Kunle Fawole speaks on his bond with ex-wife Yvonne Jegede

Nollywood actor Olakunle Fawole has shared his thoughts on his relationship with his ex-wife, actress Yvonne Jegede. He said that even though he no longer loves her in a romantic way, he would still risk his life to protect her.

Fawole made these comments during an episode of With Chude, hosted by Chude Jideonwo. The episode, released on Saturday, had him reflecting on his failed marriage, relationships, and how he views forgiveness.

The actor, who is the son of the late veteran actress Bukky Ajayi, emphasized that he holds no bitterness towards his ex-wife despite their marriage ending.

“I had a girlfriend once, but it didn’t work,” he said when asked about his past relationship.

He explained the breakup by saying, “I think we’re just on different planes. I’d rather be the one to say, ‘Everything was my fault,’ so to speak. I don’t like the enmity of things.”

Fawole expressed that he dislikes ending relationships on bad terms. He noted that he would never ignore someone he once cared about if they met again. “I don’t want to see somebody that I used to be with down the street, and I turn my face away,” he said.

Fawole and Jegede, both well-known Nollywood actors, got married in a traditional ceremony in February 2017 after being friends for several years. They had a son, Xavier, born in 2018. Unfortunately, their marriage fell apart less than two years later.

In March 2019, Jegede confirmed their separation during an interview. She mentioned that they had stopped living together while she was a few months pregnant. She said their problems started early in her pregnancy and eventually became too much to handle.

When asked if he still loved Jegede, Fawole answered, “No.”

He quickly added that the end of their romantic relationship did not lessen his responsibility towards her. “Yes, she’s the mother of my son,” he said.

Fawole illustrated how strongly he feels about protecting Jegede. “If I’m somewhere, and she’s in trouble; somebody is doing something, I’ll try my best to kill the person,” he said.

When Jideonwo asked if that was because he wanted to protect her, Fawole answered yes. “Yes… because she’s the mother of my child,” he said.

While he maintains that his romantic feelings for Jegede have faded, Fawole said their shared duty as parents is still important. He stressed that she will always deserve his protection because of their bond through their son.

In June 2024, during an appearance on The Honest Bunch Podcast, Jegede mentioned that financial issues and emotional differences played a big part in their marriage breaking down.

She claimed she was the main breadwinner of the family. She said Fawole became uncomfortable with her playful way of speaking after they married, despite having accepted it before. “I was bringing more of the money,” she said, adding that she has mostly raised their son alone since they separated.

The love story between Jegede and Fawole was once seen as one of Nollywood’s strongest friendships that turned into marriage before it ended in a highly publicized split.

Jegede first met Fawole, the son of the late actress Bukky Ajayi, during her visits to the legendary actress’s home in Lagos. Their friendship grew over about 14 years before they considered a romantic relationship.

While on The Honest Bunch Podcast in June 2024, Jegede shared that she often confided in Fawole about her relationships and the advances from other men. This openness, she said, helped strengthen their bond.

For years, they kept their relationship private until 25 August 2016, when Fawole proposed to Jegede at her birthday party, confirming suspicions about their closeness.

A few months later, they appeared together on Africa Magic’s Jara program, where they talked openly about their relationship. Jegede said she knew Fawole would be her husband about five months before he proposed.

Fawole said he always believed that Jegede would become his wife because of her genuine nature, shared humor, and their special connection. Their chemistry was clear during the program, where they played couple-themed games and answered questions in sync.

Seven months after getting engaged, they celebrated their traditional wedding on 4 February 2017 in Surulere, Lagos, surrounded by family, friends, and many Nollywood stars. They completed their marriage with a court wedding four days later, on 8 February 2017.

After the traditional wedding, Jegede described their marriage as “beautiful” in an Instagram post, saying she had never met anyone like Fawole. They marked their first wedding anniversary in February 2018 with sweet messages to each other on social media.

Later that year, in November 2018, they welcomed their only child, a son named Xavier. Many believed this milestone would strengthen their marriage.

Yet, the dream did not last. A few months after their son's birth, issues began to arise in the relationship, leading to their separation in 2019 after less than two years of marriage. Since then, both actors have spoken about the challenges that led to the end of their union while remaining committed to co-parenting their son.