Fani-Kayode separates from wife, demands N2bn from blogger

By ENIOLA AKINKUOTU, Abuja

A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has separated from his wife, Precious Chikwendu, with whom he had four sons, The PUNCH can confirm.

Fani-Kayode has, however, written a pre-litigation letter to popular blogger, Stella Dimokorkus, demanding N2bn from her for a report he termed libelous.

The blogger had in a report attributed the separation to domestic violence and alleged that the triplet sons may not have been fathered by Fani-Kayode as they were conceived through IVF and Chikwendu had demanded a DNA test.

In a letter signed by his lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, dated September 16, 2020, the former minister described the report as preposterous.

The letter titled, ‘Defamation of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode- Re: Femi Fani-Kayode and Precious Chikwendu Part Ways Over Alleged Domestic Violence’, stated that the allegations were spurious and maliciously engineered.

The former minister said he was disturbed about the manner in which the report was written which insults the sensibilities of unsuspecting readers.

He denied allegations that he retrieved the car he bought for his estranged wife and had left her broke.

Fani-Kayode said it was saddening that his innocent little children could be dragged into such a report, subjecting them to ridicule.

The letter further read, “Our client is aggrieved and has instructed us to draw your attention to these libelous breaches of his person and family. By this publication, our client has received denigrating phone calls and messages across the globe by virtue of which he now suffers immeasurable loss of goodwill.

“However, he is inclined to draw a curtain over the wild and spurious claims if you retract the allegations on the same platform they were published and consequently apologise to him in two other national dailies.

“You are also advised to enter into negotiations with us for the sum of two billion naira only being a token amount for penitence. Please bear in mind that you have 14 days from receipt of this letter to comply with the highlighted mitigating measures, the failure of which will leave our client with no preferred alternative than to seek redress in court.”

Fani-Kayode and Chikwendu, who is a former beauty queen, became an item around 2015 and subsequently welcomed a son in 2016.

In 2018, they welcomed a set of triplet boys. (The PUNCH)