Encomium
– Estranged wife wants all his assets shared equally
A fresh trouble is in the offing for socialite and hubby of celebrated ex-beauty queen, Nike Oshinowo, Dr. Tunde Soleye.
His estrange first wife, Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Soleye, who described his marriage to Nike as illegal, wants all he owns shared equally between both of them.
Maintaining that the two of them started from the scratch, with a four-bed clinic at the Ajaokuta Steel factory in the old Kwara State, the woman added: “I helped groom the four-bed clinic to a 30-bed hospital. I never looked back because I thought it was a life time commitment, but I decided to take the back seat when I noticed he was having illicit relationship with certain members of staff,” which accordint to her, made her quit her designation as the MD of the hospital, situated on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos to devote more attention to taking care of her children and the home front.
Tendering some documents to back her claim, she said she would have even supplied more, but for her being denied access to her matrimonial home.
Equally accusing Dr. Soleye of adultery and ill-treatment, the woman lamented that her huisband reduced her to an object to ridicule in the society and that as a result, she suffered so much pshycological pains.
Joined in the suit which is before Justice Elfrida Willaims-Dawodu is Nike, the man’s new love and one of those Mrs. Oluwafunmilayo Soleye believes contrinuted to the faling apart of her marriage of 34 years.
Dr. Tunde Soleye just got back from London where he had been for months, following his involvement in an alleged $4.86 million scam. The money was meant for the procyrement of 12 bullet proof boats for the National Inland Waterways Authority. Investigation revealed that he was contracted for the deal sometimes in 2007, while the boats were to be shipped from Malaysia and United Kingdom. But contractual arrangement is yet to be fulfilled.
His divorse case which is currently pending at the Igbosere, Lagos High Court, promises to be sensational, especially because of how bitter the estranged wife is and the likelihood that she may spill more.
A medical doctor cum contractor, the Kwara State born fun loving man is the son of the owner of Duro Soleye Hospital, on Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos. He also runs Health Aids, a medical outfit, with his embittered wife (Mrs. Olufunmilayo Soleye) as an executive director.
Interestingly, the union with Oluwafunmilayo, who is equally the MD/CEO of Soleye Optics, an optical outfit on Victoria Island, Lagos, produced three children (among them Tolagbe and Temitope).
Before taking Nike Oshinowo as wife, Dr. Soleye had allegedly dated other women like Hadiza (an Abuja-based lady who felt heart broken when he intimated her that he was taking Nike as wife); Biola, daughter of billionaire Alhaji Rasaq Okoya and one Lara, who has a son for him.
Soleye, 57, is one of the few Nigerians who do not joke with their comfort. At a point in time, he was allegedly maintaining a permanent suite at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, but was eventually thrown out over some unresolved financial issues.
Nike (winner of the 1990 edition of the Most beautiful Girl in Nigeria), 45, is equally well known for her high profile relationship. She was romantically linked with the Lebanse owner of K’s Place, Kamal Boustani, Wade Chevkwayo, Oba Omobolanle Oyekan, the Onilado of Ilado and erstwhile MD of MTN, Adrian Wood, before settling down.
We tried speaking with the first wife on Monday, July 12, 2010, to get more facts, but the lady (one Patricia) who took her call promised to get back to us. She, however, never did until we went to press.
- This story was first published in ENCOMIUM Weekly on Tuesday, July 13, 2010
