Gospel singer Ishimwe Vestine, widely known as part of the Vestine & Dorcas music duo, has shared with her followers a painful account of the struggles and emotional wounds she says she experienced after marrying her husband, Idrissa Jean Luc Ouédraogo, a native of Burkina Faso.
In a lengthy message titled “Ishimwe’s Story,” the singer said she reached a point where she felt that her life was coming to an end and even considered suicide as a way of escaping the suffering she was experiencing.
Ishimwe, who became well known for performing worship and praise songs alongside her sister Dorcas, said she had kept what she went through private for a long time. However, she decided to share her experience so that girls and women going through similar situations could learn from it and find encouragement.
She reached a point where she considered suicide
In her account, Ishimwe Vestine said her serious problems began after she completed secondary school, when she entered a new phase of life and developed feelings for someone she had fallen in love with.
She explained that the man already had another family and children, but that she did not discover this early enough. She said she continued to trust him based on his words and behavior, despite people around her advising her to be cautious.
Referring to herself in the third person in her account, Ishimwe wrote:
“She saw things that were beyond what her mind could handle, to the point that she thought her life was over because of what she saw every day.”
Ishimwe said her home life became an enormous burden, and she eventually became afraid to tell her parents, siblings, or friends what she was going through.
“She reached a point where she thought the way to escape what she was experiencing was to take her own life and leave this world. She thought about it many times.”
The singer said that although she experienced suicidal thoughts, she also believed there were different ways through which God helped her to keep going and remain alive.
She said her husband tried to stop her calling
As she continued describing what happened to her, Ishimwe said her husband tried to prevent her from continuing her music career and pursuing what she described as her artistic calling.
She said he tried to stop her from attending concerts and going to the recording studio. She also said he attempted to separate her from her sister Dorcas, with whom she performs as part of Vestine & Dorcas.
“He also tried to separate her from the person she performed with, but that did not succeed.”
Ishimwe further said that her husband at one point separated her from her manager, Murindahabi Irene (M Irene), but that this did not stop her from continuing with her artistic journey.
“The calling only stopped when it had just begun.”
Allegations that he tried to damage her reputation
Among the other serious claims in her message, Ishimwe said her husband attempted to damage her reputation by accusing her of things she said were untrue.
She said he began spreading allegations concerning the child they had together, including a claim that the man Ishimwe considers her father was actually the biological father of her child.
Ishimwe said these allegations were false and maintained that her husband knew the truth regarding the child’s parentage.
The allegations come as, according to information reported about the matter, Ishimwe recently went to court seeking a divorce from her husband, Idrissa Ouedraogo, who is from Burkina Faso.
On the other hand, her husband has also requested that a DNA test be conducted to determine whether he is the biological father of the child they have together.
She said she fled her problems while pregnant
In her testimony, Ishimwe said she experienced serious difficulties while she was pregnant and eventually made the decision to leave the home.
She explained that she went somewhere else to give birth. She said she avoided showing the baby to her husband during the conflict, waiting for things to calm down so that she could introduce the child to him.
She said that despite the resentment and disagreements between them, she continued waiting for the child’s father to find an appropriate opportunity to meet the baby.
A message to women and girls
At the end of her story, Ishimwe addressed women and girls going through difficult circumstances, encouraging them to remain strong and not lose hope.
She urged them not to be afraid to seek help and to continue believing that life can regain direction.
She also advised unmarried girls to be careful with people who present themselves in different ways, encouraging them to pray and learn from the experiences of others.
Ishimwe said her story could serve as a lesson for young people, particularly young people in churches, and that, if circumstances allow, she will continue sharing her testimony about what she went through.
She concluded by quoting a Bible verse:
“For the Lord God will help me; therefore I will not be put to shame.”
Ishimwe Vestine and her husband legally married on January 15, 2025, in Kinyinya Sector. They held their wedding ceremony on July 5, 2025, at Intare Conference Arena.
In September 2026, Ishimwe Vestine confirmed that she had begun the process of seeking a final divorce through the courts.
