Paternity Dispute: Court Declares No Marriage Between Former Skye Bank Chairman Tunde Ayeni And Lawyer Adaobi
Ayeni was accused by friends and family members of fathering a baby girl with Adaobi, a claim he has consistently denied.
A Federal Capital Territory Customary Court in Dawaki, Abuja, has ruled that no marriage ever existed between Nigerian businessman and former Skye Bank chairman, Tunde Ayeni, and female lawyer Adaobi Alagwu.
SaharaReporters had reported on January 16, 2023, about a paternity dispute between the two.
Ayeni was accused by friends and family members of fathering a baby girl with Adaobi, a claim he has consistently denied.
SaharaReporters, in a series of reports, explored their relationship, revealing a dating history dating back to 2019 and ties to influential figures within Abuja’s social scene.
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Although Ayeni admitted to having a relationship with Adaobi, he denied being the father of the child.
The businessman in a suit, marked FCT/CC/CV/DKDK, had asked the court to affirm that he’s not the father of Adaobi’s daughter and that no marriage exists between them.
He claimed he was pressured into paying a dowry due to ignorance of her native laws and customs.
However, the lawyer maintained that a DNA test conducted in London, UK, with report reference number 0Z5167, confirmed Ayeni as the child’s biological father with 99.9% certainty.
The businessman, however, disputes the test results, alleging they were manipulated.
He accused his ex-mistress of resorting to blackmail after he stopped providing her with a monthly allowance in October 2024.
Ayeni further disclosed that, in addition to financial support, he had purchased a property in Jabi, where he listed Alagwu as a trustee.
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However, he has now asked her to vacate the residence after allegedly discovering that Alagwu’s daughter was not his biological child.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, the court declared that no marriage ever existed between Ayeni and Adaobi, effectively dismissing all counterclaims made by Adaobi.
The case, which began on February 26, 2025, centered on the legitimacy of a supposed marriage that Ayeni argued never took place. He claimed that the payment he made was for the child, not a dowry, and was made under intense pressure from Adaobi’s father.
Ayeni further maintained that his existing marriage to Mrs. Abiola Ayeni, under the Marriage Act since 1994, rendered any claims of a marriage with Adaobi legally invalid.
The court’s decision was based on several key points presented during the proceedings.
As the petitioner, Ayeni provided evidence of his lawful marriage to Mrs. Abiola Ayeni since 1994. He clarified that he never intended to marry Adaobi and that the payment was made because he initially believed the child was his.
He argued that Adaobi’s family pressured him into making the payment to prevent any customary repercussions and to ensure that the child would bear his name.
“The court found that Alagwu’s claims lacked merit, citing clear statutory limitations defined by the Marriage Act. While Adaobi contended that the court lacked jurisdiction, the court ruled that the matter at hand was not between Ayeni and his wife but rather between Tunde Ayeni and Adaobi Alagwu,” a source at the court told SaharaReporters.
“Also, since Adaobi admitted that the money had been returned according to the customary native law and customs, she could not now turn around to rely on jurisdiction.
“During the hearings, Ayeni’s legal counsel, Joseph Silas, emphasised that Adaobi resorted to blackmail after Ayeni withdrew monthly allowances previously accorded to her and requested that she vacate the property he had entrusted to her.
“In conclusion, the court affirmed that no marriage ever existed between Tunde Ayeni and Adaobi Alagwu, and all of Alagwu’s claims were rejected.”
