An alleged affair between a married gym instructor, Dennis Emmanuel, and social media feminist Folakemi Martins has sparked a heated online dispute after both parties offered conflicting accounts of how their relationship began and why it ended.
The controversy erupted on X after Emmanuel published a lengthy account accusing Martins of harassment, stalking and attempts to damage his reputation and marriage. He also admitted that the two had been sexually involved, but claimed Martins refused to accept his decision to end the relationship.
According to Emmanuel, the relationship began on May 9, 2026, after he told Martins that he was married and was looking for what he described as a “side chic.” He claimed she knew about his marital status and agreed to the arrangement.
Emmanuel subsequently shared screenshots of alleged conversations between the two as he attempted to support his account of the relationship.
He claimed that problems emerged after Martins allegedly became increasingly demanding and wanted the relationship to become more serious. He also accused her of repeatedly contacting him after he had decided to end the affair.
Among the messages Emmanuel shared were exchanges in which Martins allegedly questioned why he had withdrawn from the relationship after she asked about marriage.
Emmanuel further alleged that Martins and some of her friends had harassed him and his wife online. He said the situation eventually became serious enough to affect his home and family.
Explaining his decision to make the dispute public, Emmanuel said the matter had moved beyond a private disagreement and was affecting his reputation, marriage and family.
Martins, however, rejected key aspects of Emmanuel’s account.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, she denied agreeing to be his “side chick” and said she was unaware that he was married when their relationship began.
“I never agreed to be a side chick and was never aware of any marriage,” Martins said.
She also indicated that she was taking steps to pursue the matter through legal channels and was gathering evidence to support her account.
Martins declined to provide further details, saying she would give her side of the story when permitted by the court.
The disagreement has generated significant reactions on social media, with users weighing in on the conflicting accounts and the decision by Emmanuel to make details of the relationship public.
Some commenters criticised Emmanuel for entering into an extramarital relationship, while others focused on the allegations made against Martins.
The controversy has also raised broader discussions online about privacy, relationships, infidelity and the consequences of taking private disputes into the public domain.
Emmanuel’s account and Martins’ response remain sharply different on a central issue: whether Martins knew he was married when the relationship began.
Emmanuel says he disclosed his marital status and that Martins accepted the arrangement. Martins disputes this, saying she did not know he was married and never agreed to be involved as a “side chick.”
Neither account has been independently established in the available reporting, and the screenshots circulating online represent material presented by the parties involved rather than a judicial determination of what occurred.
Martins’ decision to pursue the matter through legal channels could provide an avenue for the disputed allegations to be examined through formal proceedings.
Meanwhile, the episode has continued to attract attention on X, where excerpts of the alleged private conversations have circulated widely.
The dispute highlights the risks involved when private relationships become public controversies, particularly when allegations concerning marriage, harassment and personal conduct are made online.
As the matter develops, the competing accounts from Emmanuel and Martins remain subject to whatever evidence may subsequently be presented through legal or other formal processes.
