Widow Denies Having Hand in Husband’s Demise, Points at Long Mental Health Issues

The widow of former Ondo governorship candidate, Bamidele Akingboye, has dismissed allegations linking her to his death, insisting that her husband’s long-term battle with mental illness must not be distorted for “malicious narratives.”

Speaking in Lagos on Monday, Mrs Christy Akingboye described the accusations as cruel attempts to smear her family, saying her husband had lived with bipolar manic disorder since 2019 — a condition she said triggered episodes of mania, suicidal behaviour and unpredictable actions.

She recounted several incidents that underscored the severity of his illness, including an attempted jump from a balcony that was stopped by their daughter, and another episode in Dubai that resulted in police intervention and psychiatric admission.

According to her, political pressure, mounting debts and exhaustion worsened his condition in the months before his death.

“He was my friend. I didn’t just lose a husband, I lost my better half,” she said, disclosing that the family shielded the illness from the public to preserve his dignity.

Christy alleged that financial stress, particularly debts running into hundreds of millions of naira, intensified his psychological deterioration.

She said she initially remained silent because mental illness and suicide are heavily stigmatised.

“In our society, suicide is something people weaponise. I didn’t want my husband remembered that I way,” she added.

The widow accused her stepson, Samuel Akingboye, of circulating altered images and falsely suggesting she caused Bamidele’s death.

She maintained that the original mortuary images showed no injuries and claimed Samuel relied on AI-generated photos to imply foul play.

She also criticised the early police investigation, alleging procedural errors, bias and compromise, including failure to secure the scene or review medical records before detaining her and her children for three days.

Her petition to higher authorities later led to a reassignment of the case, after which detectives reportedly revisited key locations and reviewed available evidence.

She said a secondary CCTV recording was lost because investigators delayed retrieving it.

Christy added that recent police summons had been distressing, citing an incident at Panti Police Station where she and her children met more than 20 armed officers despite prior assurances they would not be detained.

She questioned her stepson’s continued presence at the station long after the transfer of the case.

“He has been going to Panti every day. What is he doing there?” she asked.

Maintaining her innocence, she urged investigators to prioritise her husband’s medical records and history of mental illness. She expressed confidence that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions would provide an unbiased review when the police conclude their work.

“My hands are clean. God knows the truth. I have nothing to hide,” she said. “He was my friend. I fought for his life for years. His children saw the episodes; they know what happened. They all need therapy after this.”

Christy said only a fair and thorough assessment of the facts would bring closure to the family.