Nollywood actor AbdulSalam Taofeek, popularly known as Tioruju Mondusi, has shared a deeply emotional account of his personal struggles, describing what he called the most painful experiences of his life: a troubled marriage marked by paternity disputes, the death of his estranged wife, and a near-fatal accident that left him fighting for survival.
In a reflective narration, the actor revealed that his relationship with his late wife became strained after he discovered she had allegedly left home while heavily pregnant and later became distant, refusing him access during key moments of her pregnancy and childbirth.
According to him, the situation escalated when he was told after delivery that questions surrounded the paternity of the child she had just given birth to.
He further claimed that a man he knew with his wife was later identified in connection with the controversy, leading to police involvement and a prolonged court case over the true fatherhood of the children.
He said the matter eventually broke down their marriage, leading to divorce proceedings initiated by his late wife.
The dispute, he noted, was later subjected to court-ordered DNA testing to determine the biological fathers of the children involved. Despite the turmoil, he said he still accepts responsibility for the children he believes are his.
Mondusi described the entire episode as one of regret and emotional pain, calling it a “mistake-filled chapter” of his life.
Beyond his family struggles, the actor also recounted a devastating accident on July 1, 2014, while returning from a film location in Lalupon, Ibadan. He said the crash claimed six lives, leaving him as the sole survivor.
He explained that his ordeal was worsened by a chaotic hospital experience, where he was moved between different medical facilities amid industrial strikes, before eventually receiving treatment through the support of colleagues in the theatre community who raised funds for his care.
According to him, due to a nationwide strike by the government hospitals, he was rejected at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, and the Oyo State General Hospital, Adeoyo, adding that a government hospital gave him a first aid before advising to be taken to a private hospital in Akobo Area of Ibadan.
He said the advice of the hospital became unignorable when two of the accident victims died within 24 hours.
He said his colleagues, family, and friends stood by him during the travails, revealing that they raised N2.8 million, which the hospital charged for his treatment. “When we got to the hospital, the hospital authorities charged us N3million. At the time, I had only N300,000 in my bank account, and that was all that I had. We begged the hospital management, and they reduced the bill to N2.8 million. Actors and actresses rose to the occasion. My family also contributed what they had. A popular Fuji musician also contributed. The money was paid, and the hospital commenced treatment”, he stated.
According to him, the doctor told him that he would be confined in a wheelchair for a year, after which, ” I will use a trolley for six months. After six months of using a trolley, I will now be using a walking stick till I can walk without using anything. But as God would have it, I was discharged about three months after I was admitted.”
He added that the recovery period came with emotional anxiety about his health and masculinity, which he eventually overcame during treatment.
Tioruju revealed how he was involved in romantic affairs with the nurses in the hospital while on sick bed, noting that he was scared when he noticed that he was not having an erection, thinking that he had a spinal cord injury like Yinka Ayefele, a notable Nigerian singer.
He stated, “I confided in a nurse who agreed to help discover the medical state of my manhood. She said she could only do that during night duty. I agreed. On the third day after the discussion, he started night duty. I was the only one in the room. So, she came in and started playing with me romantically. She was touching every part of my body. At one point, she was on top of me. My left hand was already hung. I used my right hand to loosen my trousers. I was naked. At a point, I had an erection, and I was happy to know that I was complete as a man. We slept with each other.”
“She went to tell her colleague about the secret love we had. When the nurse she told was on night duty, she came to seduce me and had me too. She also went and told another female nurse about what we did. The nurses started fighting among themselves to have intimacy with me. When the management knew what was happening, they called my colleagues and told them that I was fine to be discharged. They discharged me while in a wheelchair. But I thank God, it was not long before I started walking with my two legs “, he concluded.
