According to her, the marital crisis began after her husband proposed relocating the family to Canada and introduced a travel agent to assist with immigration processing.
The wife of Sunday Asefon Adedayo, the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Student Engagements, has raised alarming allegations that her husband has abandoned his family for three years, orchestrated harassment against her and threatened her safety through loyalists within student unions.
Speaking to SaharaReporters on Tuesday, Mrs. Asefon said she fears for her life, alleging that her husband could harm and nothing would happen, citing his political influence and the involvement of his "dangerous" associates.
Narrating her ordeal, she said she and Asefon had been married for 11 years and dated for seven years before their marriage.
"We have been married for 11 years, and we dated for 7 years before that. In total, I have known him for 18 years. We have two children together, and I am legally married to him” she said.
According to her, the marital crisis began after her husband proposed relocating the family to Canada and introduced a travel agent to assist with immigration processing.
"Along the line, he told me he wanted to relocate me and our children to Canada. He introduced a travel agent to me. I took the IELTS exam and scored 6.5 on my first attempt.
"I did not know he was secretly dating the travel agent. After that, my husband began misbehaving and accusing me falsely of infidelity. Eventually, he started parading the travel agent as his new wife," she alleged.
Mrs. Asefon accused individuals close to her husband — particularly student union leaders — of launching coordinated harassment against her.
She identified one Owolewa Taiwo, the current NASS South-West Zonal Coordinator, and another man identified only as Sikiru, said to be her husband’s Chief of Staff, as key actors in the threats she received.
“Later, another strange number called me. It was a woman who hid her caller ID. She began cursing me, cursing my children, and even insulting my mother. She claimed she was from the Ashefon family. I told her that no member of that family would call to insult me or my children.
"She called again and continued cursing me. I did not reply her. I went to the State CID and reported the matter. I submitted the number, and they tracked her.
"When she was invited to the State CID, she said she had never met me before and did not even know my name. She confessed that Sikiru, the Chief of Staff, gave her ₦20,000 to threaten me and insult my children. I wept bitterly. I kept asking what I had done to deserve this.
"These same people keep lying to my husband that they see me in hotels and various places. And he believes them. It was the same Sikiru who also paid someone else to threaten me," she said.
Mrs. Asefon told SaharaReporters that when police attempted to detain the woman behind the threats, her husband allegedly tried to intervene.
“A police officer told me there was pressure to release her. My husband called the AIG and the Commissioner of Police,” she claimed.
"Later he even called me using my daughter’s phone number and admitted he told them to release her.”
She said the harassment escalated when the wife of one of Asefon’s associates visited her residence in Ibadan allegedly intending to assault her.
“She sent me voice notes saying she came to beat me and would have done it if I had been at home,” she said.
The mother of two, who lives alone with her 10-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, said she worries constantly about her safety.
“If they had entered while I was home, anything could have happened. They keep saying my husband will use the ‘presidency’ against me,” she said.
Mrs. Asefon expressed heartbreak that the man she supported for years is now allegedly using power and political connections to intimidate her.
“When I married him, he was earning ₦20,000 as security staff at Crown Polytechnic. Everyone knows I stood by him,” she said.
"Now he says he will deal with me because he knows people in the presidency.”
She added that threatening messages were also sent to her mother, a widow, allegedly from her husband.
Mrs. Asefon said all she wants is protection for herself and her children.
“I want peace. I just want to be safe,” she pleaded.
“Please help me before something happens. I am tired of living in fear.”
When SaharaReporters contacted Mr. Asefon, he explained that he had been separated from his wife for three years, though they were not legally divorced. He, however, denied claims that he had been threatening her.
He asked how he could threaten someone who gave him two children, and alleged that his estranged wife was promiscuous and had no regard for his family.
Speaking further with SaharaReporters, he said: “They are already at the station in Ado, and my family members are there. She calls me and her mother calls me. As I’m talking to you now, there is an high chief also on my second phone.
“I don’t even know why this is happening because I have a meeting to attend. Their mother went to report to an high chief in their town this morning, and the chief has already told her the truth. Her mother has been sending me voice notes— not exactly threatening, but clearly taking sides with her daughter.
“These are family issues, family-to-family matters. When those voice notes got to some of my family members, they didn’t take it lightly. One of my sisters called her, and another person also called her. She then went to the station to get the young lady arrested. The lady was released yesterday, but they asked her to return to the police station today. My family is also there.
“She also said I sent her threatening voice notes. I don’t know why I would send such. I have comrades around who also know her.
“Let me explain something: Taiwo’s wife was pregnant for ten months, and the baby died in her womb. Yesterday, my wife sent a voice note to Taiwo’s wife, claiming that she used that dead baby for elevation in a student contest. Now imagine if something happened to the two children she had for me—she would also say I used them.
“So, if she says someone is threatening her, let her present the voice notes. The only person I know who reacted was Taiwo’s wife, who said she went to my house to confront her over that voice note."
“If she says she wants to go to Canada, that’s her choice. If you have money, you can go anywhere. She also claims I am dating someone. I always tell people I have been a students leader for a long time — people know me. Whether they like me or not, I am a public figure.
“But the point is this: you cannot be accusing your husband of everything. Am I not taking care of my kids? She lives in my first house. I’m based in Abuja. Even before our issues started, she wasn’t living with me consistently. My children stay in my house.
“Please, also ask her to send you the voice notes she sent to Taiwo’s wife," he said.
Mr. Asefon explained that in the morning, her mother sent him voice notes accusing him of being an opportunist.
He told her that everyone alive is an opportunist in one way or another. She replied that he has “grace” and that people in his family are wealthy.