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Lagos Commisioner Ajibola Ponnle’s marriage breaks, moves in with new lover
The marriage between Ajibola and Michael Ponnle is over and as you are reading this, the affair is like what could be describe ‘Things Fall Apart’ and the centre can no longer hold, as the 22 year-old marriage between Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment, Training, and Pensions, Ajibola and her hubby; Michael Ponnle, the CEO of defunct Origin Oil & Gas.
The wife, Ajibola has dragged her husband to a Lagos court for dissolution of their over two-decade marriage that produced three children, all boys.
In her evidence in chief before the trial judge, Justice Lateefah Okunnu, on February 4, 2020, Ajibola, a chartered accountant admitted that she had left her matrimonial home, and now co-habits with her lover, one Segun Bamidele who lives four streets away from her matrimonial home in Banana Island, Lagos.
In the amended petition she filed before the court, she stated that eight years after she got married to her husband, he changed his behavior towards her in a manner as leading to constant intimidation, coercion, and threats, seizure and and destruction of the petitioner’s personal belongings as well as emotional and physical abuse.
She stated that when she could no longer cope, she left her matrimonial home in Banana Island on January 9, 2016 after which the respondent moved her belongings to her mother’s house on the same day and forbade her from returning to the house.
She therefore urged the court to issue a decree of dissolution of the marriage. She further seeks an order of court to direct the respondent to pay for the educational, physical, and medical maintenance of the children, and a house in Banana Island Lagos, being the location the children are accustomed to, pursuant to section 70 of the Matrimonial Causes Act. She further wants the court to order the respondent to pay her the sum of N250 million for her maintenance pursuant to the act.
However, her husband the respondent denied the allegations made against him by his wife. He said that the petitioner first deserted her matrimonial home in January 2010 with their children because he insisted that the petitioner should perform her duties as a wife and mother, particularly at it relates to the upbringing of the children.
He denied ever been cruel to his wife who he said he married out of genuine love. Rather, he said that the petitioner’s attitude changed towards him within two weeks after their marriage and she became cruel towards him by locking him out of the matrimonial home at every flimsy excuse.
In the 49 paragraph deposed to by him, which also serve as answer to his wife’s petition before the court, the respondent denied ever incarcerating his wife, or preventing her from meeting work obligations. “Regardless of the respondent’s support, the petitioner neglected her primary responsibilities to the respondent and the children and continued in that manner of defiance to any advice or plea from the respondent that she should try to create a balance in managing the home and meeting work obligations”.
He also stated that the petitioner preferred to come home late, long after the children must have gone to bed without making provision for their meals, a situation that necessitated him to employ cooks and stewards in their home. “Yet, the petitioner persisted coming home late”, he stated.
The respondent said that the only thing that caused a strain in their relationship was the petitioner’s refusal to fulfill her obligations as a wife and mother. He claimed that the petitioner’s mother and sister once assaulted him over his insistence that she take more care of the children. Also, she moved out of the home twice in five years over the same issue.
“The petitioner moved out with majority of her belongings, using over 15 suitcases and leaving behind only clothes she no longer wore. The respondent offered to send them to her as he was no longer comfortable with the petitioner coming into the matrimonial home after she had voluntarily moved out a second time in five years”, he stated.
When the matter came up on Wednesday, February 5, the respondent, led in evidence by his lawyers, Mr. Adebowale Kamoru and Mrs. Kehinde Daniels of Pinheiro LP told Justice Okunnu that he cannot afford the N250 million his estranged wife is asking for her maintenance, saying that his business has gone down.
Asked how he had been living, he said: “When business was good, I invested in many people, including my wife, which resulted into the booming business and job (commissioner) she has now”, and it is the goodwill of those other people he has been living off..
He however told the court that he was willing and ready to take care of his children, as they were his reason for still working. He particularly lamented that against his wish, his wife took their last born (name withheld) to the United Kingdom at the age of 10.
He said; “Initially, I agreed to her wish to have custody of all the kids. To me, the issue of the kids is very vital. In as much as I don’t agree with Jibola, we cannot divide the kids. I came from a single home and I know what it means. But it dawned on me when she sent our last boy to school abroad at the age of 10 and I think it is very wrong. I know all my sons. I know my last born is very smart and curious. He therefore needs a fatherly role model. Nobody can do this better than me, his father. It is not right to take him abroad at such a tender age. I therefore ask for his custody. Others are old enough and I need to guide my son to be a responsible man”, he said.
He mentioned that he has since been taking care of the children to the tune of five million on each of them and an additional five million for their maintenance, all amounting to N20 million per annum, last payment of which was just this January of 2020. He says that the sole reason he is working is to take care of his children.
When asked by Chief Bolaji Ayorinde SAN, the petitioner’s lawyer, whether he loved his children, he replied: “One million percent”. The petitioner’s lawyer thereafter attempted to tender as evidence, an e-mail which the petitioner’s first son sent to the respondent but his counsel objected.
Justice Okunnu in her ruling struck out the application to tender the letter, saying that what had happened between the parents was not the making of the children. She said it did not concern them and that they must not be made to suffer the consequences of the actions of their parents. “Admitting such a letter can destroy the relationship and confidence between father and son and the court will not be part of such. Besides, she said such admittance is contrary to family law”.
The trial judge therefore admonished the lawyers to advise their clients appropriately. She thereafter adjourned the case till May 5, 2020 for final address.

