Nigerian actress Biola Adebayo has publicly revealed the end of her marriage to Oluseyi Akinrinde in an emotional Instagram post shared on her estranged husband’s birthday.
The 43-year-old actress made the announcement on Tuesday, posting a photograph of Akinrinde with their young son while offering birthday wishes to the man she now refers to as her “ex-husband and baby daddy.”
In her candid message, Adebayo wrote: “Happy birthday to my ex-husband and my baby daddy. I pray that grace will abound unto you, I pray you find peace in all your ways, may God continue to light your path and bless you beyond your expectations in Jesus’ name.”
The actress disclosed that she and Akinrinde have been separated since April of last year, emphasising their commitment to co-parenting their son despite the end of their romantic relationship.
“My husband and I have been separated since April last year, but we have decided to maturely and peacefully co-parent our dear son, who means everything to us,” she explained in the emotional post.
Adebayo offered an apology to disappointed fans and requested prayers during this difficult period. She also provided insight into her personal struggles, revealing the emotional toll the separation has taken on her over the past 14 months.
“While I go about making other people happy in the day, my pillow is drenched with my own tears almost every night for the past 14 months,” she shared, adding that she draws strength from her Christian faith.
The announcement drew widespread support from fellow Nollywood stars, including Regina Chukwu, Bukunmi Oluwasina, Esther Ijewere, Bukola Olatunju, Aisha Lawal, Allwell Ademola, and Osoba Temitope, who flooded the comments section with messages of encouragement and solidarity.
Adebayo and Akinrinde’s relationship moved quickly from their initial meeting to marriage, tying the knot on April 7, 2021, after just six months of courtship. The couple had been open about their fertility challenges, sharing their journey through unsuccessful IVF treatments and initial surrogacy attempts before welcoming their son through surrogacy in April 2023.
This marks Adebayo’s second marriage. She was previously wed to a UK-based Nigerian man named Ola in a private London ceremony in 2013, though that union also ended in divorce for undisclosed reasons.
The actress concluded her message by encouraging kindness and understanding, reminding her followers that people often face hidden struggles behind their public personas.
Recall that in 2012, Biola Adebayo married her first husband, Mr. Bashorun, a UK-based businessman, before the marriage ended some years later.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple’s Bite International Magazine.