You may not agree with us, but we have come to admit and realize that nothing compares to true love. In the spirit of Valentine’s Day (which is celebrated all over the world on February 14 and in the memory of Saint Valentine who was martyred for love), we have 25 exciting and exhilarating love stories that will not only blow your mind, but also make your day. It is a moving story on how some Nigerians you admire and adore found love. Some of the stories are conventional, some are not. However, one good thing that runs through all of them is that love sometimes could be found in the strangest of places. And that when nurtured and nourished, it leaves those savouring it happy forever…
1: TUNDE AND WUMMI OBE_
The scandal -free celebrate couple. Tunde and WUMMI One, or TWO, like they enjoy being addressed, were born into affluence. The former father’s was an ambassador and the latter, the founder of The Punch Newspapes.
Hopelessly in love with each other and forever combining colors, Wummi , Oyo State and a Philosophy graduate of the University of Lagos, had been invited to replace a female singer who just called it quits with a group called The Turning Point.
Tunde, already a member of the group, spotted her instantly. They became friends, then lovers and finally, husband and wife. In their 50s, their marriage was consummated amidst pomp and as you read this, the enviable union is blessed with three children Roxanne, Richard and Charles.
2: PAT AND IFEOMA UTOMI_
The academic and social
critie Utomi, from Ibusa, Delta State, met his wife at the College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, in ldi-Araba. He had accompanied a friend, Tony Nnachetam, to the place to see his own girlfriend — and along the line, started a relationship with lfeoma, the roommate, and that was it.
3: CHARLES AND DIANE OPUTA_
The weird duo. Charley Boy and Lady Di, like they are widely known, met in America. CB had gone to a salon (Dany) where Diane used to work to have a treat and immediately he set his eyes on the black American, his system was completely disorganized. To break down her defense, he lied to her that he would invite her to his birthday party. True to his promise, and with the co-operation of Diane’s boss, he sent a Limousine to bring her to the party venue– which turned out to be his house. Mesmerized and dazzled, Lady Di had no choice than to cave in.
They eventually formalized their union in a registry in Owerri, lmo State and have been having a blast ever since.
Blessed with four children, Diane was born in South Carolina, USA and CB, Oguta, lmo State.
She studied Men’s Tailoring while he read Mass Communication. Jointly, they also sing and engage in other things.
4: JOHN AND SHOLA MOMOH_
They own and run Channels Television. Both of them also started out as broadcasters. As a matter of fact, their paths crossed at NTA (Nigeria Television Authority) where they used to work. Born on July 1, 1957, John Olachy Momoh, a 1990 Mass Communication graduate of University of Lagos, and his pretty wife have three children.
5: KEN AND TINA OLUMESE_
Ken Calebs Olumese, Lord have mercy, is the Guv’nor of Niteshift Coliseum. His wife, Tina, is a senior nurse with Eko Hospital. Blessed with five children, he travelled home to see his mother who was not feeling fine, but was so awestruck by the kind of attention she was getting from the nurse attending to her that he ended up marrying her. From Ekpoma in Edo State, the godfather of nightclubbing hasn’t regretted that decision.
6: KAYODE AND SEUN OLAGUNJU_
Kayode is hunky and handsome. And because of that perhaps, he’s always had his way with women. Encountering Seun, however, while on a visit to Daar Communications, changed that perception of women completely.
She made him to understand that all women are not cheap.
Neither do they all come easy. Anyway, after trying and trying, Seun decided to have mercy and today, the NTA staffer proudly addresses herself as Mrs.Olagunju.
Now a mother of four, lovely children, three girls and a boy. Her husband, a first class graduate of Geography, is one of the topshots at the Federal Road Safely Commission and their relationship has been waxing stronger and stronger. Their courtship was for a year, and their wedding took place on April 29, 1999.
7: DONALD AND ONARI DUKE_
Donald, 60, was contesting for the position of Director of Socials at the University of Maidugri when they met. Their courtship spanned for six years (80–86), before they settled down. The former first family in Cross River State ranks among Nigeria’s most sumptuous. The names of their children are Nella, Dona and Xerona. He is from Cross River while she is from Rivers State.
8: EYIMOFE AND DOROTHY ATAKE_
The hugely stylish couple. Eyimofe, a Senior
Advocate of Nigeria and arguably Nigeria’s most stylish man, had visited Ashland Oil (now Addax Oil) to see a friend when he met her. They dated for two years before making their romance official. The doting parents of Eyitoritse, Tinuofe, Oritseloju and Amatoritse (a set of twins) come from privileged backgrounds, but have not allowed that to water down their love for each other. She is 58 and he is 64.
9: RICHARD AND JUMOBI DAMIJO_
They met in the line of duty. Africa lndependent Television, the media outfit where she used to work was having an event, which RMD was invited to. And because both of them couldn’t take their eyes off each other, they knew the only reason for that must be love. Marriage since 1999, and blessed with two children (Tega and Mena), the husband was formerly ex Commissioner for Culture, Delta State and wife, a staff of Glo.
Both dimple-faced, RMD is from Aladja, Delta State and JMD a Lagos State.
10: ISAAC AND NNEKA MOSES_
The Goge Africa presenters, Nneka and Isaac have a sweet love story. In love in Vendetta, a movie they took in, in 1996, they undertook the roles of husband and wife. And having executed it with so much ease and also ascertaining that they could become one just like they did in the movie, they decided to do in real life, after a one year courtship. Always together, because of the nature of their job. The Anambra indigenes who the Almighty God blessed with a child (Chikamara), after over ten years of marriage — surely have an interesting and at the same time intriguing story. Their wedding was on October 25, 1997 at the Catholic Church of Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.
