant intellectual and public servant is widely acknowledged. However, his daughter’s recent public statements have unveiled a much darker and controversial view of his private life.
Kemi has declared she is no longer part of the Olunloyo family. She is known for her outspoken and often polarizing social media presence. She released a series of TikTok videos describing her late father as a man who led a “double life.” He was respected by the public but deeply abusive behind closed doors. “My father destroyed our family unit,” she claimed, accusing him of emotional and physical abuse during her childhood.
“My father was one person to the world and another person to his family,” she said. “He tortured us as kids. Used me, marketed me as his favorite daughter to the public, but I was far from it. He took advantage of my energies and contributions while never truly supporting me as a father should.”
The journalist emphasized she had long separated herself from the family. She stated she had made peace with the decision years ago. “I am not part of the Olunloyo family anymore, and I made that clear in 2024,” she said. “Even if my parents died, I vowed never to return to Nigeria, and I’m not accepting condolences from anyone.”
Her videos and posts have received mixed reactions online. Some people have expressed sympathy. Others criticized her for making such declarations so soon after her father’s passing.
In one of her most explosive claims, Kemi alleged that her father was deeply involved in occult practices until later in life, when he purportedly turned to Christianity. “He was into juju heavily,” she alleged. “I called him out on his 80th birthday, and after that, he went to Pastor E.A. Adeboye to become born again. And he did.”
According to Kemi, a significant turning point in the family dynamic occurred when her father began a relationship with Aderonke Omololu Olunloyo (formerly Ronke Sonaike), a woman he met during his 1983 governorship campaign. The union reportedly devastated Kemi’s mother and fractured the family. “My mother married a brilliant man who earned a Ph.D. at 26. But that man became a polygamist, and not in a healthy way.”
At the time of reporting, neither the Olunloyo family nor representatives of the late governor have publicly addressed Kemi’s claims. The silence has only fueled further speculation and online debate about the family’s private struggles and the late politician’s legacy.
Kemi Olunloyo’s revelations have once again raised conversations around emotional abuse, generational trauma, and the often unspoken tensions within high-profile Nigerian families. While some see her statements as attention-seeking or in poor taste, others argue that her courage in speaking out reflects the need for more honest conversations around family dynamics in African society.
Kemi Olunloyo’s rejection of her family name following the death of her father marks a deeply personal and painful chapter in her life. Whether or not the public agrees with her approach, her voice continues to disrupt conventional narratives surrounding legacy, respect, and familial loyalty.
As Nigeria mourns the passing of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, one of its most intellectually gifted politicians, the personal and public sides of his legacy remain in sharp contrast — leaving a nation to reconcile the duality of admiration and controversy.