Like everybody else, Nigerian celebrities go into marriage vowing “till death do us part”.
The entertainment industry is, however, notorious for short marriages that didn’t make it to two years.
Here are seven of such unions that have kept the Nigerian gossip mill active
- Toke Makinwa and Maje Ayida
Toke and Maje met at a boat club in Lagos and dated on and off for eight years. They got married in a private ceremony on January 15, 2014.
Their marriage hit the iceberg in 2015 when 44-year-old Maje impregnated his ex-girlfriend, Anita Solomon, and sent her to UK to have their child.
Toke filed for divorce on March 9, 2016 over allegations of adultery, cruelty and irreconcilable differences.
The 32-year-old socialite went on to become a bestselling author with her 2016 autobiography, On Becoming, which gave sordid account of what happened in the marriage.
Maje, who has threatened to sue Toke over “defamatory” content of her book, stated that the breakup affected his business, but he is gradually moving on with his life.
Their marriage produced a lot of scandal but no child.
Maje, however, has a son, Micah, from his baby mama, Anita.
- Toyin Aimakhu and Adeniyi Johnson
Toyin and Adeniyi got married on Monday, July 8, 2013 at the Federal Marriage Registry in Ikoyi, Lagos in the presence of family members and a few friends.
The couple separated in August 2015 after Toyin accused Adeniyi of cheating on her, an allegation the man pleaded guilty of.
After dumping a confessed cheat, Toyin moved on to an affair with certified thief and fraudster, Seun Egbegbe.
The ill-advised decision still haunts the Alakada actress as most reports of Seun’s back-to-back arrests for attempting to steal 9 iPhones and duping bureau de change operators were prefixed with the phrase “Toyin Aimakhu’s ex-lover”.
- Funke Akindele and Kehinde Oloyede
In a move that shocked many the Jenifa star got married to Kehinde “Almoroof” Oloyede on May 26, 2012.
It was over in 14 months.
On Monday July 15 2013, Kehinde told his Facebook friends the marriage was over, and that the actress was one of the biggest mistakes of his life.
A statement signed by the actress’ publicist and sister, Ayo Ola Mohammed, on July 19, 2013 officially confirmed one of the worst kept celebrity news of the year.
Three years later, Funke secretly married Nigerian rapper, Abdul Rasheed Bello, better known as JJC, in London on the eve of her birthday on August 24, 2016.
- Tiwa Savage and Tee Billz
Tiwa met Tunji “Tee Billz” Balogun for the first time at Timaya’s show in Los Angeles when she was looking for a manager. He did not only become her manager, he asked her to be his wife after months of exchanging body fluids.
They had their traditional marriage on November 23, 2013 at the Ark in Lekki and white wedding on 26 April 2014 at the Armani Hotel in Dubai.
On 28 April 2016, Tee Billz in a series of social media posts accused his wife of infidelity as well as her mother of witchcraft.
Tiwa responded with a hurriedly put together TV interview in which she debunked her husband’s infidelity claims and accused him of financial recklessness, drug addiction, infidelity and abandonment
The 37-year-old added that she knew long before Tee Billz’s meltdown that the marriage wouldn’t last.
There have, however, been speculations about a possible reconciliation, especially after they were spotted together at media personality Stephanie Coker and Olumide Adenirokun‘s traditional wedding on December 30, 2016 in Lagos.
They have a son, Jamil, together.
- Stella Damasus and Emeka Nzeribe
Serial bride, Stella Damasus, married Emeka Nzeribe in 2007, three years after her first husband, Jaiye Aboderin died.
The marriage lasted for seven months before a mutual agreement to divorce.
She is currently married to Doris Simeon’s ex-husband and Nollywood producer, Daniel Ademinokan.
- Ubi Franklin and Lilian Esoro
Nollywood actress, Lilian Esoro, and Triple MG founder, Ubi Franklin, got married on November 1, 2015
Their marriage crisis started shortly after their son, Jayden, was born in July 2016.
On their first wedding anniversary, Lilian did not put up a photo or post to acknowledge the day even after her estranged husband did.
She had also un-followed him and removed the name “Franklin”, from her Instagram account.
It is reported that infidelity and physical abuse are among the reasons why their marriage packed up.
- Tonto Dikeh and Oladunni Churchill
Tonto married Churchill on August 29, 2015, at a traditional ceremony in Port Harcourt.
On February 13, 2017, Tonto confirmed their separation after 17 months, ending weeks of media speculation.
She had previously tried so hard to present the picture of a perfect marriage through public display of affection and posting pictures of expensive gifts from her husband on social media.
The 31-year-old, who ignored calls to reduce the exposure of her family, stated that what went on in her marriage was her personal business and that no one was privy to the happenings behind closed doors except what was shared in public.
The estranged couple have a son, Andre Omodayo Churchill, who celebrated his first birthday on Friday, February 17, 2017.
