Oluwatosin Enesi
Nigerian filmmaker Daniel Ademinokan has denied recent claims by his ex-wife, actress Stella Damasus, that she discovered their divorce through social media.
In an interview with Teju Babyface that recently resurfaced online, Damasus said she found out about the end of her marriage to Ademinokan on YouTube after being alerted by calls and notifications from concerned friends.
“My phone was buzzing with notifications, and I started receiving phone calls from my friends who called to check on me after reports circulating claimed that my marriage had ended. Then I decided to check on YouTube… and even after that, I still didn’t know that something like that had happened until I got the final call that the marriage had ended,” she said in the interview.
Ademinokan, however, responded on social media, describing the actress’s narrative as “false” and “misleading.” The filmmaker, who has largely remained silent on the issue since their 2020 separation, said he felt compelled to respond now that “silence is being mistaken for ignorance or guilt.”
“You claimed in that little interview with your echo chamber that you ‘found out about the divorce on YouTube.’ Lie. You claimed I signed and sent you the divorce papers, which you were unaware of. Another lie,” he wrote.
To support his claims, Ademinokan shared email correspondences allegedly showing that Damasus initiated the divorce process and even requested an address to have the papers delivered to him.
“Based on the recent events, it is evident that there is no hope that this marriage will work anymore,” read one of the emails he posted. “In September 2020, when you decided to leave our home and separate our family… it became clear that our marriage was over.”
The filmmaker also opened up on the reasons behind his departure from their home, citing personal and parental concerns. While refraining from providing full details, Ademinokan hinted at instances of alleged physical abuse towards his son.
“When a child needs makeup to hide a scar before school, the damage runs deeper than the skin,” he wrote. “He’s alive. He remembers. And so do I.”
Ademinokan said he left their home with his son for the sake of peace and sanity. “You knew I was leaving. You knew I wasn’t coming back. I packed my son, my peace, and my entire life, and walked out the front door in broad daylight.”
He concluded his response by asking Damasus to stop mentioning him in public narratives. “Just as I have left you in peace. I’ve chosen a more private life, so don’t drag me into your soap opera. You’ve had your five minutes from me.”
Ademinokan was previously married to actress Doris Simeon, with whom he shares a son. He married Stella Damasus in 2012, and their marriage ended in 2020. He tied the knot with filmmaker Tope Oshin in July 2023 in Houston, Texas. Oshin was formerly married to screenwriter Yinka Ogun.
Our Reporter
