Seems there are more failed celebrity marriages in Nigeria than there are successful ones. It’s even gotten to the point that when fans hear that a particular celebrity couple is walking down the aisle, they make pessimistic statements like “just give them 2 months” or “if the marriage lasts up to a year, then they tried.” And you can’t blame Nigerians, especially with the number of celeb marriages that have ended too soon.
Chris Attoh and Damilola Adegbite—the power couple from Tinsel, got married in 2015 and said their goodbyes within one year.
Then there is Tonto Dikeh and Churchill Oladunni, Tiwa Savage and Tee Billz, Lilian Esoro and Ubi Franklin, Mercy Aigbe and Lanre Gentry and so on. As a fan, you wonder what could have possibly gone wrong with these people who seem to have it all.
Is it the paparazzi?
You’ve got to admit, out of the many luxuries that celebrities can afford, privacy is not one. Paparazzi is like a window in their lives that’s permanently open. It’s almost like ‘privacy’ is the price celebrities have to pay for becoming a star. Their fans are always interested in getting both the career and personal deets of their lifestyles. And the media is more than ready to publicize as many details as they can lay their hands on.
Little issues tend to be blown out of proportion as a result—it can be overwhelming. True, paparazzi is not a problem for some celebrities as they like to flaunt. Take Tonto Dikeh for instance, before divorcing Churchill, she’d always gush about how her husband is “the most loving man in the whole world.” Uploading pictures on her social media account of the luxurious gifts her husband bought her like an iPhone 7.
Anyway, paparazzi may very well have a part to play in failed celebrity marriages.
Extremely busy lifestyle?
If celebrities are not on a production set, they are moving from one tour venue to the other. And for celebrity couples, this probably means they spend most of their time apart from each other. When this is the case, misunderstandings and unnecessary dramas become the order of the day. Besides, being away for long periods of time can take a toll on their sex life. It’s not surprising to see a good number of these marriages crashing as a result of adultery.
But if you pin down the failure of Nigerian celeb marriages on the above, what will you say about the Nigerian celebrities whose marriages have stood the test of time? Their experiences are equally similar. How have they managed to make their marriages work?
Let’s see what some Nigerian celebrity couples who have been married for a very long time have to say about what works for celebrity marriages in Nigeria.
Olu Jacobs And Joke Silva
This couple is a goal, no one can deny that. Despite their thriving acting careers, they have been able to stay happily married for 33 years. According to Joke Silva, she almost walked out of her marriage several times but has stayed put because:
“marriage is not a destination, it’s a continuous journey.” She added that you cool down and learn when “you know the person you are married to, when you like the person you are in relationship with, when you do have respect for each other.”
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde And Captain Matthew Ekeinde
This celeb couple has been married for 23 years. The celebrated actress dished out a piece of advice to the newly married celeb couple, Banky and Adesua not long ago. She said “Dear Banky and Adesua, after Cape Town, everyone leaves… it’s just you two.
“My darlings, if possible, stay off social media a bit. Communicate continuously. Preserve your friendship not just your love.
“Even as you two have now become one, don’t forget to respect your individuality.
“We love you and are rooting for your special Love.”
Omoni And Nnamdi Oboli
When asked how she’s still married for 17 years, Omoni said
“I don’t know if I keep my home intact; I believe God does that for me. There are many women who do the right things and show up at every time for their husbands and still get the short end of the stick.
So I don’t take credit for it. I have my moments and he does too, but somehow it has never tipped the scale and that’s because God made it possible.
Nevertheless, I believe that when you understand that you’re both different individuals who have become one, then you can try to weather any storm, knowing that if you don’t, both of you will have a dreadful life in that marriage.
Enjoy it and seek for the things that make for peace because life is too short to waste it fighting.”
Obviously, there is no single recipe for a successful celeb marriage. As fans, we can only hope that the latest Nigerian celeb couples like Adesua & Banky W and Linda Ejiofor & Ibrahim Suleiman will learn from our favorite longtime celeb couples. Another celeb marriage hitting the bricks is familiar news that we can all do without.
