While her husband, Lanre Gentry is cooling off in Ikoyi Prisons, Nollywood actress, Mercy Aigbe is still dealing with the domestic violence scandal rocking her family. If the truth be told, the actress has gone through hell and back in the hands of her hubby. In a 25 minute-bare-it-all interview, the mother of one narrated the details of the scandal that have trailed her and her husband for the past few weeks. Mercy Aigbe reveals more.
The actress’ seven-year-old marriage crashed after photos of her battered face went viral on the Internet. She accused her husband of physical assault which has been going on for quite a long time and which affected her sight and caused her to bleed internally from the physical abuse allegedly melted down to her on Sunday, April 16, 2017. People have wondered why it took the actress a long time to take a decision to leave her husband’s house or why she chose to suffer in silence.
In this interview with Broadway TV, Ms. Aigbe narrated her ordeal and why it took her time to make a decision.
See excerpts below:
Mercy Aigbe reveals more
When she was asked why she came out to say her husband never touched her, she was quick to refute it.
“I never for once came out to say that my husband did not beat me. The video people were referring to happened in 2013 when there were rumours of such and I did a video recording alongside my husband to debunk the claim. At that time I had to do it to protect his image and my marriage. I had to do a live video at that time,” she said.
About beating, she said, “He beats me consistently and why I stayed that long after the consistent beating was because I loved him and because he beats me, he begs and gets family and friends to beg me. He promised regularly to change but he never did. When my husband gets angry, he gets physical, not only to me but to anyone. He has done that with my house help who reported him to the Police years ago. I stayed because of my children and a lot of people look up to me. I was a role model of some sort and I really wanted to keep it together. I just wanted a home.”
On why she wants to leave now, she said:
“It’s not like I wanted to walk away but I just feel like we need help. I spoke to my husband’s brother about it. I told him I was going to pack out for some time while my husband seeks therapy. I just wanted to feel safe, that is why I moved my things out. This last beating was brutal. I actually thought I was going to die, I’m Still Coughing blood. My husband broke my orbits which will necessitate a surgery for me to see properly. I’m still coughing and sneezing blood even after three weeks. Also, my husband was sleeping with a girl. A lady who claimed to be my friend whom I was close to. This was a regular attitude from my husband; he has slept with a lot of people close to me, even my PAs. I confronted him and it led to a huge argument which was turning violent before I had to keep quiet but he kept beating me,” she added.
On the day of the incident, Mercy had informed her husband that she was attending a burial of her colleague. After his hesitance, she explained that it would not be fair on the lady since she had promised to be there and even invited him to come along. Mercy revealed that it was her refusal to go and pick her husband up while she was still at her designer’s place that brought the fury of the man on her. He was said to have driven there and started to beat her in the presence of everybody.
She continued, “Immediately, I opened the door, he kept beating me. I was begging him and asking why he was beating me. He said he would destroy my face such that no make-up would fix it and destroy my career. He was acting like someone who was possessed. I told him “Lanre, mo ma bi mo fun e” (translated as “I have a child for you).”
Speaking further, the actress said she agrees that she is a fool for staying that long even with all the beating and humiliation. “I believed that a wise woman builds her home. That’s why I stayed that long”, she said. About Cheating, if he had shown a bit of remorse, maybe things would have been different. He went on saying that I cheated on him several times. I never cheated. That’s why I told him to come out with proof. My Husband was in detention for over 7 months and I never left him or go anywhere. Why would I want to go now? He says all this is make-up. He is not showing any form of remorse and still sponsoring lies against me,” she added in tears.
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