Nigeria Abroad
Nigerians on Twitter are rising in defense of former presidential aide Reno Omokri, whom an online outlet is accusing of abandoning his wife in the United States for a “baby mama” based in the UK.
On May 8, Omokri, a pastor and critic of extramarital sex who often comes hard on “baby mamas,” had on social media shared a photo of a newborn named after his boss, former Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan – who also congratulated the new father online.
“Today, my wife and I dedicated our daughter, Weyinmi Ebele, to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, at the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. We thank God for giving us a healthy, beautiful, and delightful child. We thank our friends and family who attended the service.”
However, a report by online medium TheWill claims the baby was born by the pastor’s “UK-based baby mama.”
“According to THEWILL checks, (sic) Reno wasn’t being truthful and has been outrightly deceitful. His rightful wife whom he married in Nigeria in both traditional and Church marriage ceremonies before their relocation to the United States, is Tope Omokri nee Onuwaje, a schoolteacher in the city of Antioch, a small town in northern California, where they also live,” the report says.
“THEWILL investigations revealed that the controversial former aide, two years ago abandoned Tope for reasons best known to him. They lived as man and wife in that city with their three children. Reno, who recently initiated #harassbuharioutoflondon, was only able to do so conveniently because he absconded to London where his new partner lives, contrary to his narration of flying out to London from California for the cause.
“He has allegedly refused to contribute to the upkeep of his family, one of whom is a special needs child. This is beyond absurdity for a man who claims to have single-handedly built an orphanage in Edo State and is always quick to donate money to other people in need. Even the Holy Bible, to which he often makes reference, describes a man who is unable to cater for his family as worse than an infidel.”
Despite being promoted on Facebook, surprisingly the report which also made domestic abuse allegations against the politician has drawn not a single comment at the time of this report. Omokri, who is active on social media and often responds to critics, has curiously not addressed the allegation even as some call for his reaction while others believe the report.
On Twitter where the story was also promoted, it has drawn considerable engagement, but mostly from netizens who doubt it and defend the pastor famous also as a critic of the current government.
He has yet to respond to Nigeria Abroad’s request for comment.
This news originally appeared in Nigeria Abroad.
