Marriage, the union of man and wife, is largely considered a sacred institution. In Christianity especially, it is for better for worse, till death do them part.
This narrative, however, seems to have been changing in recent times with long tales of broken marriages. In the world of showbiz, for instance, marriages have been known to start on a note of glitz and glamour that are characteristic of that world of ostentation, but sooner than later they hit the rocks and the couples throw mud at each other in the full glare of the social media.
While some celebrity marriages have surprisingly survived beyond the public’s expectations and are still waxing strong, many have crashed barely a few years after they began. Let’s take a look at 10 celebrity marriages that crashed in the past year.
1. Funke Akindele and Abdulrasheed Bello
Popular actress and filmmaker Funke Akindele, also known as Jenifa after her role in the sitcom “Jenifa’s Diary”, does not seem to have had it easy with marriage. Her first marriage with Otunba Adeola Kehinde Oloyede, which was consummated on May 26, 2012, crashed in 2013 due to a difference of opinions, lack of agreement, and also because of her inability to have a child at that time.
In May 2016, the actress married Nigerian rapper and director, Abdulrasheed Bello aka JJC Skillz, in London and the marriage was blessed with twin boys in December 2018.
Fast-forward to June 30, 2022, six years after they got married, and JJC Skillz and Funke Akindele announced they were parting ways. JJC Skillz broke the news to his friends and families on his Instagram account that his marriage with the award-winning actress had come to an end, stating that the union had begun to have issues two years prior. He also said he had to move out of their home three months prior to the announcement after Funke insisted he did.
The news about their split came before Funke was announced as the deputy governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in Lagos State in the 2023 elections. A few months earlier, JJC Skillz’s son from another lady, Benito, had claimed that there was trouble in Bello’s household as he made accusations of infidelity in the home.
Funke would later break her silence on why their marriage crashed. She said, “The truth is our dreams and vision of what our marriage should be just no longer aligned. And efforts to make it work all fell on deaf ears, so why hang around?”
2. Basketmouth and Elsie
Veteran comedian, Bright Okpocha, popularly known by his stage name Basketmouth, shocked Nigerians when he announced via his official Instagram page on Thursday, December 22, 2022, that his 12-year marriage to his wife Elsie has packed up, stating the decision to part ways with his wife was difficult for them but unavoidable.
“As much as it pains me to bring my personal life to the public space, this is an unavoidable situation. After much deliberation, my wife and I have made the difficult decision to end our marriage,” Basketmouth wrote.
“As we move forward separately, we will continue to work together to give our beautiful children all the care, love, guidance and support they need. We humbly ask that you respect our privacy as we navigate through these times. Thank you.”
Basketmouth and Elsie Uzoma Okpocha tied the knots in 2010. They have three children together – Janelle, Jason, and Maya Okpocha.
3. Paul Okoye and Anita Isama
The marriage between popular Nigerian musician Paul Okoye, better known as Rudeboy, and Anita Isama crashed after eight years of being together.
Paul, who rose to fame in the 2000s as a member of the Psquare duo with his twin brother Peter Okoye, married Anita on March 22, 2014 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and they have three children together – Andre (2013) and the twins, Nathan and Nadia (2017).
However, eight years after their marriage, a court in Abuja dissolved their marriage following a divorce suit file by Anita in which she levelled heavy allegations against her husband, some of which included infidelity, fraud, and being an absent parent. She also released addresses of hotels and apartments the musician used as his love nest as part of the evidence to strengthen her case in court.
Paul has been seen recently with a new girlfriend.
4. Korra Obidi and Justin Dean
US-based multi-talented Nigerian dancer, singer and model, Korra Anita Obidi, popularly known as Korra, and her husband Justin Dean had one hell of a messy breakup in 2022. The duo got married in 2018. And in March 2022, just a few weeks after they welcomed their second child, Dean announced they were going their separate ways.
Dean accused Korra of infidelity, narcissism and unaccountability, saying he was heartbroken and needed to walk away from their marriage to protect his mental health.
In her defence, Korra explained that her husband began to complain about the amount of time she spent on social media after they got married. She said the situation worsened after her social media page was monetized as Dean believed her money belonged to him.
In November, Dean bashed his ex-wife Korra for celebrating the end of their marriage on Facebook after their divorce was finalized.
5.Kaffy and Joseph Ameh
Nigerian celebrity dancer and dance instructor, Kafayat Shafau, commonly called Kaffy, got married to Joseph Ameh in 2012 and they have two children together.
In January 2022, Kaffy, in her then new podcast episode ‘JustKaffy’, confirmed that her marriage to Joseph had crashed, saying their destinies did not align and it was best for them to go their separate ways in order to focus on their careers.
