Actress Mercy Aigbe’s husband, Kazim Adeoti, has explained the reasons behind his absence from the 50th birthday celebration of his first wife, Olufunso.

Mr. Adeoti married Olufunso, a fashion designer based in the United States, in 2002, and they share four children. His marriage to Nollywood actress Aigbe was publicly announced under contentious circumstances in January 2022.

While Mr. Adeoti previously resided in the U.S. with his first wife and their children, he now lives in Lagos, Nigeria, with his current wife.

Olufunso marked her milestone birthday on October 6 in Minnesota, USA, surrounded by friends and close family members.

The extravagant celebration featured a touching video shared on her Instagram, showcasing Olufunso being escorted into the event by her son and three daughters.

Mr. Adeoti's absence from the gathering raised eyebrows and sparked discussions online. The widely viewed video prompted numerous reactions and criticisms directed at the film marketer, with many questioning why he was not present and suggesting that his children stood in for him during the occasion.

In response to the criticism, the filmmaker took to his Instagram on Sunday to clarify that his absence was in accordance with his wife's specific wishes.

He stated: “This is to address recent media comments surrounding Mrs Olufunso Adeoti’s 50th birthday celebration, which was held in the US last weekend. To avoid doubt, the celebrant and I discussed her plan for her 50th birthday party and how she wished to celebrate it. She wanted a party but, shockingly, said I should not attend. I asked her again to be sure in the presence of our children, and to everybody’s surprise, her response was consistent: NO!