Lawyer and entrepreneur Adaobi Alagwu has responded to businessman Tunde Ayeni’s claim that he regrets ever meeting her, accusing the former Skye Bank chairman of deceiving her into a customary marriage.
In a letter by her legal team Indemnity Partners, led by B.C. Igwilo, Adaobi claimed Ayeni tricked her into believing he was customarily married and could take a second wife.
“Without doubt, our client and Dr. Tunde Ayeni 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 letter read.
The letter further stated that the relationship produced a daughter, whose international passport and official birth records bear Ayeni’s name.
“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.”
Adaobi said Ayeni personally sponsored a DNA test abroad, which confirmed paternity.
“Dr. Ayeni personally sponsored a DNA paternity test abroad and the report was 99.9999 per cent certainty,” she stated.
Ayeni has denied the existence of a marriage between them and also challenged the authenticity of the DNA test.
“There was no marriage between Dr. Tunde Ayeni and Adaobi Alagwu. This has been Ayeni’s position from the beginning, which the court… reaffirmed in its ruling delivered on March 11, 2025,” his legal team said.
In March, the Dawaki Customary Court in Abuja ruled that no marriage existed between the two. The dowry was ordered to be refunded and the alleged union declared void.
Ayeni later described the DNA result as fake, saying it was compromised and used in a blackmail plot against him.
“When I say the certificate is fake, it is a position informed by indisputable facts… Indian name that signed it… it became crystal clear… the process has been compromised,” he said in a separate interview.
The businessman also said he regretted ever meeting Adaobi.
“I regret ever meeting that lady… those things I did out of the goodness of my heart were used to blackmail me… I’m still recovering everything I can recover from the idiot and her shameless mother,” he told reporters.
Ayeni has since filed a lawsuit to reclaim two properties in Abuja he said he entrusted to Adaobi and her mother, one in Lakeview Estates and another in Jabi.
“They’ve been served legal notice to vacate my properties… the case is now in court,” he said.
Although the customary court dismissed the marriage claim, a recent development saw another court rule that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain Ayeni’s suit on paternity and marriage declaration, casting fresh legal uncertainty on the matter.
Despite this, Adaobi insists the DNA test proves Ayeni is the father of her child and maintains she was deceived into the relationship.
Legal proceedings regarding paternity and property recovery are still ongoing.
