HERE are a few of high profile Nigerians whose marriages have failed to meet the test of time:
Pastor Kris Okotie
The General Overseer of Household of God Ministry, Rev. Chris Okotie, tops the list of celebrities who have experienced the bitter side of marriage twice. The flamboyant preacher and three times presidential candidate of Fresh Democratic Party, whose marriage to first wife, Tina, lasted for 14 years before it broke down, surprised many when he came out to announce that his second marriage to Stephanie had also broken down.
In his usual charismatic manner, the pastor chose the pulpit to announce the breakdown of his marriage to Stephanie, by simply saying, “Stephanie and I are separated.” His marriage to Stephanie, a mother of three from a previous marriage, generated a lot of controversy, with opinions divided over the propriety or otherwise of the decision, considering the biblical injunction on marriage. But trust him, the man of God quickly doused the tension when he came out to say that his critics do not understand the words of God. The marriage lasted for three years.
Kate Henshaw
Kate Henshaw is no doubt a good actress. Her ability to interpret has largely been commended by experts and movie aficionados. And for a long time, she remained one of the most respected women in the industry, with her marriage to a British man, Rodrick Nuttal, lasting 12 years before the two divorced in November 2011. The union produced a daughter named Ella. The main reason for the split, according to rumour mills, was Kate’s ever busy schedule, which often kept her from home. Unfortunately, Mr. Nuttal too was a busy man, as MD of Ledrop Nigeria Limited which is the sole distributor of Jack Daniel’s and Huedsiech Champagne.
Fathia Balogun and Saidi Balogun
They were dubbed the movie couple by Yoruba movie watchers. And to many, the marriage of Saidi Balogun and Fathia Balogun was a ‘marriage made in heaven’. Together, the couple starred in so many block buster movies that turned them into household stars. Unfortunately, Fathia’s screen success has not been replicated in her married life, having gone through the pains of two failed marriages. Her first marriage was to Tunde Anchor, a union that produced a son. Not one to be put down, Fathia gathered herself and moved on. She soon found comfort in the arms of fellow actor, Saidi Balogun, with whom she formed a seeming formidable union. But the marriage also hit the rocks some years later, despite several attempts by friends and family members to avoid a break up.
Femi Kuti and Funke
Femi Kuti’s marriage to pretty Funke was dubbed as a dream marriage by many. Soon after that, the union produced a son, Made, raising the hope of their admirers and fans that the two would make good role models. But it turned out that the optimism came too early, as the two parted ways after only a child. For a long time, the two remained separated on mutual consent, remaining as ‘good friends’. However, Femi finally came out to announce a formal dissolution of the marriage.
Giving reasons for his actions, Femi said: “I am divorcing her to protect my side of my inheritance because I have five children. I have to protect the interest of my children. Since we are still legally married, what if I die today? The law will favour my wife. If I don’t divorce her, my children may suffer. What if I die and we have not divorced and then she comes and claims everything? The other children will not get anything and there will be a big war in my family.”
Shan George
This tall, light-skinned, beautiful and outspoken actress has seen it all- the sweet and bitter sides of marriage. Twice, she has tried her hands on marriage, but twice, it has failed to work out. Her first marriage, which produced two lovely boys, was contracted which was barely 15 years old. She once told the story of how her second husband walked out on her and went with another woman. But despite these heartbreaks, strong-hearted Shan is willing to try her hands on yet another marriage if the right man comes along.
Bukky Wright
Sultry actress, Bukky Wright, once confessed that she had not been lucky with love. Hardworking and highly industrious, Bukky Wright has tried her hands on marriage twice, failing with both. But rather than be put down, she has girded her loins each time, coming out stronger than before. The graduate of Economics believes that her failed marriages have been a lesson, which she claimed have taught her life experiences that she cannot forget even in a hurry.
