“Don’t take my silence for foolishness” – Brown Ideye responds to baby mama claims

By Monsurah Olatunji

Nigerian international, Brown Ideye, has responded publicly to recent allegations made by Ukrainian national Yana Voloshchenko, who claims the footballer has failed to fulfill his responsibilities as a father to their two children.

Voloshchenko alleges that Ideye owes more than $150,000 in unpaid child support and abandoned her and their children, Joel and Mitchell, during the ongoing Ukraine-Russia war.

According to her, the pair had a private agreement requiring Ideye to pay $7,000 monthly in support.

This latest controversy adds to past headlines involving the 35-year-old.

In 2017, several news outlets, including Vanguard and The Herald, reported that a Swiss court had ordered Ideye to pay CHF 225,000 in child support to Francisca Errol, a former secretary at Swiss club Neuchâtel Xamax, where Ideye played between 2007 and 2009.

However, the Enyimba forward has firmly denied the latest allegations.

In a statement posted on his official X (formerly Twitter) account, the former West Bromwich Albion striker reaffirmed his loyalty to his wife and family, dismissing claims of having another family abroad.

“I’ve said this before and I’m saying it again. I don’t have a second wife or family home or abroad,” he wrote. “Happily married since 2010 and God blessed my wife and I with two lovely boys. Don’t take my silence for foolishness. Period!”

While the footballer’s post reasserts his personal narrative, he did not address the reported legal claims directly, nor did he clarify the nature of his relationship with Voloshchenko or the identities of the children in question.

As of press time, no official legal response has been issued by Ideye or his representatives regarding the alleged $150,000 child support debt.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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