Dara, the estranged wife of popular comedian and skit maker Kehinde Ganiyu, widely known as Ijoba Lande, has made serious allegations against her former husband, accusing him of being a compulsive gambler and physically assaulting her at the slightest provocation.
Dara opened up in an interview with actress Biola Adebayo on Friday, where she refuted claims made by Ijoba Lande during a viral interview, particularly his accusation that she had slept with 21 men.
Dara challenged her ex-husband to publicly name those men and release any video evidence, insisting that his claims were false.
She also pointed fingers at Marygold, Lande’s manager and her former friend, as one of the major reasons her marriage broke down.
Dara alleged that Lande consistently sided with Marygold during disputes, which worsened tensions in their relationship.
“When I met Lande, I didn’t date him because of money. In fact, people didn’t want us to date,” Dara explained.
“Even then, I had someone else I was dating, but my friend Marygold convinced me to give him a chance after we met at a party.
“He plays Aviator (online betting) a lot, and that thing rips him of millions. He sold his car and still used the money to place bets. He was always glued to his phone, and I had no idea he was spending all his time on online betting sites.”
According to Dara, her struggles in the marriage included financial hardship, claiming she once collected food on credit while living with Lande because he failed to take care of her.
“On top of that, he would beat me because of his anger issues,” she alleged.
Dara also recalled a specific dispute involving Marygold, who was part of a monthly contribution scheme (ajo). Dara said when Marygold defaulted on payments, Lande defended her, telling Dara to let it go.
“When it was Marygold’s turn, she collected the money as expected, but when it was time for her to pay others, she defaulted. I confronted her, but Lande sided with her, saying she was broke. I couldn’t take that because I was part of the contributors.”
Dara further alleged that she funded her own introduction ceremony, adding that when she eventually left their home, she took nothing with her, leaving her clothes and personal items behind.
She also addressed a controversial incident involving a ‘Truth or Dare’ game at the residence of popular Yoruba actor Babatunde Tayo, also known as Baba Tee. Dara claimed that Marygold initiated the game, though the reasons remained unclear.
She admitted to being drunk during the game, recalling that she sat on Baba Tee’s lap, but expressed regret over being involved in the situation.
