Monday 26 April marked exactly a year that renowned cardiologist and entrepreneur, Dr Tosin Ajayi, died. The founder and medical director of First Foundation Medical Centre, Lagos, died on Sunday 26 April, 2020 at St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos. But since his demise, so many things have gone wrong among his immediate family members. Late Ajayi and his widow, Oluyemisi —a retired Chief Nursing Officer with the Lagos State Government— were legally married, even though they were estranged as of the time of his death. However, the deceased was to have found love in Helen Prest, a lawyer and former beauty queen, about 25 years ago —10 years after he had been separated from Oluyemisi, mother of Ajayi’s five older children. And for those years living together, many were stunned that the late wealthy physician and Helen —who had a daughter, Tomisin, together — never consummated their union.
Helen, 61, later revealed how she was shabbily treated by her five stepchildren and their mum —who never recognised her as their father’s wife but a mistress— after the news of Ajayi’s demise was broken. According to Helen, she spent over 42 days nursing the deceased while on his sick bed only to be repaid with an arrest, several court cases —which delayed the burial for nearly a year— and ugly scuffles at the cemetery. Indeed, Ajayi’s funeral was fraught with unsavoury drama that left many friends, family members and well-wishers grappling with shock. All these pale into insignificance when juxtaposed with Helen’s current dilemma.
Indeed, Ajayi was a very wealthy man. He ran a thriving medical practice and was also a respected businessman with interests in many lucrative pies, including real estate. Yet he died intestate. But more worrisome is the fact that Ajayi, to the shock of many, allegedly lived in a rented luxury apartment in Ikoyi during his lifetime with Helen. The rent is reportedly estimated at N30 million per annum which Ajayi paid without blinking while alive. But now that he is no more, the tide has changed, and Helen is said to be unnerved by the growing concerns that stark reality portends— raising the funds to renew the rent.
It was learnt that while Helen is still greatly disturbed by the battles being waged against her by Ajayi’s immediate family, more disturbing for her is the rent issue. She is said to be now torn between working harder to renew the rent or move into a more affordable apartment with her three daughters —Tiffany and Tosan, from her previous marriage to Jimmy Davies, and Tomisin.