Marriage, we must admit, is not an easy venture. Sometimes, it’s very sweet and some other times it’s very sour. Which again is understandable –– afterall marriage is the coming together of two different people, from different backgrounds and with different idiosyncrasies and ideologies.
What marriage tries to do most times is to funnel these two people into one body and one flesh. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Below, YES INTERNATONAL! Magazine shares with you marriages of some of our celebrities that lasted barely one year – of course, due to one reason or the other…
DELE GIWA AND FLORENCE: Both of them are high fliers. While Dele was a frontline journalist and Editor in Chief of Newswatch magazine, before he was brutally assassinated on October 19, 1986, Florence was a high society lady cum businesswoman who dealt majorly in medical equipment. That, of course, was before politics beckoned, taking her to the House of Representatives, the Senate and ultimately as an Adviser to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Mma Bakassi tied the knots with the debonair journalist whose style of writing many still talk about fondly in the 80s. Unfortunately, it lasted for only 10 months or thereabout before both of them parted ways. Sources who were privy to what happened then summed up their union as turbulent.
EDOBOR CHARLES AND VERA: This couple courted for all of 10 years, got married and the marriage collapsed only after 6 days! Can you beat that? Edo Charles, like the popular gospel comedian is widely known, walked his then wife, Vera, from Ibusa, Delta State, down the aisle on November 27, 2010. This was at one of the branches of Redeemed Christian Church of God. They lived together for only 6 days before going their separate ways. Allegations and counter allegations of unfaithfulness, ill-treatment and so on have continued to trail them – even as their divorce case is yet to be fully resolved by the High Court of Lagos State. Vera, as you read this, has a baby boy for her former boss and leader of The Sharp Band, Anesi Igharue.
ADESHOLA JEREMIAH AND DAMILOLA: The above two names may not immediately ring a bell. But certainly not Princess, the popular comedienne. Their society wedding which was witnessed by the likes of Dame Abimbola Fashola, wife of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, on May 8, 2013, crumbled barely one month after it was contracted. Irreconcilable differences and other things were later cited as being responsible. Although many believe that the estranged couple never really took time to study and understand each other before hurrying in and out of matrimony.
TARIBO WEST AND ATINUKE: Nigeria’s erstwhile defence strongman, Taribo West was not that strong in his marriage. The wedding, attended by the likes of Rev. Chris Okotie of Household of God Church and some of his colleagues, didn’t go beyond one year. In fact, it was solemnized on June 22, 2000 and failed in October 2000! And ever since, Taribo, ex-Super Eagles, ex-Auxerre of France and ex-AC Milan player has not remarried. Officially, that is. His ex-wife, Atinuke, of course, has since moved on. Allegations of physical assault and sex denial were mentioned then in court. But before that, however, the discerning had smelt some funny stuff right from the wedding reception (at Goldengate Restaurant, Ikoyi, Lagos) when the couple couldn’t get their acts together and had gone into an argument over an issue.
AL-MAROOF OLOYEDE AND FUNKE: Super star actress, Funke Akindele jumped in and out of matrimony under one year – and after finding no peace. Knowing full well that her then husband had other women and wives and children, she still went ahead and married him on May 26, 2012. But the heat became unbearable after a while and she had to flee. Allegations of infidelity coupled with that of losing her baby culminated to the collapse of the marriage which had nearly all the who is who in Nollywood in attendance. The bad press that later followed equally didn’t do Funke any good, but gradually, the Glo and Vitafoam ambassador is getting her groove back.
NB: First published March 2015