My Prophetess Wife Told Me Two of Our Children Are Not Mine – Husband

A dramatic marital dispute has unfolded at the Grade A Customary Court sitting in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, where a prophetess named Idowu has approached the court seeking the dissolution of her marriage to her husband, Aaron. The wife cited irresponsibility, neglect, domestic violence, and threats to her life as grounds for divorce. She told the court that their marriage lacked love and affection, accusing Aaron of regular physical abuse, marital rape, and threatening her life with a knife. But in a shocking counterclaim, the husband made a stunning revelation: he told the court that his wife once informed him during an argument that two of their four children are not his biological children.

In her testimony before the court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, Idowu painted a grim picture of her 13-year marriage. She stated that she walked out of the marriage when it became obvious her husband would one day make good his threat to kill her. “My husband is inhumane. He never showed me love nor showered affection on me. All he knew to do was to raise arguments, fight, and beat me,” she said. The prophetess further detailed harrowing experiences of abuse: “My husband was in the habit of drawing a knife at me whenever we fought and would threaten to kill me. He also used to have sex with me with force, thus humiliating me.” Idowu also accused Aaron of neglecting her and their four children, stating that he was insensitive to their needs and starved them on a daily basis. She also claimed her husband was indifferent to their children’s education. “I singlehandedly bore the responsibility of our children’s education. I funded their WASSCE and JAMB examination, which they passed in flying colours,” she told the court. “They have been given admission into the higher institution, but he has still refused to make any contributions towards the payment of their tuition fees. He has made zero contribution towards our children’s upkeep since I left home.” Fearing for her safety, Idowu stated that she moved out with their four children (two sets of twins). She is now seeking from the court full custody of their four children, a court order forcing Aaron to pay child upkeep, and a restraining order to protect her privacy and safety.

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Aaron, in his response, consented to the divorce but made a counter-demand: he wants custody of their first set of twins. He told the court that he was no longer interested in the union but refused to allow his wife to have custody of their older twins. It was during his testimony that Aaron dropped the bombshell. He claimed that his wife once told him during an argument that their second set of twins is not his biological children. He also accused Idowu of poor parenting, citing an incident where one of the younger twins was caught stealing at school, which he said brought shame to the family. “My wife has constantly denied access to our children and has poisoned their minds against me. I request that they pay me visits at weekends twice in a week,” Aaron told the court. Despite his paternity doubts, Aaron offered to pay ₦50,000 per month as a feeding allowance for the children.

After hearing both parties, the court president, Mrs S.M. Akintayo, adjourned the case until August 2, 2026, for judgment. The case highlights a growing trend in Nigerian customary courts where paternity disputes are increasingly becoming a central issue in divorce proceedings. As DNA testing becomes more accessible, more men are coming forward to challenge paternity, leading to the breakdown of marriages and complex custody battles.

The Ibadan case is far from isolated. Across Nigeria, paternity fraud has emerged as a significant social and legal crisis. According to a 2025 report by Smart DNA Nigeria, about 25 per cent of paternity tests return negative results, indicating that one in four tested men are not the biological fathers of the children they believe to be theirs. Industry estimates suggest that roughly 20 to 25 percent of tested cases result in the exclusion of the presumed father. However, experts note that this statistic does not represent the general population, but rather individuals who already have strong doubts or suspicions before seeking testing. The data also reveals a concerning pattern regarding firstborn children. Approximately 64 percent of tested firstborn males do not share biological ties with their presumed fathers, making firstborns particularly vulnerable to paternity fraud. The cost of DNA testing in Nigeria typically ranges from about eighty thousand naira to over five hundred thousand naira (₦80,000 – ₦500,000+), depending on whether the test is for personal confirmation, legal use, or immigration purposes. The growing affordability and accessibility of these services have contributed to a noticeable rise in demand, particularly among younger couples and families.

While paternity disputes dominate headlines, the Idowu and Aaron case also brings to light the pervasive issue of gender-based violence in Nigeria. In Akwa Ibom State alone, between January and May 2026, 161 cases of gender-based violence were recorded, including 61 cases of spousal battery, 46 cases of threats to life and physical assault, 18 cases of abandonment and forceful ejection from homes, and 26 rape cases. Since the enactment of the Violence Against Persons (VAPP) Law in Akwa Ibom State in June 2020, a total of 1,838 cases have been reported, with only 102 convictions secured while several remain pending at various courts. The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom (SAN), noted that the spike in such cases “is proof that victims are gradually finding the courage to speak up and seek justice.”

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Despite the growing prevalence of paternity fraud, Nigerian law currently does not criminalize the act. According to legal scholars writing in the Nigerian Journal of Law and Contemporary Legal Issues, paternity fraud constitutes a growing but under-regulated challenge within Nigeria’s legal system, raising profound questions of justice, privacy, family integrity, identity rights, and state responsibility. Under Section 165 of the Evidence Act, there is a presumption of legitimacy: where a person was born during the continuance of a valid marriage between his mother and any man, the court shall presume that the person is the legitimate child of that man. This presumption can only be rebutted by evidence proving that the parties to the marriage did not have sexual relations with each other at the material time, or through DNA testing under the Child Rights Act. Key challenges identified by legal experts include constitutional barriers posed by section 37 of the 1999 Constitution against compulsory DNA testing (right to privacy), lack of civil remedies or criminal sanctions for fraudulent mothers, weak birth registration systems, and insufficient protection of a child’s right to identity. Legal experts have called for comprehensive reforms, including a Parentage and Paternity Act, constitutional amendment to permit court-ordered DNA testing, criminalization of deliberate misattribution, robust civil remedies, strengthened forensic infrastructure, and enhanced child-identity protections aligned with international best practices.

Behind the statistics and legal debates are real people carrying deep emotional scars. In February 2026, the Delta State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, narrated how a man discovered through his wife’s phone that all three children she gave birth to did not belong to him. Mental health professionals have warned that discovering one is not the biological father of a child is not a valid reason to emotionally or physically abandon that child, stressing that such actions could have devastating and long-lasting effects on the children involved.

As the Ibadan customary court prepares to deliver its judgment on August 2, the case serves as yet another reminder of the urgent need for legal reform. Scholars advocate for awareness campaigns, school initiatives, and group therapy to restore trust in families affected by paternity fraud. Until the law catches up with reality, men like Aaron will continue to face the painful question: are the children they love and provide for truly theirs? And women like Idowu will continue to seek protection from abusive marriages, even as their character is called into question. The court’s decision in this case will be closely watched, as it may set a precedent for how Nigerian customary courts balance the competing claims of paternity doubt, child custody, and domestic violence allegations.

My Prophetess Wife Told Me Two of Our Children Are Not Mine – Husband