‘If men knew how women pass their time, when they are alone, they’d never marry’. These words of American writer O. Henry came to mind, with this befuddling revelation of an alleged extra-marital affair involving the Iyaloja General of Lagos, Chief (Mrs.) Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, as the centre can no longer hold between her marriage to Hon Oye Ojo, a former member, House of Representatives.
Since the young woman with solid pedigree became the Iyaloja General two years ago, controversies seem to have been her alter ego. In the first place, the unpleasant circumstances that surrounded her emergence as Iyaloja General, succeeding her grandmother, the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, were very controversial, almost tearing the market men and women apart, as majority of them were not in support of her choice as Iyaloja. It took the intervention of her father, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to calm down the opposing market women before she could be given a breather as Iyaloja General of Lagos.
Again, you will still recall with fresh memory, that during the last general elections, few months back, many heavy weight politicians and candidates seeking elective offices, gave huge sums of money to Folashade as Iyaloja, to distribute among the several market men and women in return for their massive support at the polls, but she reportedly pocketed the money, which was to the chagrin of the politicians and market leaders alike.
The matter, a disdainful act by Folashade, became a hotly contested issue as other Iyalojas under her jurisdiction felt betrayed and cheated; thus a cold war ensued. At a point, they had to report Folashade’s mischief to her father, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who equally felt bad, but deployed his wisdom and political might to settle the matter. All the same, the market leaders, were not easily persuaded or refused to be placated, but the respect and regards they had for the Jagaban of Borgu prevailed on them, and they had no choice but to concede, but they still felt betrayed. However, the latest controversy that is presently trailing Folashade is her alleged secret romance of many years with the Babaloja of Oshodi, Alhaji Abdullahi Sanni a.k.a. Provida. The illicit secret romance is said to be very hot and steaming to the extent that Provida often sleeps in Folashade’s Alausa home, where she lives as a married but single woman. Those within reveal that the deep pocket Provida, who is a property merchant, is head over heels in love with Shade and spoils her silly with gifts, the latest of which is a brand new Toyota Tundra Truck, right now in her garage. If you will also recall, it was when the late Iyaloja, Abibatu Mogaji held sway, that Provida, an American returnee, emerged as the Babaloja of Oshodi, a decision which was to have been greatly influenced by Folashade, who allegedly pressured her grandmother to endorse Provida’s ascension as Babaloja of Oshodi. It is therefore not unlikely that Folashade and Provida may have been having something in common by way of romance long before she became the Iyaloja. The grapevine has it that, now that Folashade is the substantive Iyaloja General, the relationship would naturally have moved a step higher, even when the two are legitimately married to their original spouses. In the course of all this hullaballoo, it’s not unlikely that the matrimonial home front of the Iyaloja General is now troubled and rancorous, as fresh facts have lately emerged that her husband has secretly had a love child outside matrimony, and this could be an indication that the man does not care a hoot about his wife’s alleged extra marital affairs; after all the marriage has no product (baby) and therefore no qualms for Oye Ojo. Besides, since the couple have never lived together as husband and wife for long, it matters little, whatever either of them does outside their paper matrimony, albeit extra-marital.
However all efforts by this magazine to get Iyaloja’s response to the story met brickwall,as all calls and sms, put to her phone,were not responded to.
Source: UrbanLife