The girlfriend of budding opposition politician Colin Graham said on Tuesday that they both need help.
Iyah Jacobs’ admission on Hot 97 FM came one day after Graham was suspended for work at the station for 30 days, without pay, after station owner and manager, Luke Boyea, said that Graham had lied to him over the saga.
Jacobs spoke about their abusive relationship in a post on Facebook last week, about two days after the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) announced that Graham had passed the initial stages of becoming its candidate for East St. George in the next elections, conditionally due in March 2021.
She quickly deleted the post and Graham admitted on Hot 97 a day later that Jacobs had spoken the truth.
In her first public comments on the issue, Jacobs said on Tuesday that her intention in making the post was for Graham to receive “some sort of intervention”.
She said that attacking Graham will not address the situation.
“Becoming political about it is not going to deal with the issue,” she said, adding that she understands why a lot of members of the public are “crucifying” her the way they do because there was “a lot of loopholes that were missing.
“A lot of information was not given so everybody had the right to speculate and I mean the way it came across, of course, attack me, why not.
“But I am proud to say that as much as I fail, like everybody else, I am a believer in Christ and I know that they that are with me are more and will always be more than they who are against me. And I am thankful to God for dealing with this issue in the way he is dealing with it.”
Jacobs was calling from Barbados where she had gone for vacation and said “Ralph”, an apparent reference to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, who is also leader of the ruling Unity Labour Party, did not send her there.
“All of this was not premeditated. I was not paid off any money. I would be happy to get paid off; I have my nursing school fees to pay — why not,” she said, seemingly light-heartedly.
Jacobs said that it was not her intention to harm Graham politically, but added, “Colin needs help. I need help as well but the root public is that Colin, really and truly does need help.”
She said that there is now “a lot of tension” in their relationship.
“I am not going to deny my feelings for him but unless there is forgiving and there is some sort of restoration, even a friendship will have to be put on hold. For now, I will be supportive of Colin but, honestly, I really don’t know. Just like how this truth took its time and played itself out, I guess the relationship will have to do that as well.”
In her post on Facebook, which was deleted shortly after being made, Jacobs said it has been three to four years since she met and began dating Graham.
She said that the first year of the relationship was “good” but from year two onward was “not so good”.
On radio on Tuesday, Jacobs said that after the first year of the relationship, “there was a lot of insecurity, a lot of accusations; even friendships were accused, whether innocently or not.
“And let’s just say that honesty is a really good thing, being honest is a beautiful thing, [but] never, ever, ever, whether it is your husband, your wife, your mother, never become totally honest with human beings because even things that happen in the past that you try to be honest with so people could know — you know — that is who I am, but this is not who I am anymore, they still — you know — eventually use it against you and you are still judged by it,” Jacobs said.
She added: “Take everything, absolutely everything to God in prayer.”
The student nurse also had some advice for persons who are being abused.
“And for persons being abused, be very careful who you share your stories with because a lot of them, they have nice pay cheques, they have qualifications to match, but they are absolutely no good.
“Again, above all, do not put your trust in human beings, because they fail and they fail — I don’t even know the word to use. But God is God and he sees injustice and as much as we have all done wrong and we can ask for forgiveness, there are consequences and he will never allow you to suffer, never. Absolutely. He will never allow you to suffer,” Jacobs said.
The only thoughts right now that come to mind are …It is sad when one has to paint a dark picture of another in order to paint a perfect picture of themselves. Also,”…What Susie says of Sally, says more of Susie than of Sally.
Colin and Iyah have to first decide if they really want to be together.
if so, forget all the drama and lecturing and stop your ears and run….to a Professional Counsellor. Start by forgiving each other, confessing your wrongs and affirming each other. I agree both need the psychological intervention because both are battling with “hidden demons”.
Get some victory together, tear down that black wall and let the true love that wants to get out burst forth!
I see a lot of gentleness in Colin’s face but he is fighting a betrayal from the past that has inner anger. Iyah is very beautiful but needs affirmation, she is hurting deep inside by past rejection. You must both give each other space to be your own person then compliment each other. Trust and Respect each other….Don’t compete, compliment! You are a beautiful couple.
Always hug and keep saying I Love You!
I’m all for getting out of a bad relationship. No one has the right to abuse one another man nor woman after all God put us here to care and love each other. Iylah what you did was dirty and low down all the time you in the relationship and he’s a public figure why didn’t you do this before? This man you love so much etc and now coming saying you both need help and by doing this you think your hands and heart are clean in God’s eyes? You could of seek counselling privately for both you without bringing it out like this just to hurt his career. We all have faults and did things no one knows about you did this now for what? And you say no political hands in it. Girl be a grown woman and speak your truth. You think your life will be good after you deliberately post to mess someone image don’t worry what you dish out will return back to you in many folds the thing is you didn’t just post you purposely said you had prove etc and you’re saying you didn’t do this to hurt him. There’s no way you guys can be together after this no matter how hard you try you broke a code to the one so love with. You said he was in a abuse relationship. he’s also hurting because he didnt deal with that pain now becomes the abuser, women gets in relationships and think they can change the man you knew the red flags were there in the beginning. You’re also abusive.Grown woman do things the right and mature way.