The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has taken a new wife, Queen Zaynab Ngohemba, who was previously married to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.
News of the marriage emerged on Friday following a celebratory post on Facebook by a member of the Dajoh family, Abraham Double-d Dajoh. The post, which was accompanied by photographs, showed Queen Zaynab being formally received into the Akume family compound in Mbakor, Benue State.
Queen Zaynab, a former Olori of the Ife Kingdom, was married to the Ooni of Ife for about 17 months before their marriage ended in 2017.
Announcing the marriage, Dajoh described the development as a joyful moment for the extended family and publicly welcomed the former queen as Akume’s wife.
“We, the entire Dajoh Family, happily join our daddy, uncle and brother, His Excellency, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume Jugu Dajoh, in welcoming his new and uncommon wife, Queen Zaynab Ngohemba-George Akume Dajoh, into the Dajoh family,” he wrote.
The family further appealed to Akume’s political associates, supporters, and well-wishers to continue backing him, noting that the marriage marked a new personal chapter in his life.
“We appreciate and thank the fans and supporters of Sen. Akume for always standing by him. We enjoin every one of you to continue to support His Excellency even in this beautiful union with Queen Zaynab,” the post stated.
In another part of the message, the Dajoh family highlighted their ancestral heritage while welcoming Queen Zaynab into Benue State and the wider Tiv nation.
The announcement quickly gained traction online, drawing varied reactions from Nigerians. While many congratulated the SGF and his new wife, others offered personal, religious and political interpretations of the union.
Clarifying the reports, Akume’s spokesman, Yomi Odunuga, confirmed that the marriage was genuine but corrected claims about when it took place.
“I can confirm the marriage. However, contrary to the rumour that the marriage was concretised in Gboko on Christmas Eve when the couple appeared together at an event, it was actually a marriage that is over a year old,” Odunuga said.
Akume, a former governor of Benue State and senator representing Benue North-West, currently serves as Secretary to the Government of the Federation under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He previously held ministerial positions during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Queen Zaynab, a humanitarian and entrepreneur, was formerly known as Olori Wuraola during her time in the Ife palace. Since the announcement of her marriage to Akume, images of her reception into the Dajoh family have continued to circulate widely online.