Monalisa Chinda
Pretty and somehow daring, Monalisa is sure a dream girl for any man. The two were said to have met when Monalisa was a Theatre Arts graduate at the University of Port Harcourt. They later got married and their love seemed to be waxing stronger every day. Monalisa granted several interviews attesting to the fact that Dejo was her world. Unfortunately, that world soon came down crashing, as stories of ‘irreconcilable differences’ filtered in. Soon after that, Monalisa moved out of the house, marking the end of a marriage that had so much promise at the beginning.
Funke Akindele
Funke Akindele first captured the attention of television enthusiasts when she featured in popular television drama, I need to know. From that point, the University of Lagos law graduate has gone ahead to wow the world with her rare talent. And so it was fanfare that her fans received the news that she was finally getting married. Her husband-to-be, Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede, son of a Lagos popular market leader, is himself a socialite and politician. The wedding was the talk of the town for a long time, with photographs splashed in national dailies and social media.
Unfortunately, the marriage went the way of several others before it when her husband came out to announce on his Facebook page that the marriage had packed up. After the confirmation that the marriage has indeed broken down, Funke quickly removed her husband’s last name from her social network IDs.
Chika Ike
This actress sure got a body that can make a man take a second look. And to her credit, she has been able to combine her beauty with talent to make a huge success of her acting career. However, the beauty has not been able to replicate this in her marriage. Chika’s marriage to Tony Eberiri hit the rocks with the actress filing for divorce. In a recent interview, the award-winning actress said there are some things in marriage that a person might not be able to stand.
Kingsley Ogoro and Esse Agesse
The two were music icons who later became movie icons. For Kingsley, he was a successful music producer. He met and married the then up and coming musician, Esse Agesse. Together, they formed what many believed was a marriage that would stand the test of time. To their credit, they both dedicated so much to building their careers. But with success came another thing. Esse had to relocate to Ireland, as part of the efforts to further boost her burgeoning movie career. But shortly after that move, the union ran into trouble. Esse was said to have fought tooth and nail to save her marriage. But the marriage had gone beyond redemption at the time, and finally came down crashing.
Soul E & Queen Ure
They were both young and dashing. And they went round telling whoever cared to listen to them that their union was made in heaven. But one man seemed to have noticed what these two young love birds could not see. Their pastor, Pastor Chris Okotie of The Household of God, expelled them from his church in 2006, after they announced plans to get married. The man of God insisted that the union was founded on fantasy. Don’t forget that Soul E was only 24, while his wife was 38. However, the age difference seemed inconsequential to the two, who later went on to found their own church, Da Luv Villa, at Omole Estate. The marriage appeared lovely to many until Soul E packed his bags and ran away from home.
Eucharia Anunobi and Mr. Ekwu
Eucharia has severally been described as an actresses’ actress. Her forte is acting bitchy roles in movies, roles she clinically delivered to the letter. While she made huge success of her acting career, same could not be said of her marriage to Mr. Ekwu. Rumours had it that the husband dumped his matrimonial home, abandoning his wife and child.
Steph Nora Okereke and Mr. Falana
Cross-over actress, Steph-Nora and her fellow Nollywood practitioner, Falana, seemed had it all wrapped up to make a success of their union. And to this day, it is not clear what happened to the marriage, as husband and wife publicly professed so much love for each other. Many prayed for the success of the marriage, because they believed it would go a long way to cement the relationship between two major tribes in Nigeria. But wishes were not enough to save the marriage, as it soon packed up even before it was properly consummated.
Alec Godwin & Kefee
They hooked up when Branama girl, Keffe, was just 16 at Alec’s dad’s church in Sapele. But the age difference did not stop Alec from toasting the girl who would later become Kefee, one of Nigeria’s most successful gospel acts. Theirs too seemed a perfect match. While Keffe did the singing, Alec did the production and management. And before you could say Jack, Keffe had been transformed into a household name. However, cracks soon appeared on the wall of the marriage, and they separated on a very acrimonious note.
