Retired Ghanaian footballer Nii Odartey Lamptey chose not to hold his ex-wife Gloria Appiah's actions against her children, expressing his affection for them and his willingness to help if necessary.

In an interview with Dan Kwaku Yeboah, Odartey Lamptey stated that the three children, who turned out not to be his, should not suffer due to their mother's actions, and he bears no grudge against them.

Discussing his relationship with them, Odartey Lamptey revealed that he ceased all communication with them following his lawyers' advice.

However, he maintains a deep love for them and harbours no resentment, as he believes they played no role in the marital issues he faced.

"I have never met them since the issue arose, but if one day I find myself in a position to offer them help, I would do it. They are innocent, and I have nothing against them. My lawyers advised me to stay away from them, so I have not seen them since," he said.

Odartey Lamptey also shared his initial reaction upon learning the results of the DNA tests.

He recalled that, in the heat of the moment, he reached for a gun in his vehicle but then thought better of it, realizing that any action taken with the gun would have worsened his life, marking a turning point in how he managed the crisis.

"When the issue occurred, I wanted to use my gun, which was in my Tundra. However, I decided not to do anything that would jeopardize my life, so I didn't use it. I was heartbroken, but I remained patient, and that has led me to where I am today. I believe it was God who spoke to me, prompting me not to use my gun. It used to be in my Tundra, but I decided never to touch the gun again," he explained.

Odartey Lamptey further detailed how he coped with the situation by immersing himself in his work, which helped distract him from the ordeal.

"I firmly believe that as a man, you need to be devoted to your job. When the issue happened to me, I would listen to recordings I made on my phone. If you don't engage with your job, you'll lose it and everything else you've focused on," he said.

About Odartey Lamptey's divorce saga

Odartey Lamptey's marriage to Gloria Appiah ended in 2013 after a DNA test showed that the three children he had raised were not his biological offspring.

Lamptey recounted that friends suggested he conduct a DNA test on the children after he received numerous recordings concerning his ex-wife's activities.

The DNA test proved to be a pivotal moment, leading to their divorce.

Following the divorce, the footballer relinquished his 5-bedroom house in Dome and paid GHC400,000 in alimony to his ex-wife.

Gloria, however, sought the seven-bedroom East Legon Mansion and won a lawsuit that required the footballer to vacate the house within an hour, resulting in her taking possession.

In March 2022, a High Court ruling mandated Gloria Appiah to return the keys to the East Legon mansion to the former Ghanaian football star within a month.

He has since married Ruweida Yakubu, with their union beginning in 2014. Odartey and Ruweida have three children together: two girls and a boy.

EK/BB