Former Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni, is at the centre of a paternity dispute involving an Abuja-based lawyer, Adaobi Alagwu.
Alagwu is reported to be claiming that Ayeni is the biological father of her daughter, an allegation Ayeni denies through his media team.
According to a statement issued on Ayeni’s behalf, the businessman meets Alagwu in 2019 and briefly dates her before ending the relationship.
The statement rejects the paternity claim and describes reports linking Ayeni to the child as unfounded.
“To continue to spread this unfounded tale is not only unfair to our friend, but also an embarrassment to the lady who knows the father of her baby. Tunde has got nothing to do with this,” the statement says.
Ayeni’s media team says he ends the relationship after a few months and moves on with his life.
“Having ended the relationship with Ada, Mr. Tunde Ayeni moved on with his life since 2019 and had put all the unpleasant experience in the past,” the statement adds.
The statement also describes the reports circulating in Abuja as distressing to the businessman and his family.
However, people described as familiar with the relationship between Ayeni and Alagwu dispute his account and insist that the businessman is the father of the child.
A relative of Alagwu, speaking to SaharaReporters, also makes several allegations concerning Ayeni’s relationship with the lawyer.
The relative claims that Ayeni and Alagwu maintain a close relationship and alleges that the businessman provides her with financial and property support.
Among the allegations is a claim that Ayeni provides Alagwu with a house in Abuja, purchases property for her mother and supports the establishment of her law practice.
The relative also alleges that Ayeni gives her a Range Rover and frequently visits her office.
These claims are disputed and are not independently established in the material available for this report.
Another source quoted in the report describes Alagwu’s personality and makes further allegations concerning her relationship with Ayeni.
The source also claims that Alagwu previously has a relationship with businessman Greg Uanseru before becoming involved with Ayeni.
According to the source, Alagwu is prepared to pursue the paternity dispute publicly until Ayeni accepts responsibility for the child.
“She is ready to drag him through the mud if he continues to deny the paternity of her daughter,” the source claims.
The source further alleges that Alagwu tells people that Ayeni encourages her to become pregnant and that several witnesses can support her account.
The paternity dispute comes amid renewed attention on Ayeni’s business and legal history.
In 2019, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arraigns Ayeni, former Skye Bank Managing Director Timothy Oguntayo and two companies before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations involving N25.4 billion.
The charges filed under the leadership of former EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu include allegations of money laundering involving funds linked to the defunct bank.
One of the counts alleges that Ayeni, while serving as chairman of Skye Bank, converts N17.415 billion allegedly taken from the bank’s suspense account.
The charge states that the money allegedly constitutes proceeds of an unlawful act.
Ayeni and the other defendants face the allegations before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Reports later indicate that the EFCC withdraws the N25.4 billion case following an arrangement involving the defendants.
The reported settlement also involves the forfeiture of cash and assets, although the final value returned by Ayeni and his co-defendants is not publicly established in the material cited.
The current paternity dispute remains a matter of conflicting claims, with Ayeni denying responsibility for the child while sources cited by SaharaReporters maintain the opposite position.
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