Complicated’ is the word most people like to use when describing troubled marriages, and when this has something to do with celebrities, it is often doubly complicated, no thanks to the people whose lives are open to all.
In recent times, there has been talk about the end to actress Ini Edo’s marriage. There are those who can almost tell to a certainty what has obtained in that marriage since the actress tied the knot with her America-based man. The last we heard is that the marriage is over.
There have also been talks of a crack in Tiwa Savage’s marriage when one can barely forget how superlative the ceremony that rocked Dubai early this year was. Thankfully, those who should know assure that it was a publicity stunt and that the two are still together. But there have been countless other celebrities who just couldn’t live with the complications of marriage. Among them are actresses like Funke Akindele, Chika Ike, Monalisa Chinda, Kate Henshaw, Fathia Balogun, Bukky Wright, Ayo Adesanya and Hilda Dokubo. The long list also includes people like Eucharia Anunobi, Kenny St. Ogungbe, Toni Payne and a host of others.
But they are celebrities who have stayed married despite the klieg lights that never stopped shining on them. Among this set are the freshly-minted national honour winners, Omotola Jolade-Ekeinde and Joke Silva. Others include Omoni Oboli, Ireti Doyle, Wunmi Obe, Gloria Young and Ngozi Orji.
Of the aforementioned, only Omotola’s husband is not in showbiz, but has consistently stood in her corner no matter what the media has said about his wife.
However, one couple many love to point to as an epitome of celebrity marriage is the acting couple, Joke and Olu Jacobs. They have notched up almost 30 years together. Silva, who also got a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) national honour on the day she turned 53 late last month, renewed her marital vows with her husband in 2011. What is more, when you see the two together, it is as if they only just met.
Of course, there are those who would swear that it is not always rosy, but they sure know how to focus on the positive things that have kept their marriage going strong and will no doubt continue in that direction. One showbiz couple that come to mind is the Orjis: Zack and Ngozi. Like Joke and Olu, they both are actors but have obviously not allowed their acting go home with them; hence their marriage has remained intact over the years. In fact, they have a son who has event ventured into music.
Tunde and Wunmi Obe, otherwise known as T.W.O., are a couple that other couples in showbiz who would like to stay together forever should emulate. They have always been together since their university days, but went ahead to get married. They are living in the house they built together with their three lovely kids.
T.W.O. reminds one of Omoni and her husband, Nnamdi Oboli, who was not in showbiz but has always supported his wife. He just co-produced her first movie, Being Mrs Elliot, with her. They have three children and are almost always seen together. Despite the obvious challenge that being an actress and a wife pose, this couple looks only to grow from strength to strength.
Chioma Chukwuka has been married for over eight years to Franklin Akpotha. Considering that she is an actress, there is no doubt that not many people gave the union a chance, but the two are still going strong.
Gloria and Nobert Young are passionate about acting, but also about bringing up young people into the career they love so much. In recent time, they have partnered with the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos in this regard. However, Nobert has reportedly said that the love for the career stops at the door when they go home. Perhaps, this is one thing that has stood them in good stead and kept their marriage going for more than a decade. Young showbiz couples must therefore learn to separate their career from their marriage.
Jide and Henrietta Kosoko also make this exclusive list of couples who have stayed married in showbiz, despite the odds. For one, Jide Kosoko has more than one wife, but he has stayed true to Henrietta who is also in showbiz.
Then there is Ireti and Patrick Doyle who can be perfectly described as lovebirds. Both of them well known actors, but they have never allowed that to stand in the way of their marriage. To see them together is to want to emulate them. To think that they are bringing up six children together and there is no conflict even makes them a super showbiz couple.
