By Christopher Oji
Napoleon Okeahialam Onyebilama, who was accused of unlawfully keeping his wife and kids under house arrest, has denied the allegation.
The news of Onyebilama, placing his family; Mrs Onyiyechi Akujobi Okeahialam and kids under house arrest went viral in the social media, but the engineer said it was a false alarm.
Onyebilama told Daily Sun that the news was shocking and embarrassing to his family and friends, hence, he decided to keep the record straight.
“I am an Igbo man who values our culture. I had my traditional marriage with all the necessary things listed out by my wife’s family. I do not owe any bride price. My father-in-law blessed the marriage and handed over his daughter to me.
“I am not joining issues with those bloggers who have already achieved their nefarious aim of bringing my name to disrepute, however, I have to put the records right.
“I want to say, categorically, that the rumours are false, unfounded and malicious as this is clearly the handiwork of my wife and her lawyer, who would stop at nothing to tarnish my image.’
He said that the process of dissolution of the marriage between him and his wife was currently at the Customary Court in Abia State, over irreconcilable differences.
“About two weeks ago, my wife called to inform me that my second child was hospitalised, and that she needed money which I transferred to her, but I decided to travel down to Imo State, where they were staying because I took her back to her family last year.
“When I got to Imo State to check on my children, they were looking unkempt and the result was that the child who was sick was suffering from malnutrition. I was surprised, because I usually send money for the children’s upkeep.
“Immediately, I decided to bring them back to Lagos, to enable me give them proper treatment and monitor the situation.
“Within eight months, the same case of malnutrition was reported again whenever they fell ill. I needed the children around me for now, and that was what I did. I never restricted her from going out, but not with the children who were under medication,’’ he added.