TOP COUPLE ACTORS IN NOLLYWOOD
Sometimes you’re married to work; other times you are married at work. Though, finding life partners in the same place of work is against the ethics of some professions or rules of some establishments, but in the film industry, making real some marriage scenes has become part of the trade.
Some people argued that, when you share the same work platform with your spouse, the ups and downs of working in the same career line is shared with your better half, so there’s total understanding between the two parties.
Getting a life partner in the industry that is a subject of constant criticism from media and fans entails lots of guts. Yet, there are beautiful couples in the Nollywood that are doing great with their marriages and careers.
Shoots.ng ‘s Joseph ADEBIYI takes a look at the couples who found love doing what they do best. This list is arranged in no particular order.
Enjoy the first part of the ’cinecouple’ series.
Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs
You can’t talk about success in both marriage and career and you don’t mention Joke Silva and Olu Jacobs. This duo have become enigmas in the Nollywood movie industry. These two Nollywood veterans have been married for over 30 years and are unarguably Nollywood’s oldest couples. Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva met in 1981 at the National Theatre in Lagos during the 21st Independent Anniversary.
Olu Jacobs completed his tertiary education at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, United Kingdom where he studied Performing Arts while his wife, Joke Silva completed her tertiary education at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, United Kingdom where she studied Drama. The marriage is blessed with two grown up children and a grandchild.
Till date there have been no controversies linked to their relationship, but recently Joke Silva opened up on her husband’s frail state of health. She revealed that her husband has dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Even in the face of failing health, they remain lovebirds worthy of emulation.
Florence And Iyke Okechukwu
They both met on the set of “Tinsel” one of Africa’s best Telenovelas, since then it has been a fairytale love story. They both played the characters Chuks and Ene respectively in Tinsel. Iyke Okechukwu is a Nigerian Actor well known for his portrayal of Chuks Obi on Tinsel. His first acting role was in 2002 in a Kiddies show called ‘Fun Time’. He is also well known for his appearance in ‘Wetin Dey’ in 2007.
Their marriage in contrast to that of Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva might not be as long, but they have been married for 8 years and blessed with 2 children.
Adesua Etomi And Banky W
Etomi got engaged to Banky W in February 2017. The couple held their traditional marriage on 19th November, court wedding on 20th November and white wedding on 25th November 2017; the latter ceremony was held in Cape Town, South Africa. In early January 2021, Adesua and Banky W had a son named Hazaiah Wellington.
Banky W and his wife Adesua Etomi have never had any misunderstanding or negative publicity from the media that is known to shoots.ng
Ibrahim Suleiman And Linda Ejiofor
Nollywood actress Linda Ejiofor married her prince charming and actor, Ibrahim Suleiman in 2018. The pair starred in the Nigerian soap opera, Tinsel. Prior to then, Ibrahim has never taken up any acting role, he acted the character Damini White, a character who is Bimpe Adekoya’s boss who becomes her onscreen lover. Their wedding truly reflected their friendship and the personalities of the couple.
Toyin Abraham And Kolawole Ajeyemi
In July 2019, Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham had a traditional engagement with Nollywood actor, Kolawole Ajeyemi, and together they welcomed their first child in August 2019. Toyin Abraham is one Nollywood celebrity who has not been so lucky when it comes to marriage. The actress has experienced a couple of unsuccessful marriages over the years. However, Toyin Abraham seems to be quite happy in her current relationship with Nollywood actor Kola Ajeyemi as she is always posting lovely pictures of him. Following her past marriage experiences, Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham had earlier resolved not to get involved in any form of romance with a fellow Nollywood actor anymore. However, fate kept pushing her path towards that direction, and that was how it led her to meet her current partner Kola Ajeyemi.
Zack Orji and Ngozi Orji
Zack and Ngozi Orji are not just successful actors, but they are also proud parents of three children.
Reports had it that Zack Orji got married to his wife after dating her for about three years. Interestingly, detailed information about how the actor met his wife and their marriage is currently scarce as he is one of those actors that like to keep their private life away from the media.
Jessica Obasi And Stanley Nze
Stanley Ebuka Nze is a popular Nollywood actor who recently played the role of Ahanna in a 2020 Nollywood remake of Amaka Igwe classic, Rattlesnake. Stan Nze was born May 15, 1989 in Lagos, Nigeria and currently 32 years old while Blessing Jessica Obasi is another popular Nollywood actress from Abia State in the south eastern part of Nigeria. She is also a movie producer and an entrepreneur. The couple tied the knot in September 11, 2021.
Norbert Young and Gloria Young
Veteran Nollywood actor Norbert Young and his beautiful wife Gloria Young both met on a movie set. Norbert Young recently played the role of Ali Mahmood in the film Rattlesnake, The Ahanna story while Gloria Young played the role of Ngozi Maduako in the same film. The couple got married in 2002 and would be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary in June 3, 2022.
Norbert Young and Gloria Young are both Nollywood veteran actors and have also featured as husband and wife in many Nollywood movie roles. They are currently blessed with three lovely children. Gloria Young was shot to limelight after her performance in the Nollywood blockbuster movie “Glamour Girls”. During an interview, she revealed that despite her love for writing, stress and hard life made her quit journalism for acting. Gloria and Nobert Young are unarguably one of the oldest celebrity couples in the Nigerian film industry.
AFEEZ OWO AND MIDE MARTINS
Afeez Owo married Mide, daughter of the late actress Funmi Martins, who died on April 6, 2002, after a brief illness. According to reports, the two met when Mide returned from London during her mother’s movie shoot while Afeez was Funmi Martins’s manager at the time. They started off as just friends, and Mide Martins, in a report, revealed she regarded him as a brother. However, their friendship moved to the next level after they both got jilted in their different relationships. In 2016, rumours filtered in that their marriage crashed with reports stressing that it was owing to Mide’s infidelity. Afeez, at the time, according to reports had suspected his wife was lying to him and carefully observed her every move and the problem in their relationship went on for several months. However, it became public when the couple started living in separate homes. Martins, however later debunked the rumours by giving an update on their reunion. The two are still married till date.
Bimpe Oyebade And Lateef Adedimeji
After years of denial, popular Nigerian actors Abdulateef Adedimeji and Bimpe Oyebade, held their traditional wedding in Ado Ekiti last year.
They met a number of times without any interaction before they met to work on the same set in 2018. The bride said it wasn’t love at first sight for both parties because they were dating other people. Movie after movie, project after project, the bond got stronger and they became bloggers’ delight.
It was after they both met on the set of Toyin Abraham’s 2021 movie, IGE, that they realised they had soft spot for each other. The groom popped the question on August 9,2021, and his bride gave him a resounding yes.
Photo Credits- Internet
