Estranged husband of Nollywood actress and businesswoman, Lanre Gentry, revealed last Friday that he deposited over N9million for his estranged wife, Mercy Aigbe’s 40th birthday.
Speaking in an online portal, BON, Gentry is quoted as saying:
“I worshipped her and I have deposited N8m at Benefit Motors to buy her a N16million Range Rover Evoque for her 40th birthday. I have also paid N1.2m for a hall opposite Sheraton Hotel to celebrate her big, but she has her eyes on other things”.
However, the actress has refuted the claims made by her estranged husband – she, in an online post lamented that her years of bitterness in the marriage was now threatened by alleged infidelity and battery.
Aigbe wrote in the post:
“Dear Lanre Gentry, it breaks my heart that I have to do this but as it is, you have left me with no choice. I had sleepless night because I just couldn’t comprehend why someone I loved, someone with whom I have a child will be hell bent on destroying me, I just cannot comprehend it.
“I read with tears in my eyes all the LIES you fabricated against me, LIES you feel will justify your inhumane act, LIES you feel will gain you public sympathy and LIES calculated to bring my person to public opprobrium…
“I am mentally unstable; that you have caught me with different men,; that I do not take care of my parents, that a man rented an apartment for me..lies all lies… “Dear hubby, I challenge you to back your claims with proof. Hmmmm, Lanre you forget quickly!….,
you forget how I have laboured and stood by you all these years, even though all what I was getting from you was constant beating, harassment, threat to my life and threat to destroy my image if I dare leave you.
“You must prove all your allegations otherwise God knows I am going to add another lawsuit to the one on ground. “Although my team has been pleading with me to stay silent all this while, I have come to realise that you want to ride on my keeping mum.”
Meanwhile, Lagos State Commissioner for Women and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Lola Akande, yesterday dispelled allegation of infidelity as reasons for battering of Aigbe by husband, saying no husband had any reason to maltreat women.
The commissioner, who insisted that the state government was taking up the matter to serve as deterrent to others, said Lagos men should not beat their wives or else they would be prosecuted by the government.
She said:
“As for Mercy Aigbe’s husband, it is very bad. We are taking the matter up. It is going to be state against him. And other men, who beat their wives, we will stand against them.”