“I was in a bitter place when it comes to my marriage, I was frustrated and angry but got freedom from that space and I’m in a space of healing and open to new relationships,” said the Guinness World Record holder.
Kaffy also noted that divorce or separation was not supposed to be toxic or bitter.
6. Oritsefemi and Nabila
Nabila and Oritsefemi got married on April 20, 2017. In October 2022, during an Instagram Live Session with media personality Daddy Freeze, Nabila Fash announced her separation from her husband, Oritsefemi Majemite, revealing how she discovered that the singer had welcomed a child with another woman while they were still married.
Nabila said Oritsefemi had two daughters from two different women before they met, and she took the girls as her daughters. She confessed that she had to deal with his constant cheating as several women reached out to her to inform her of his cheating habit, adding that even at the time Oritsefemi went online to ask the public to help beg her, he was expecting a son with a fourth woman. She narrated how she had to move out of their home because he was physically abusive towards her.
The singer, however, went online to deny that he was abusive to his wife.
7. Do2dtun and Omotayo
A popular on-air personality, Kayode Oladotun, aka Do2dtun, and his wife Omotayo, who tied the knots in 2013 and have two children together, have been involved in a complex divorce case after Omotayo filed for a divorce in November 2021 over alleged forced abortion, domestic violence and emotional abuse.
The court granted them divided custody of the children, which Omotayo did not oppose, pending the final determination of the suit in court.
However, Omotayo’s lawyer said Do2dtun forcefully entered Omotayo’s house in Abuja on December 14, 2022 with some policemen and assaulted her security man and staff. She later petitioned the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department Abuja, over unlawful entry, malicious damage, criminal trespass and unlawful use of policemen by Do2dtun.
But Do2dtun replied via Instagram and accused his wife’s family and lawyers of spreading lies about him. He also promised to expose the family’s “wicked” and “deceitful” ways.
8. Gideon Okeke and Chidera
Nollywood actor and former Big Brother Naija housemate, Gideon Okeke, announced in October 2022 that he has separated from his wife Chidera after four years of marriage, although troubles in their marriage had surfaced earlier in August 2022. The couple had their wedding ceremony in 2018, welcomed their first child in 2019, and their second child in 2021.
Breaking the news on his Instagram page via his Insta stories, Okeke wrote, “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you that I’m separated from my marriage, right? No you wouldn’t…so grab a seat.
“It is in the interest of clarity and a clear conscience that this becomes imperative. But yea…Breakfast reach me too. Las Las.
“It’s been a hard hot pill I’ve had to swallow, boy. It sure humbles one.”
The actor also sought closure and asked friends and family to respect his privacy.
9. Skales and Precious
The drama in the marriage between Nigerian rapper and singer Raoul John Njenga-Njeng, better known by his stage name Skales, and his model and chef wife Precious Hassanity became visible after Skales lost his mother in October 2022. After his mum’s demise, Skales sent a disturbing message on social media advising the public not to marry a heartless person.
“In all you do, make sure you don’t marry a heartless person. Pray for my mental health,” he wrote.
Blaming his wife for his mother’s death, the rapper shared snippets of an unreleased track in which he apparently dissed his wife Hassanity, whom he married in May 2021.
“Disappointed by the one I called fam (family). This wasn’t no love, it was all for the gram. How can you be so insensitive, you could have saved my mama’s life. You were ten minutes away from the crib,” he sang.
Hassanity did not respond to Skales’ allegations but rather set her social media handles to private.
In March 2023, however, Skales begged his estranged wife for forgiveness in an Instagram post dedicated to her on the occasion of her birthday. In the post, which had different slides of their pictures together, Skales apologized for letting his emotions get the beter of him and for not handling their situation properly like a man.
“Learning to control emotions and taking care of my mental health when life throws me down has to be one of the amazing life lessons I’ve learnt. We both made mistakes and I sincerely apologize for letting my grieving times get the best of me by bringing what should be our private life into the public eye, isn’t an act I am proud of and I promise to keep progressing daily in my actions & becoming a better man in handling situations,” he wrote.
10. Tchidi Chikere and Nuella Njubigbo
Talented Nigerian filmmaker Tchidi Chikere has had one heck of a married life (or lives). He tied the knots with actress Nuella Njubigbo in 2014 after his marriage with his first wife Sophia Williams hit the rocks.
But his second marriage to actress Nuella Njubigbo, which produced a daughter, ended in a divorce in 2021. Chikere, in an Instagram post, had claimed that Nuella packed up and snuck out of their matrimonial home. Both celebrities unfollowed each other on social media.
In April this year, the filmmaker announced via his Instagram page that he was married again.
“Married! We did it here some months ago…just so my friends and fans know I’m okay and HAPPY,” he wrote, accompanying the post with a picture of the ring finger of his new wife.
