Rotimi Adeoye, ex-husband of late gospel singer Bunmi Akinnaanu, popularly known, has spoken publicly about his marriage to the singer, the breakdown of their relationship and the clash that occurred with their children during her burial in Lagos.
Mr Adeoye, who was legally married to Omije Ojumi, said he decided to speak out after videos from the burial went viral on social media.
In a chat with Legit.ng, he confirmed that they married at the Surulere Registry in 2006 followed by a church wedding at ECWA Church in Mushin.
The marriage produced two children, Jomiloju and William. Rotimi said the union ended in divorce between 2017 and 2018 after years of unresolved disagreements. According to him, problems began after Bunmi returned to Nigeria, as he was uncomfortable with some of her lifestyle choices, which he said she refused to change.
He also said the marriage suffered a major setback when Bunmi took their daughter to Nigeria just months before she was due to receive her UK residency papers. Rotimi explained that he had planned to use her status to regularise his own stay in the country as her dependant, but the move forced them to restart the process.
Rotimi said he later sorted out his immigration status through other means and finalised the divorce in the UK. He added that he has since remarried.
Speaking on his relationship with his children, Rotimi said he was the primary caregiver for their daughter in the UK from infancy until she was about seven years old, as Bunmi was mostly in Nigeria renewing her visa. He said he remained actively involved in her upbringing during that period despite his immigration challenges.
He further alleged that shortly before their daughter was due to receive her UK citizenship documents, Bunmi took her to Nigeria under the guise of attending a vigil and never returned her. He said this marked the beginning of his estrangement from both children.
Rotimi denied claims that he had abandoned them, saying he made several efforts to maintain contact before Bunmi’s death. He also spoke about the birth of their son, William, in the United States in December 2013, saying he supported Bunmi financially during the pregnancy but disagreed with some of her decisions at the time.
Tension resurfaced during Omije Ojumi’s burial at Atan Cemetery in Lagos when members of Rotimi’s family attempted to facilitate a video call between him and the children at the graveside. The move was resisted by relatives of the late singer, who said the moment was inappropriate. In videos from the scene, a family member was heard saying, “We are your family and we love you. Your father loved you! Your father loves you! And I love you!” while the singer’s son responded, “I am not. I am not!” as emotions ran high.
Omije Ojumi died on January 12, at a hospital in Lagos after a prolonged illness. She was 46. The gospel singer was known for her song Omije Ojumi, which gained wide acceptance in churches and Christian communities across Nigeria.
