- Ms. Adaobi Alagwu claims she was deceived into a customary marriage by Dr. Tunde Ayeni, based on false information about his marital status.
- The former Skye Bank Chairman’s recent interview with THISDAY was deemed false, malicious, and defamatory, as it distracted from the central issues.
Nigerian lawyer and entrepreneur, Ms. Adaobi Alagwu, has accused former Skye Bank Chairman, Dr. Tunde Ayeni, of deceiving her into a purported customary marriage based on what she described as deliberate misrepresentation about his marital status.
In a letter addressed to THISDAY through her legal team, Indemnity Partners, led by Chief B. C. Igwilo (SAN), Alagwu refuted claims made by Ayeni in a recent interview titled “I Regret Ever Meeting Adaobi Alagwu.” She described the statements as false, defamatory, and a distraction from the real issues at hand.
According to the letter, Alagwu claimed that her relationship with Ayeni began under the impression that he was legally married under customary law, which would have permitted him to take another wife. She stated that this belief formed the foundation of their relationship, which later led to the birth of their child.
“Without doubt, our client and Dr. TundeAyeni went out as consenting adults premised primarily on the misrepresentation by Dr. Ayeni of his true marital status. He had represented to our client that he was married under customary law and therefore could also marry her without legal fetters,” the statement read.
Alagwu’s lawyers further disclosed that Ayeni personally arranged and funded a DNA paternity test abroad, which confirmed with 99.9999% accuracy that he is the biological father of the child. The child bears his surname and is officially recognized as his daughter in her international passport and birth records.
The letter also alleged that Ayeni later became hostile and antagonistic towards Alagwu and her family, launching public attacks despite no provocation from her side.
“Our unsuspecting client was therefore later tricked into a purported customary marriage with Dr. Ayeni. This relationship begot Baby Ayeni who was named by Dr. Ayeni with all her given names. Dr. Ayeni is also recorded as the baby’s father in her international passport and official birth records.
“In the course of time, Dr. Ayeni personally sponsored a DNA paternity test abroad and the report was 99.9999 per cent certainty. Further, Dr. Ayeni was later to develop intense public antagonism towards our client and her family, often spewing verbiage, without reaction in kind by our client,” the letter to THISDAY said.
Alagwu firmly denied any claims that she tampered with the DNA process or hacked into the email of Ayeni’s wife, calling such allegations baseless and absurd.
The letter concluded by stating that the THISDAY interview was an intentional attempt to discredit and defame her, and warned that legal steps may follow if the defamatory content isn’t addressed.
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