“Real Housewives of Potomac” newcomer Nneka Ihim claims Dr. Wendy Osefo’s plot to “ambush” and “embarrass” her is what caused the latter’s mother to allegedly submit the former’s name to an evil shrine.
Pvnew recently caught up with Ihim, who was introduced in the reality series’ current eighth season as being from the same Nigerian tribe as Osefo.
Though Osefo, 39, insists she doesn’t know Ihim, 36, their families have more than crossed paths. In fact, both agree that Osefo’s sister, Ivy, was previously close with Ihim’s cousin-in-law Lebe.
However, Ihim told us that the pair had a falling out due to a series of phone calls – filled with “hostility and aggression and venom” – that were made ahead of filming and allegedly centered around her takedown.
According to Ihim, Osefo and Ivy called Lebe and “suggested” that they “ambush” the Bravo freshman to “embarrass [her] on national television.”
Ihim claimed Lebe “literally begged them” not to but that “they still wanted to go on hating” her, so the final call Lebe received was from Osefo’s mom, Iyom, who allegedly informed her she was praying against Ihim and her family.
“I was literally terrified when I received that phone call [from Lebe] of what was done to my name, you know? Submitting someone’s name to a shrine is for death and destruction,” Ihim explained.
“So to learn that they thought this scenario was serious enough to do that? I am afraid.”
Osefo has continued to deny the claim, insisting that she and her family are Catholic and do not practice black magic. However, she didn’t do herself any favors when she shared with the women something Iyom had posted about frenemy co-star Mia Thornton, whose life has been plagued by health, financial, marital and legal woes for over a year.
“Well, well. Ugly inside and out, crater-face Mia – a bombastic, ignorant, nonsensical, baseless, wannabe-CEO troublemaker,” Osefo read aloud to her castmates from her phone. “To hell with Mia and [‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’ alum Cynthia Bailey’s ex-husband] Peter [Thomas]. Oh, yes, I say Holy Ghost fire on Mia and Peter, and thunderstorm. Amen.”
When asked what went through her mind during that scene, Ihim replied, “If you’ll notice, I didn’t say anything. When we’re sitting there, I just watched the two parties involved hash that out.”
“I mean, I think I just thought that it was a lot. It was a lot. And it was unprovoked. I don’t think it was necessary,” she continued.
“But that just seems to be the way that her mother handles things, and she’s allowed to do whatever she wants to do – within the confines of the law.”
Many of the ladies believe Osefo simply didn’t want Ihim to join the cast, with a few hinting at jealously or territoriality.
“Unfortunately, I do feel that that was the case,” the labor and employment attorney told us.
“Like I said, things that happened prior to the cameras showing up kind of led me to that conclusion, [which were] consistent with the things that she did while the cameras were rolling. So ultimately, she didn’t want me there. And you know, it’s not her decision. God has blessed me, and here I am.”
Though Osefo has said there’s no hope for reconciliation, Ihim told us, “I forgive and I forget, and I’m happy to move on with anyone who’s going to move on as well.”
And although she agrees with the audience that Ashley Darby was being “messy” in the way she delivered what Ihim had told her about the drama to Osefo, Ihim believes Darby “didn’t understand how serious of nature the topic was that she was relaying.”
“Ashley apologized profusely. She cleaned it up immediately,” Ihim assured us. “And I think, hopefully, she’s learned her lesson, and she’ll be careful about what she’s misrepresenting to people.”
Aside from her clash with Osefo, the Bido founder has let viewers in on her fertility journey with her husband, Dr. Ikenna “Ike” Ihim, whom she married in August 2021.
Despite the “cultural pressure” of bearing children immediately after exchanging vows, Nneka told us that she and the internal medicine doctor-slash-nightclub owner wanted to wait until they felt “ready to be parents.”
Additionally, they spent the majority of their relationship “doing long distance” until Nneka moved from California to Maryland – a week before their wedding – so they also needed some time to get settled.
But after trying for seven months to conceive and not turning up pregnant, she sought medical assistance; her first doctor’s appointment of which was featured on the show.
“I think the lack of us having success has been really disappointing and hurtful because, you know, you wait so long to be ready, and then you’re ready and it’s not happening,” she lamented.
“So I mean, there is cultural pressure, but now it’s more like, ‘I’m ready, and it’s not happening for me.'”
Nneka told us she and Ike will continue to document their path to welcoming children and that her family’s response has been nothing short of “supportive.”
“I have a lot of medical doctors in my family … so they all understand modern medicine and getting a little bit of help and seeking other opinions,” she shared.
“So they weren’t upset that it was showcased. I think they were more so hurt that I wasn’t transparent with them early on because I do kind of have a spirit of, like, ‘I can figure it out. I can do it myself. I don’t always need to bother people.’ I think that was a moment that they were like, ‘You should have bothered us. We want to be there for you.'”
Nneka has also received “so many messages” from women thanking her, asking her questions and offering suggestions of things that have worked for them.
“I just really am happy that I’m able to showcase that,” she said, “so people can know that it’s regular.”
