More than two decades after the death of celebrated Nigerian comedian and broadcaster Gbenga Adeboye, a fresh wave of controversy has reopened old wounds within his family. The renewed dispute follows a candid interview granted by his widow, Omolara Adeboye, on the Kasnaty Show, hosted by broadcaster and media personality Kolawole Adejojo on YouTube. In that conversation, Omolara detailed her experiences in the years since her husband’s passing, alleging that members of his family abandoned her and that some relatives interfered with property he left behind.
The interview has since sparked a public exchange of accusations between the widow and her late husband’s siblings, reviving disagreements that had simmered for years. What began as one woman’s account of grief and survival has grown into a multi-sided dispute touching on property, paternity, care during illness and allegations of ritual practices.
The Widow’s Account of Abandonment and Property Disputes
In her interview, Omolara spoke candidly about the emotional turmoil that followed her husband’s death. She described a period of deep depression and sadness, recalling that she was unable to mourn him properly. She also dismissed long-standing rumours that she had remarried after his death, insisting that she remained unmarried.
Central to her account were allegations concerning a house Gbenga built. Omolara claimed that her late husband’s brother, Femi Adeboye, took documents relating to the property. According to her, Femi used to visit the family every morning when they lived at Olowura. After the family relocated, she said, relatives expressed a desire to pack Gbenga’s belongings, and it was during that period that Femi took the documents. She alleged that he repeatedly promised to return them but later said he had handed them over to the head of the family, a development that resulted in a significant quarrel.
The widow further recounted being told that Femi travelled to Ibadan to consult a herbalist and obtain charms against her. She claimed the charm was prepared in three parts: the first was intended to subdue her, the second to ensure no man would look her way again, and the third to prevent anyone from paying attention to her. Omolara said she had remained silent for years because she believed silence was golden, and she presented several letters allegedly written by her late husband and his siblings during the interview.
The Sisters Respond
Her comments drew a swift response from two of Adeboye’s sisters, Seun and Sayo, who challenged her claims and offered their own accounts of the disputes before and after their brother’s death. Speaking on Baba Olomi TV on YouTube, Seun described Gbenga as a caring person, recalling how he once looked after her when she was ill and allowed her to sleep in his room, covering her with clothes.
Seun also dismissed allegations that Gbenga was involved in fetish practices or belonged to the Ogboni fraternity, insisting that he was a prayerful man. She said some people had tried to influence him to join a confraternity group, but he rejected the overture. She further alleged that valuable belongings were removed from her brother’s house while family members were at the hospital, claiming that Omolara had a spare key to the property.
Sayo levelled additional accusations, alleging that Omolara mistreated Gbenga during his final days. She claimed that Omolara brought an Islamic cleric from Ibadan who allegedly performed a ritual involving a hen, a heated knife and a black substance. According to Sayo, the cleric placed a knife in fire to kill a hen, collected the blood in a calabash, mixed it with a black substance and gave it to Omolara to drink.
Sayo also questioned the authenticity of the letters Omolara presented, arguing that they appeared unusually new despite supposedly being several years old. She noted that the letters still looked neat and the ink had not faded, which she found difficult to believe. In addition, she accused Omolara of disregarding medical advice while Gbenga was hospitalised. According to her, family members had been cautioned against eating in front of him because of a surgery he had undergone, yet she alleged that Omolara once offered him tea. Sayo said a nurse informed her of the incident, and when confronted, Omolara explained that he was hungry and had requested the tea.
Paternity Allegations and the Call for DNA Tests
Perhaps the most contentious allegation raised by Sayo concerned the paternity of Omolara’s three children. She claimed that Gbenga told their elder brother, Femi, while on his sickbed that Igwe was his only biological son. Sayo said her brother did not state this openly, but the family was now demanding DNA tests to establish the paternity of the children and challenging Omolara to submit to them.
She also disputed Omolara’s account of how Gbenga’s estate was handled, insisting that Femi did not have any of their late brother’s properties in his custody. The sisters said they had not planned to discuss the family disagreements publicly but decided to respond to what they described as false claims about their brother and the family. Sayo closed her remarks with a call for repentance and a renewed demand for DNA testing to determine the true biological child.
Omolara Replies to Neglect Claims
Responding to allegations that she neglected her husband during his illness, Omolara said she was not informed when he was transferred from one hospital to another. She explained that she was the one who called Festus because her husband refused to go to the hospital. On the day in question, she said she was taking her children to school and could not wait for him. Festus later came to take him to the hospital, and she went to check on him and even bathed him. However, when she arrived the following day, she was told he had already been transferred to another hospital without her consent.
A Son’s Perspective on Grief and Rumours
Omolara’s son, Igwe Adeboye, who also featured in the interview, spoke about the emotional toll of his father’s death on the family, particularly on his mother. He recalled that her grief sometimes overwhelmed her to the extent that she forgot to arrange for him and his siblings to be picked up from school. Igwe also dismissed rumours that his mother had remarried and relocated to the United States, saying she had remained in Nigeria mourning her husband.
A Legacy That Endures
Gbenga Adeboye, popularly known as Funwontan, was a comedian, broadcaster, musician, songwriter and master of ceremonies whose distinctive Yoruba humour and storytelling made him a household name. Born on September 30, 1959, in Ode-Omu, Osun State, he gained prominence through his programmes on Radio Lagos and the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation. His unique style earned him several nicknames, including Alhaji Pastor Oluwo and Abefe. He died on April 30, 2003, aged 43, after an illness reportedly linked to kidney disease.
Twenty-three years after his death, the comedian’s family remains divided, with the latest exchange of allegations showing that the wounds left by his passing have not healed. The dispute now rests on competing accounts of property, care and paternity, with the family’s call for DNA tests adding a new dimension to a controversy that shows little sign of resolution.
