The late Bamidele Akingboye’s widow, Christy Akingboye, a former Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for governor of Ondo State in the November 2024 election, has openly denied any involvement in her husband’s demise.
According to Vanguard, she maintains that the accusations made against her were untrue, nasty, and purposefully made to malign her and her kids.
Speaking in Lagos, Christy described the emotional toll her husband’s declining mental health placed on the family over a tumultuous five-year battle.
She said that she kept quiet for weeks following his passing in order to preserve his honor, that of his kids and grandkids, and that she didn’t want to stigmatize him.
She claims that in 2019, Bamidele received a diagnosis of bipolar manic disorder, which led to numerous episodes of intense mania, suicidal thoughts, and unpredictable behavior.
She claimed that the stress of political campaigns, high debt, and restless nights made the sickness worse.
He was a friend of mine. She described an intimate marriage in which they shared nearly everything, saying, “I didn’t just lose a husband, I lost my better half.”
In 2019, we experienced two significant incidents. He was even prevented from jumping off our balcony by my daughter. The cops had to transport him to a mental health facility in Dubai on another occasion.
She mentioned medical facilities and experts who cared for him in Lagos, Dubai, Abuja, and then Lagos once more, adding that the family fought the sickness in secret to keep him safe.
She claimed that both during and after his political appearances, the late politician’s stress level was “extremely high.”
Christy emphasized that her husband’s financial concerns made his health worse, pointing out that he had a lengthy list of debts prior to his passing, some of which totaled hundreds of millions of naira.
He regularly voiced concern that creditors may contact law enforcement, she added.
She revealed that, in order to preserve his political legacy and avoid cultural stigma, she had originally decided not to make public his suicide attempts, including the last episode that resulted in his death.
“People use suicide as a weapon in our culture. She remarked, “I didn’t want my husband to be remembered that way.”
Christy said the trouble started when Samuel Akingboye, her stepson, who she called her son, accused her of killing their father.
After the catastrophe, she said, she expected him to act as a stabilizing force, but “he went the route of blackmail, fabrications, and media attacks.”
Christy accused him of fabricating photos to support claims of murder and domestic violence.
She presented what she claimed were authentic morgue photos of her spouse that were going around the internet, free of wounds, bruises, and other marks.
“I have clean hands. The truth is known to God. I have nothing to conceal. I had a pal named him. I spent years fighting for his life. His kids witnessed the occurrences and are aware of what transpired. After this, they all require rehabilitation.
Only a fair and comprehensive review can clear the air and bring closure, Christy said, urging authorities to concentrate on her late husband’s medical records and protracted fight with mental illness.
About the Author
