Sonia Ighalo calls out ex-husband Jude for being a deadbeat father

Sonia Ighalo, the estranged wife of Nigerian footballer Jude Ighalo, has taken to Instagram to call out her ex-husband, implying that he has failed in his role as a father to their children.

In a series of emotional and revealing posts on her Instagram story, Sonia shared a conversation with her kids, who allegedly urged her not to post pictures from a recent outing.

According to her, the children feared that sharing the happy moments would make their father jealous.

“Yesterday, while we were heading home, my kids said to me, ‘Mom, could you please not share the pictures and videos we took?’ I asked why. They said, and I quote, ‘That man will be so mad, he will be jealous that we are doing even better without him,’” she wrote.

Sonia hinted that her children have experienced emotional hurt and humiliation, and no longer care about their father’s status or wealth. “Children (abroad ones, for that matter) who’ve been abused and humiliated don’t care about your wealth; once they cancel you, it’s over,” she added.

She further revealed that she has been silently carrying the burden of raising the children alone, covering up many “loopholes” while shielding the reality from public scrutiny.

“Man suppose dey appreciate me every day… If not, these children don’t even know who I am,” she said. “Only I can cover up — the kids, their school, social career team, my own family, friends, and his gullible followers.”

In a more personal revelation, Sonia recounted a painful experience with her late sister-in-law, who allegedly doubted she would give birth and accused her of chasing her brother’s wealth. Sonia shared that she nearly lost her life during childbirth but was sustained by prayers and support from loved ones.

She concluded the series of posts by announcing the death of the same sister-in-law in 2020 and offered a mixed message of mercy and reflection: “May God have mercy on you and accept your soul.”