Leave so you can live –Toke Makinwa reacts to IVD’s wife’s death; blames religious fanatics, society, culture

Top media personality and former radio host, Toke Makinwa has reacted to the shocking death of Bimbo, the wife of popular businessman, Ikechukwu Ogbonna aka IVD.

Recall that Bimbo, a mother of five died today, October 15, after allegedly setting her home ablaze during a scuffle with her husband.

She was rushed to the hospital while IVD who sustained minor injuries absconded. She was in the Intensive Care Unit of a Lagos hospital for some days but unfortunately gave up the ghost this morning.

Taking to her Twitter page, Toke Makinwa bared her mind on the trending issue.

Makinwa via the lengthy rant wondered why there’s pressure on woman to marry and stay married, no matter the circumstances. She also warned any woman through domestic violence to flee before she meets her untimely death. She wrote:

“Stop arguing with stupid people on Twitter, they make you look even more stupid. Mark their handles, share with your sane community and avoid them at all cost. No use trying to educate certain individuals, they read not to understand but to respond and it is pointless.”

“Society – do this, do that, see your mates, at your age, and the list is endless. Same society now that someone has died, leaving 4 kids behind is saying why didn’t she leave? Leave to live… Like If she left she still won’t be shamed for being divorced. Pls let’s do better

“Religion is also a big problem. Many people are told that “God hates divorce”, many people are made to feel bad like they have failed God, this issue is deeper than we even understand. Is God happy when someone ensures abuse and dies? We need to do better.

“May God not let us meet, befriend, marry and eventually die by the hands of our enemies we confuse as lovers. Love is not enough to save some situations, leave so that you both can get the help u need, focus on co-parenting and be alive to celebrate milestones for your children.

“I blame the foolish culture that attaches so much validation to status quo, the pressure to get married, stay married, have kids, it’s too much. Half the people who want to leave are afraid and that fear is not real. Is it not better these couples separate and are still with us?” 

Bimbo’s death comes three years after the domestic abuse she’s been suffering was made public.

In May 2019, Bimbo regained consciousness after she was allegedly beaten to coma by her husband during pregnancy.

She was 8 months pregnant at the time.

Then, on October 4, 2020, IVD released a video of him reconciling with his wife days after she released an exposé explaining how she suffered domestic violence from him for 19 years.

After that, she returned online at other times to hint at still suffering abuse.

In January 2022, Bimbo declared herself “mentally unstable” and said her life is “being destroyed”.

She also left a short note believed to be directed at her husband.

“I gave you more than I gave myself, so loyal to you that I betrayed myself,” she wrote back in January as she called for people to take her children away before they are destroyed too.

She also added that she entered into her marriage with “good intention” but she has suffered so much in the union. Bimbo said she has “wanted this marriage to end a long time ago”.

In the January post, she also recalled how she is the only one among the 7 kids her parents had who is not a graduate because she paused her life for IVD.

Bimbo was said to still be a teenager when she and IVD started a family. Friends say she was just 15.

Also, in one of her posts online, Bimbo said IVD had repeatedly pointed his gun at her in the presence of their kids. She said he cheated on her regularly and beat her often too.

Despite speaking about suffering abuse on social media, Bimbo stayed in the marriage. They have been together for about 22 years.