Barely two weeks after welcoming a baby girl, veteran broadcaster and media executive Teddy Esosa Don-Momoh was thrown into mourning.
On August 3, 2026, his family announced the death of his wife, Lara Kudayisi Don-Momoh, popularly known as Coach Lara. The respected cognitive behavioural therapist, relationship coach and author died on July 30 after a brief illness, leaving behind her husband, their newborn daughter and a blended family.
The announcement drew widespread reactions, not only because of Lara’s influence in Nigeria’s relationship and mental wellness space, but also because it reopened memories of another painful chapter in Teddy’s life. In June 2014, he lost his first wife, gospel singer Kefee, after she died from lung failure following a two-week coma in the United States.
Twelve years apart, Teddy has now experienced the loss of two wives. Between those tragedies, however, is the story of a broadcaster who built a career in the media, rebuilt his life after bereavement, found love again and was celebrating a new family and a major career milestone before another personal loss changed the course of events.
From Military Barracks to the Microphone
Long before he became known as the husband of gospel star Kefee or, later, Coach Lara, Teddy Don-Momoh had built a name in broadcasting.
Popularly known as Teddiizzle and sometimes called “The Fresh Prince,” he has spent more than two decades in Nigerian radio as an on-air personality, DJ, music promoter and media executive.
His journey began in a very different setting. As the son of a military officer and a teacher, Teddy spent much of his childhood moving from one part of the country to another. Those early experiences would later influence the way he approached both broadcasting and leadership.
Over the years, Teddy became a familiar voice on Star FM Lagos, where he interviewed artists, promoted music and built relationships across Nigeria’s entertainment industry. Alongside radio, he explored music under the stage name Teddiizzle and became known for mentoring younger broadcasters.
In April 2026, his years of experience earned him one of the biggest appointments of his career when he was named Head of Konga FM/TV.
Kefee, Love and Life After Loss
When Teddy met Irikefe Obareki, better known as Kefee, she was already one of Nigeria’s biggest gospel music stars.
Born in Sapele, Delta State, on February 5, 1980, Kefee discovered her love for music in church, where she sang in the choir before studying Business Administration at the University of Benin. Her breakthrough came with the release of Branama, the album that introduced her energetic brand of gospel music to audiences across the country.
She followed it with other successful projects, while songs such as Branama and Kokoroko became household favourites. Her music earned her several recognitions, including the 2009 International Young Ambassador for Peace Award and the 2010 Headies Award for Best Collaboration with Timaya for Kokoroko.
Away from the stage, Teddy and Kefee’s relationship developed quietly. The two met through the entertainment industry while Teddy was working as an on-air personality at Star FM Lagos. What started as friendship gradually became a relationship, but they chose to keep it away from public attention.
Many fans did not realise they were a couple until they appeared together publicly around the launch of Kefee’s Lagos restaurant, Branama Kitchen.
In March 2013, they married in Sapele, Delta State, in a ceremony attended by family, friends and colleagues. The wedding was widely celebrated, with many fans describing it as a fresh start for the singer after her previous marriage had ended.
Their marriage, however, lasted just over a year. In May 2014, while travelling to the United States, Kefee reportedly collapsed aboard a flight bound for Chicago and was later hospitalised. She remained in a coma for about two weeks as Nigerians prayed for her recovery.
During that period, reports circulated that she was pregnant and suffering from pre-eclampsia. Her family and management later dismissed the claims, stating that she was neither pregnant nor suffering from the condition.
On June 12, 2014, news broke that the singer had died from lung failure at the age of 34.
Her death triggered an outpouring of tributes from across the country and marked the beginning of a difficult period for Teddy, who suddenly found himself grieving the loss of his wife barely a year after their wedding.
Despite the personal loss, he continued working in broadcasting while helping to preserve Kefee’s legacy through the Kefee Memorial Foundation, which supports medical and educational causes for underprivileged children.
For the next nine years, Teddy kept his private life largely out of the spotlight, focusing instead on his career and the gradual process of rebuilding after bereavement.
A Second Chance With Lara
Nearly a decade after losing Kefee, Teddy Don-Momoh found love again. His second chance came through Lara Kudayisi, a cognitive behavioural therapist, relationship coach and author whose professional work focused on emotional healing, relationships and personal development.
Popularly known as the “Matchmaking Mistress,” Lara was the founder of Lara Kudayisi International, a therapy and coaching organisation through which she counselled individuals and couples. She was also the author of How the Matchmaker Marriage Failed and What’s Wrong With My Taste in Men?, as well as the audiobook 21 Days Healing Devotional.
Unlike many public figures, Lara openly discussed her own experiences with heartbreak and healing. She often spoke about becoming a mother at 19, surviving failed relationships, divorce and other personal struggles, explaining that those experiences shaped her work as a therapist.
Her message was simple: healing was possible, and people could find love again after painful experiences. That message would eventually become part of her own story.
According to accounts shared by the couple, Teddy first met Lara through therapy. At the time, he was still dealing with the emotional impact of losing Kefee. Rather than asking him to suppress his grief, Lara encouraged him to process it, speak about it and accept it as part of his journey.
Their professional relationship gradually developed into friendship, and friendship later blossomed into a relationship.
In April 2023, the couple got married during the Easter period, almost nine years after Kefee’s death. Announcing the wedding on Instagram, Teddy shared photographs from the ceremony with the caption:
“Mr Don-Momoh is back y’all… back to fulfil destiny whole again.”
Lara also shared the wedding photographs, describing their marriage as proof that healing and happiness were still possible after painful experiences.
“You can find love again after trauma and pain.”
For many who had followed Teddy’s journey since 2014, the marriage marked the beginning of a new chapter.
The couple kept much of their family life private but occasionally shared glimpses of it online. Together, they built a blended family. Lara had two children from a previous relationship, and she had previously spoken about maintaining a cordial relationship with her former husband while co-parenting.
Fast forward to July 2026, the couple welcomed their first child together, a baby girl.
Only days later, by mid July, Teddy reflected publicly on what he described as a season of restoration. Sharing his thoughts after becoming Head of Konga FM/TV and welcoming his daughter, he said the journey had reinforced his belief that difficult experiences do not always define the future.
The reflections came just weeks before another tragedy unfolded.
On July 30, 2026, Lara died after a brief illness, barely two weeks after giving birth. Her family announced her death in a statement released on August 3, describing her passing as peaceful and requesting privacy as they mourned. The news shocked many within and outside the media industry.
Beyond being Teddy’s wife, Lara had built a reputation as a therapist, author and relationship coach whose work encouraged people to embrace healing after trauma.
Her death also brought renewed attention to Teddy’s personal journey. Twelve years after losing Kefee, the broadcaster was once again mourning the death of a wife.
Conclusion
Teddy Esosa Don-Momoh’s name first became widely known through broadcasting and later through his marriage to gospel singer Kefee. More than a decade later, he made headlines again after marrying Coach Lara, whose work as a therapist and relationship coach inspired many people seeking healing after failed relationships and personal trauma.
As family, friends and colleagues continue to mourn Coach Lara, tributes have also highlighted the impact she made through her work as a therapist, author and advocate for emotional healing. At the same time, many continue to remember Kefee for her contribution to Nigerian gospel music, where songs such as Branama and Kokoroko remain part of her legacy.
For Teddy Don-Momoh, the latest loss marks another deeply personal chapter in his life. While he begins another period of mourning, the careers and legacies of both Kefee and Coach Lara continue to be remembered by the communities they influenced.
