Billionaire businessman, Dr. Tunde Ayeni, on Monday, rejected what he described as “back-door overtures” and an out-of-court settlement proposal allegedly initiated by Ms Adaobi Alagwu.
In a statement, Ayeni, a lawyer, said the
settlement proposal from Adaobi, also a lawyer, was unexpected “given the significant public attention and embarrassment it has garnered, together with the reputational damages it has inflicted on me, my family, and my loved ones”.
While insisting that the dispute between them must run its full course in court, he declared that “my primary concern remains the restoration of my reputation, which has been severely impacted negatively by this controversy”.
The statement reads: “I am aware that recent reports have emerged regarding lawyer Adaobi Alagwu’s decision to pursue an out-of-court settlement in the ongoing dispute.
“I confirm that through back-door channels, Alagwu has indeed made overtures towards settling this matter outside the courtroom. “This development, I must say, was unexpected given the significant public attention and embarrassment it has garnered, together with the reputational damages it has inflicted on me, my family, and my loved ones.
“It is evident that Alagwu’s pursuit of a settlement may have been influenced by her alleged pending marriage. However, I must emphasise that such motivations hold no significance for me. My primary concern remains the restoration of my reputation, which has been severely impacted negatively by this controversy.
“Despite these attempts, I am resolute in my decision to reject any private offers for settlement. The allegations have caused severe damage to my reputation publicly, and I am committed to seeking full legal redress publicly.
“Accepting a private settlement would undermine the gravity of the accusations and the harm they have inflicted on my person, my family, loved ones and their sense of trust in me.
“The matter is currently before a competent court, and I am determined that it should be allowed to reach a decisive and vindicating conclusion.
“I am also using this medium to notify all my friends and associates to refrain from involving in anything concerning Adaobi. I no longer consider even the mention of her name as a friendly gesture, and I now regard same as a personal insult to me. “Adaobi, her mother or any member of her family are no longer a subject matter outside the litigations pending in court. No one should act as intermediaries to reach me on this matter, please.
“As emphasised before now, I plan to testify in open court on the 25th of November 2025, and on the 17th of February 2026, God-willing, and I expect her presence in court, rather than avoiding the proceedings as she did at the customary court.
“I have maintained complete transparency on this matter since the beginning of this unfortunate saga.
“I acknowledge the role I have played in this situation and I am actively working to move past it, trusting in the justice system to uphold the truth as encouraging an out-of-court settlement will give credence to their usual postulation that I am being influenced to pursue this case, because they feel that I am not a man of my own convictions, which is absolutely untrue”.
Signed
Dr. Tunde Ayeni
