The Dawaki Customary Court in Abuja has scheduled March 11 for a ruling in a paternity dispute involving Mr. Tunde Ayeni, the former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc.
The case was adjourned after Ayeni, the petitioner, explained the circumstances that led to his strained relationship with his former partner, Ms. Adaobi Alagwu. Through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Silas, Ayeni told the court that his ex-mistress resorted to blackmail after he decided to stop providing a monthly allowance to her in October 2024.
In addition to the financial support, Ayeni also mentioned that he had placed Ms. Alagwu in a property worth N400 million in Jabi District, Abuja, which he had bought and put under her trusteeship. However, after growing frustrated with the relationship, Ayeni asked Ms. Alagwu, the respondent, to vacate the property.
The legal battle revolves around a dispute over the paternity of Ms. Alagwu’s daughter, who Ayeni denies fathering. He has filed a case before the court, requesting a declaration that he is not the father of the child, arguing that no valid marriage ever existed between him and Ms. Alagwu.
Ms. Alagwu, on the other hand, presented a DNA test conducted in London with a 99.9999997% probability that Ayeni is the biological father of her daughter. Ayeni, however, disputes the results, claiming that the test was manipulated.
At the last hearing, Ayeni’s lawyer, Mr. Silas, informed the court that although the case was set for defense, the respondent had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.
Silas argued that the court had the authority to hear the case, noting that the parties had submitted themselves to the court.
He pointed out that the issue at hand is not about the statutory marriage between Ayeni and his wife but about declaring that no marriage exists between Ayeni and Ms. Alagwu, especially after the dowry was returned due to misunderstandings about native law and custom.
He emphasized that the dowry was refunded and was never meant to establish a marriage. Silas urged the court to rule that no marriage existed between the parties, accusing Ms. Alagwu of using the assumption of marriage to blackmail Ayeni after he stopped supporting her financially.
In response, Ms. Alagwu’s lawyer, Mr. T.G. Okechukwu, contended that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter and requested the case be dismissed.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the three-member panel, led by Justice Adlin Achoru, adjourned the case to March 11 for a ruling.
