Businessman sues lady over child paternity dispute

From Godwin Tsa Abuja

A businessman, Dr. Tunde Ayeni has dragged an Abuja-based lady, Ms Adaobi Alagwu, before a customary court over the raging child paternity row between them.

In a petition before the court, Ayeni has vehemently denied fathering the child which the respondent (Adaobi) claimed is his offspring.

Meanwhile, the court has further shifted the hearing of the petition to February 17, 2025.

When the case was mentioned yesterday, counsel to the petitioner, Silas Onu informed the court that he is filing a notice of discontinuance of an earlier petition on the ground  of improper service .

The lawyer said a fresh petition has been filed and already been served on the respondent.

Following this development, the court accordingly struck out the previous petition after counsel to the respondent confirmed receipt of it.

While apologizing for the absence of the respondent in court, the lawyer noted that his client was still within time to file her defence.

At this point, the court asked the respondent counsel whether he is denying that the sum paid by Dr Ayeni to Adaobi family has not been refunded to the petitioner.

The lawyer, however, answered that the said money has been refunded but added they are yet to file their defence

Adjourning the matter, the court stressed that the respondent  should serve all the process of their reply to the petition on the petitioner and that parties should be in court at the next adjourned date for trial .

Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, Dr Ayeni, who attended the court session with his wife, said , “the matter is about one rabble rouser girl trying to malign me that she has a child for me. Initially, when I thought it was real , I took some responsible steps . But later I discovered that it was all a set up I therefore took immediate steps to reverse those steps.

“The money I paid because of the child has been returned. I just want a clear record  to make it convincingly and unambiguously  clear that there is no connection between me and the lady. She’s a gold digger but this time,  she has met with the wrong person. 

“That is why I brought her to court here so that matters are laid to rest once and for all. I have records of all the events, and we are ready to prove our case

In a bid to prove his was not the father of the child, the petitioner had some months back, requested and was paid back the money he had earlier paid to the Adaobi’s family when he was led to believe that he was the  father of the child.

In a letter dated January 23,  2025 from the petitioner’s lawyer, to Indemnity Partners ( Adaobi’s legal representative) exclusively obtained by our Correspondent, his counsel noted that : “the fact that our client was deceived into thinking that he was the father, does not negate the truth which he later discovered that he isn’t the father of the said child referred to in your letter as “X”.”

Specifically, on the issue of the payment made to the family, which some had initially misconstrued as bride price, the letter stated: “It is our understanding that what you have referred to as a “ceremony of marriage to the mother at some time between conception and birth, in your letter under reference is undoubtedly not only strange, but surreptitious customary hoodwink used to get our client to making some traditional payment which was to enable the child use his family name before the said child was born, which also precedes the uncovering of the truth regarding paternity by our client.

“ It will also interest you to know that upon uncovering the truth, our client demanded for refund of the said money and same was refunded in full, thus ending whatever the design was meant to achieve and thereby terminating the privilege of that child using our client’s family name.

Debunking the false claim of payment of any bride price, the letter noted further: “It is sad that our client, not being an Igbo man, was unaware that such payment amounted to paying a bride price (dowry). At no point did he ever contemplate the idea of getting married to your client,” the letter asserted”.

Dr Ayeni has continually maintained that he had ended any form of relationship with the lady and urged her to move on with her life .