Former Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni, has urged a Federal Capital Territory Customary Court in Dawaki, Abuja, to declare that his ex-mistress, Adaobi Alagwu’s daughter, is not his.
Ayeni, who has been embroiled in a paternity dispute with Alagwu since 2022, insists that he is not the biological father of the child.
During Monday’s court session, Ayeni led in evidence by his lawyer Silas Onu, maintained that Alagwu was never his wife and that his previous financial commitments were made under the assumption that the child was his.
“I want a declaration that she was never my wife; we were never married, and I am not the biological father of her daughter,” he told the court.
Ayeni admitted that he initially paid a sum to Alagwu’s father, believing it was necessary for the child to bear his surname under Igbo tradition. However, he later demanded a refund after realizing the child was not his.
“I was made to believe that the child was mine, which informed why I took those steps. But when I discovered otherwise, I conveyed the fact that she did not belong to me,” he added.
He further alleged that Alagwu parading herself as “Mrs. Ayeni” had caused embarrassment to his wife, prompting him to issue a legal cease-and-desist notice.
Ayeni cited physical differences, such as the child being flat-footed—an attribute he claims no member of his family possesses—as part of his reasons for doubting paternity.
When asked if he would submit to another DNA test, Ayeni refused, stating he would only agree if other men who had relationships with Alagwu also participated.
The court has scheduled March 4 for Alagwu’