By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Kikelomo Atanda-Owo, wife of veteran journalist and former presidential adviser Reuben Abati, has spoken candidly about the collapse of her two previous marriages, revealing that she was divorced twice before marrying Abati.
She made the disclosure during an appearance on The Morayo Show, hosted by media personality Morayo Afolabi-Brown, where she featured alongside her husband and reflected on how her past shaped her views on love, marriage and personal healing.
According to Atanda-Owo, her first marriage ended after she discovered that she had unknowingly married a gay man, a revelation she said abruptly shattered the union and left her emotionally shaken.
Subsequently, she said her second marriage was characterised by abuse and infidelity, describing the experience as deeply traumatic.
“These experiences were painful and emotionally scarring,” she said, explaining that they nonetheless became defining moments that forced her to reassess her understanding of relationships.
“I learned that love alone is not enough. Self-awareness, values and intentionality matter.”
She noted that the failures helped her grow, heal and become clearer about the kind of partnership she desired, adding that she holds no regrets despite the hardships.
She described her children from the previous marriages as the greatest blessings to emerge from those chapters of her life.
Atanda-Owo, a marketing communications executive and Chief Executive Officer of Z-Edge Holdings, married Abati in 2023 as his third marriage. She said her past did not diminish her future, stressing that her journey reinforced the importance of self-worth, emotional safety and mutual respect.
Also speaking on the programme, Abati said their marriage was anchored on shared values, intellectual compatibility and mutual understanding rather than material considerations.
He further advised individuals trapped in abusive relationships to prioritise their safety and seek a way out.
“No one should remain in an abusive situation,” he said. “There is hope beyond painful experiences.”
