For months, rumours surrounding the collapse of Nollywood actor and filmmaker Femi Adebayo’s marriage to Omotayo Sanusi, popularly known as Iyan Aladuke, have continued to dominate conversations on social media.
From allegations linking actresses Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele to the marital crisis to claims of a confrontation on a movie set, several narratives circulated online without confirmation from those directly involved.
However, on July 29, 2026, Omotayo decided to break her silence.
In a lengthy statement shared on Instagram, she addressed one of the most persistent rumours surrounding her marriage, insisting that both Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele had been wrongly dragged into the controversy.
Her statement also offered insight into why she remained silent for months and why she believes it became necessary to finally speak publicly.
Here’s everything to know.
Who is Omotayo Sanusi?
Omotayo Sanusi, widely known as Iyan Aladuke, is a caterer and entrepreneur whose business became popular for providing meals on major Nollywood productions.
She married actor and filmmaker Femi Adebayo in October 2016 in a private ceremony. During their marriage, they welcomed a son together while Omotayo continued growing her catering business, which also served cast and crew members on several movie productions.
Beyond her restaurant business, she became familiar within Nollywood circles for managing catering services on large film sets, earning the nickname “Iyan Aladuke.”
How The Marriage Crisis Became Public
Although reports suggested the couple had been experiencing challenges behind closed doors, signs of trouble became more noticeable between late 2025 and early 2026.
Observers noticed that both parties appeared to have grown apart, while reports claimed they had unfollowed each other on Instagram amid increasing speculation about their marriage.
Neither Femi Adebayo nor Omotayo publicly explained what led to their separation at the time, leaving room for widespread speculation online.
As conversations about their marriage intensified, numerous blogs and netizens began sharing different accounts of what they believed had caused the breakdown of the relationship.
The Eviction Controversy That Intensified The Crisis
The situation drew wider public attention in January 2026 after Omotayo alleged that she and her elderly mother were forcefully evicted from the Lagos property where her popular restaurant, Iyan Aladuke, operated.
In emotional posts, she claimed armed operatives carried out the eviction without prior notice, forcing her to shut down her business.
The incident generated widespread reactions, with many netizens blaming Femi Adebayo for the development.
However, members of the actor’s family disputed that account. According to their explanation, the property was repossessed through a bank foreclosure process after it had reportedly been used as collateral for a loan that was not repaid. They maintained that the action was a financial matter rather than a personal attempt to evict Omotayo.
The differing accounts further fuelled public interest in the couple’s separation.
How Toyin Abraham Became Part Of The Controversy
As discussions surrounding the marriage continued, actress Toyin Abraham unexpectedly became one of the names repeatedly mentioned in conversations online.
A gossip blog alleged that Toyin informed Omotayo about an alleged affair involving another actress during the production of a Nollywood film.
The rumours further claimed that Omotayo allegedly confronted the said actress, who was reportedly having an affair with her husband, on a movie set after receiving that information.
There were also claims that it was the reason Funke Akindele snubbed Toyin Abraham at Iyabo Ojo’s movie premiere just a few months after reconciliation.
Why Funke Akindele Was Also Dragged Into The Story
Funke Akindele’s name also became linked to the controversy through similar online speculation.
Some gossip blogs alleged that she was the actress involved in the rumours and claimed that the alleged confrontation happened during the production of Femi Adebayo’s movie Jagun Jagun.
Other social media narratives went further by attempting to connect unrelated public interactions between Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham to the marriage controversy.
Omotayo Sanusi Finally Breaks Her Silence
After months of remaining silent, Omotayo seemingly fed up, released a public clarification on Instagram on July 29, 2026, saying she could no longer allow false narratives to continue.
She explained that a recently circulated video by blogger Mama Esabod prompted her decision to respond publicly. She wrote in part:
“I have deliberately chosen not to publicly respond to the many false stories and allegations surrounding my marriage.”
“However, because these narratives continue to spread and are being presented as facts, I believe it is necessary to address one of them.”
She specifically denied claims that Toyin Abraham informed her about another actress or played any role in the breakdown of her marriage. She continued:
“The allegation that actress Toyin Abraham was responsible for the problems in my marriage by allegedly informing me that another actress was with my then-partner on a movie set is completely false.”
She also dismissed claims that she confronted or attacked anyone on a movie location. She clarified:
“For the record, I never confronted, attacked, assaulted, or harassed any woman or man at any movie location. No such incident ever took place.”
Her Explanation About The Movie Set
Omotayo said she was present throughout the production because her company handled catering for the entire cast and crew.
According to her, she and her team provided meals for more than 500 cast and crew membersthroughout the production.
She questioned how such a serious incident could have occurred without any credible witness. Omotayo wrote:
“Considering the scale of that production, with over 500 people present daily, it is difficult to understand how such a serious incident could have allegedly occurred without a single credible witness.”
She added that if anyone genuinely believed they had been attacked by her, they should publicly say so.
“If anyone genuinely claims to have been attacked or assaulted by me… I believe it is only fair that they come forward and make that claim themselves.”
Why She Remained Silent For So Long
Omotayo said her silence was intentional. According to her, she initially chose peace instead of engaging in public exchanges.
However, she said the continued spread of false information eventually made it necessary to speak.
“My silence should never be interpreted as an admission that these allegations are true,” she stated.
In the caption accompanying her statement, she explained that although she had screenshots of conversations involving those directly connected to the issue, she deliberately chose not to publish them because she did not want to prolong the controversy. Instead, she said her goal was simply to correct the record.
Her Responses To Questions From Followers
Following the statement, Omotayo answered several questions from followers in the comments section. Responding to suggestions that she harboured resentment toward Funke Akindele, she rejected the claim.
According to her, she supported Femi Adebayo’s professional relationship with the actress and even encouraged him to work with her because his career came first.
She recalled showing Funke respect on set and ensuring she was comfortable throughout the production.
“If I truly harbored resentment toward her, she wouldn’t have been on that set at all,” she wrote.
She also questioned why she would support her husband working closely with someone if she genuinely believed that person had harmed her marriage.
Another follower asked why she had not defended Funke Akindele when the rumours first surfaced.
Omotayo replied that she believed she herself was the person whose reputation needed defending because she was the one accused of assaulting someone. She also explained that she lacked the financial resources to pursue legal action against those spreading the allegations.
Instead, she chose to remain silent for over a year, hoping the controversy would fade. According to her, that silence was eventually interpreted by many people as an admission of guilt.
“I stayed silent not because I had nothing to say,” she wrote, “but because I hoped the matter would eventually die down.”
A Controversy Shaped By Social Media
The latest clarification has shifted attention from the original rumours to the role social media plays in spreading unverified information.
For months, allegations involving Toyin Abraham and Funke Akindele continued to circulate across blogs and social media despite the absence of confirmation from those directly involved.
Omotayo’s statement represents the first detailed public attempt to directly challenge one of the most widely shared narratives surrounding her marriage. Whether the clarification ends the speculation remains to be seen.
Conclusion
The full details behind the breakdown of Femi Adebayo and Omotayo Sanusi’s marriage remain known only to those directly involved.
What Omotayo’s latest statement does establish, however, is her position on one aspect of the controversy.
She insists that neither Toyin Abraham nor Funke Akindele was responsible for the collapse of her marriage, denies ever confronting anyone on a movie set, and says she spoke out because she could no longer allow rumours to be accepted as facts.
As conversations continue online, her clarification serves as a reminder of how quickly unverified claims can shape public perception and how difficult they can be to correct once they take hold.
