Porsha Williams, known for her role on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, made her return to the spotlight during the March 9 episode of Watch What Happens Live. In the interview, she opened up about her relationship with Simon Guobadia after a two-season hiatus from the show.
When questioned by host Andy Cohen regarding her current marital status, Williams revealed that despite their separation, she and Guobadia are still legally married. She further disclosed that he had recently been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Williams summarized the situation with the following statement:
I is still married. It was about to be over and then unfortunately he had been detained.
The segment from Watch What Happens Live aired on March 9 and was later shared on Instagram by @theshaderoom.
According to reports from People, Simon Guobadia, who is originally from Nigeria and heads Simcol Petroleum Limited Company, was taken into custody by ICE on February 21. The exact legal circumstances surrounding his detention are unclear, but speculation suggests it may be associated with past mass deportation strategies under President Donald Trump’s administration.
During her conversation with Cohen, Williams also mentioned her reluctance to meet Guobadia face-to-face for their divorce proceedings, citing concerns about “the climate”surrounding their situation. She expressed her hope for his resolution to the matter, wishing him well during this challenging time:
Our last court date, he requested for it to be in person. I didn’t want it to be in person because I kind of knew the climate, and unfortunately, he walked into it. But I think he’ll figure it out. I wish him well. I pray for him and his family and maybe they can figure it out.
Insights from Porsha Williams on Her Marriage to Simon Guobadia
During the premiere of season 16 of The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which was also broadcast on March 9, Williams became emotional while discussing her estranged husband. Identifying as “old-school,”she emphasized her preference for privacy regarding their marital issues. Despite public perceptions of an idyllic life, Williams reflected on their struggles:
When you’re married, I’m old-school — you don’t go out and tell people what’s going on in your house. I know it looks like to many people, ‘Oh, she posted this perfect life.’ But I look back and I can think to myself, ‘I definitely posted this knowing we’re not okay.’
Moreover, Williams conveyed that early in their relationship, she was optimistic about overcoming challenges together. However, as time progressed, she began to recognize numerous falsehoods:
In my relationship with Simon, I felt like if I had him by my side, we could conquer anything. However, I just started realizing a lot of different things that turned out to be untruths.
As reported by People, Porsha Williams submitted her divorce filing on February 22, 2024, a mere 15 months after their wedding in November 2022. The current season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta is available for viewing on Bravo and streaming on Peacock.