Popular Nigerian gospel singer Tope Alabi has broken her silence on the long-standing controversy surrounding her past relationship with the father of her first child.

Before her marriage to Soji Alabi in November 2000, Tope was in a relationship with a man named Lekan Olaoye, and together they had a daughter, Ayomikun. Her current marriage to Soji Alabi has since been blessed with two more children.

In recent months, the singer faced backlash online for allegedly excluding her former partner from her daughter’s wedding and for changing Ayomikun’s surname to that of her husband.

Addressing the issue in a recent video posted on her Facebook page, Tope Alabi revealed that her former partner never made any formal approach to her family or fulfilled traditional marriage rites.

She recounted, “I started living with him because I was under pressure from my family to get married. I didn’t know I was stepping into something worse. Whenever I went home, my father would express concern, saying he had never met the man or any of his relatives.”

She continued, “After much pressure, he eventually showed up one night with some work colleagues. When my family asked when his people would come for the introduction, he simply said, ‘Okay.’ That ‘okay’ never came to pass. Now, I don’t even need it anymore. My father, who once waited for it, is gone. Thankfully, before he passed, he witnessed a better ‘okay’ from a good family.”

Concluding her message, the singer advised young women to be cautious in relationships, warning that some men might exploit those who appear gullible or emotionally vulnerable.

Watch the video