Nigerian actress and singer Tonto Dikeh has recounted how her ex-husband, businessman and philanthropist Olakunle Churchill, released their son King Andre’s passport after withholding it for a decade.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Dikeh on Saturday announced her reconciliation with Mr Churchill on social media, describing the reunion as a “divine restoration” after years of public conflict and separation.
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This newspaper also reported that Mr Churchill disclosed on his Instagram page on Sunday that they had put their past differences behind them and were ready to co-parent.
However, the 40-year-old actress went further to share a testimony in church on Sunday following the reconciliation.
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In a now-viral video, Dikeh said she endured ten years of hardship marked by personal struggles and intense public scrutiny, including raising her son without knowing his father.
Breakthrough
She added that the breakthrough occurred during a 21-day fasting and prayer programme at her church.
Dikeh noted: “My son reminded me that Papa asked us to write seven things that we wanted and seven things that we didn’t want. And I said, yes, I told him, ‘Write yours.’ So, on one of the evenings when I came to church, I think it was on the fourth day of the third day, I can’t really remember, I was able to drop mine and his at the altar.
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I took the other one back home. Mind you, every other day we were praying, those papers—we were feeding his communion.
“My son was literally taking and feeding his own communion. So, let me take you back a little bit. As a mother, I saw, when he was taking back his prayer points, I read them: number one, school; two and four—they were all different things.
And he got to number six. My son wrote, ‘God, I want the embassy to remove my passport.’ And that’s where the story comes in. So, you see, I’ve always told my son that his passport was with the embassy. I’ve never told him the whole truth.”
Passport release
Additionally, the actress said she never told her son what transpired between her and his father.
She added that she had told her son the passport was at the embassy, when in fact it was with his father.
She further disclosed that after the first two days of participating in a 21-day prayer programme,
“I don’t know who’s here, who doesn’t even know about that battle. It’s worldwide. So, I sat him (my son). When he told me, I saw it, and I just sighed. I said, ‘Oh, God.’ So I left him. I didn’t think much about it. Church, exactly two days later. How would you shout? Now, this testimony is the first week of the 21 days of fasting and prayer, and it was the week of early answers. Two days later, his father reached out to me and said, ‘I want to give you every document this boy needs, every document that you left with me.’
“And for some reason, the Holy Spirit just told me, ‘He’s real, he’s serious, believe him.’ And I just stood there, and I believed him. He asked a series of questions, which led me to realise it was time to talk to my son about who his father was. And the truth is, I tell you before me, you, and God, I have never spoken a word, whether it was a bad word or a good word, about my son’s father to him,” she said.
Narration
Furthermore, the actress added that after Mr Churchill agreed to release Andre’s passport, she sat him down and recounted what transpired between them.
She emphasised that she had never spoken to her son about her ex-husband.
“So I sat him down one day, and I told him, ‘Have you ever wondered where your dad is?’ He said, ‘Yes, I have. I feel like I don’t want to talk about it.’ And I said, ‘Oh, okay.’
And I sat him down, and I said, ‘Okay, I’m very sorry for what I’m going to say, and I really want you to listen to me.’ He said, ‘Mom, what did you say? Talk, talk.’ He just kept pushing me. He was eating, actually, very nonchalantly. He was eating, and he kept saying, ‘Talk, talk.’
“And I was almost breaking down, but I knew I had to stay strong for my child. So I told him this, just to myself: a man and a woman met in a different city, and it became war.
And he was like, ‘Really?’ I said, ‘Yeah, we were so bitter, we were toxic, and in the midst of all of these things that affected you, I’m sorry.’ And he looked at me and said, ‘So have you forgiven him?’ I didn’t answer. He said, ‘Mommy,’ because he’s very authoritative, ‘he talks to me like he’s my father.’”
Dikeh added that after informing her son about the situation, he forgave his father before she did.
Bitterness
She also revealed that both the current and former Nigeria’s presidents intervened, but she initially refused to forgive Mr Churchill, a stance she attributed to her bitterness.
“He said, ‘Mommy, have you forgiven him?’ And I looked up at my son, and my son said, ‘If you didn’t forgive him, I have forgiven him. But it’s okay, I can understand better now.’ And, church, I mean, I’m telling you that this is 10 years—10 years of war, 10 years of public shame, 10 years without a boy knowing his father, 10 years of lack of love, 10 years of bitterness, of hatred; everything just dissolved in front of my child. I found my child holding my hand because I was crying.
“He held my hand, and I was just praying for his father. I prayed for that man; I prayed for that man. I have had so much bitterness and anger towards him. Immediately, everything just broke down. Church, I see myself, I see myself addressing my ex-husband as he should be addressed. Before I put one, you know, one sentence or something added to his name, I respected him now. We are talking like we are friends; I see myself forgiving.”
Background
This newspaper reported that the actress confirmed their separation during an appearance on “Rubbin’ Minds”, hosted by Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, where she said she sought a divorce over alleged domestic abuse and infidelity.
Ms Dikeh accused Mr Churchill of engaging in an extramarital relationship with his personal assistant, Rosy Meurer.
She also alleged that he was gay or bisexual and linked him to cyber fraud, among other accusations.
Following the allegations, Mr Churchill instituted legal action at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking redress.
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He also filed a N500 million suit against the actress in connection with her controversial interview aired in May 2019.
In addition, Mr Churchill petitioned the then Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Adamu, accusing Ms Dikeh of forging documents and unlawfully selling his Toyota Prado SUV, valued at N22 million.
While the couple remained separated, this newspaper reported in February 2021 that Mr Churchill publicly introduced Rosy Meurer as his new wife, his former personal assistant.
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