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Abandoned Roads: Lagos Assembly Sends Fresh Message

– invites works commissioner, contractors
– lawmakers to submit list of abandoned roads to govt
The Lagos State House of Assembly has called on the Government to urgently address the pain of residents in relation to some roads.
The lawmakers at a sitting presided over by Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda particularly mentioned the abandoned Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road in Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA) urging Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to direct the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to ensure that HITECH Construction Company resumes work on it.
They also urged all relevant agencies to develop a concrete plan for completing the project while ensuring adequate security measures for residents in the affected community.
Contained in the House resolution was that the contractors should receive an upfront payment of 60 to 70 percent to facilitate the prompt completion of projects.
Rt. Hon. Meranda directed all the lawmakers to compile lists of abandoned roads in their constituencies for submission to the appropriate ministry for immediate action.
The resolution followed a ‘matter of urgent public importance’ raised by Hon. Aro Moshood, who decried the hardship faced by Ikorodu residents due to the abandoned road.
“This road has been left in a deplorable state since 2017. What was meant to bring relief to the people has now become a source of distress, posing serious security and socio-economic challenges,” Moshood said.
The lawmaker highlighted the alarming rate of criminal activities including kidnappings, accidents and sexual assaults, all linked to the poor condition of the road in the area.
Contributing to the debate, Hon. Abiodun Ogunleye stressed the strategic importance of the road to the state adding that its completion would significantly boost economic activities in the area.
On his part, Hon. Lukmon Sa’ad Olumoh criticized the prolonged delay in the completion of the road, noting that the House had approved funds for the project in the previous year.
“It is disappointing that a road construction project has been abandoned for over seven years. I was part of a committee that inspected ongoing road projects across the state last year and contractors cited the fluctuating exchange rate as a major challenge.
“This House should invite the contractor handling the project to clarify whether they received the funds approved by this Assembly,” Hon. Olumoh said.
Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Sanni Ganiyu Okanlawon, insisted on a decisive action by the government. He also called on the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure as well as contractors to explain why the project remains uncompleted.
“This issue of abandoned road projects should not be treated with levity. I urge this House to summon the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, alongside the contractors, to explain why these projects have stalled,” he stated.
Hon. Tobun Abiodun proposed enacting a law to mandate all administrations to complete projects initiated by their predecessors so as to prevent cases of uncompleted projects.
Speaking about the challenge, Deputy Majority Leader Adedamola Richard Kasunmu stressed that the issue extended beyond Ikorodu.
“This is not just an Ikorodu problem. It is happening across the state. We need to summon all relevant authorities, including the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to provide explanations for these abandoned roads,” he said.
Following extensive deliberations, the Assembly unanimously resolved to summon the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and the contractors to provide a detailed report on the status of abandoned road projects in Lagos State.
News
Blackout As National Grid Suffers Disturbance

Nigeria experienced another nationwide blackout on Wednesday following the collapse of the national grid, the second such incident this year.
The incident occurred around 11:30 am on Wednesday, making it the second time the national grid will be suffering setback this year.
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has yet to disclose the cause.
The Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) confirmed the incident, stating:
“We regret to inform you that a system disturbance occurred on the national grid at 11:34 a.m., causing power outages across our coverage areas. While gradual restoration has begun, we are working with stakeholders to fully stabilize supply.”
A popular Nigeria National Grid account on X also reported the collapse, noting that parts of the country were affected.
When contacted, TCN spokesperson Ndidi Mbah said she was in transit and would respond later.
This latest failure follows a similar collapse on January 11, 2025. In 2024, the national grid suffered at least 12 collapses, highlighting ongoing instability in Nigeria’s power sector.
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IBEDC Restores Power Supply To UCH After 3 Months Of Darkness

The blackout at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, has now ended as the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company yesterday restored power to the teaching hospital.
The restoration of power to the hospital was confirmed to newsmen by the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo.
Recall that the hospital had been thrown into darkness after the distribution company cut off their power following a huge debt running into millions of Naira.
The strained customer-vendor relationship prompted the Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu to pay a working visit to the hospital during which he brokered peace between the two managements. IBEDC then promised to restore power within 24–48 hours.
Initially, when Vanguard asked him if energy had been restored to the hospital, he answered in affirmative but added that a fault had been discovered outside the hospital which the IBEDC team were trying to fix.
Prof Otegbayo said in a terse message, “Yes, but they have reported fault outside the hospital which they are attending to“.
Some moments later, the CMD confirmed it that the power had been restored.
He said, “IBEDC power is now on in University College Hospital, Ibadan.”
Prior to the reconnection, the CMD explained that when the power was cut, the management tried to reduce the effects by solarizing some emergency areas in the hospital.
Professor Otegbayo said, “The management applied some temporary measures to cushion the effects of the power outage.
“We have installed solar inverters to major areas in the hospital such as Intensive Care Unit, Children’s Emergency Ward, Endoscopic Unit, Cardiac unit and others.
“All these wards have solar inverters to provide energy so that the wards and patients will not be in darkness. Our short term measures will continue to stabilize the emergency areas. Some of our underground cables have been there for more than 50 years. That’s not within the budget of the hospital.
But, the public doesn’t know what we are passing through.”
The hospital had dismissed a report that some patients brought in their generators as an alternative.
The management clarified further that anyone who came to the hospital at night would see that some departments had lights.
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