I didn’t love my husband at first- Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde
Anytime Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde speaks about her husband, her face lights up in a smile.
And then, no question about the sort of relationship
they both share is complete without the shapely actress saying, “If I
had not married him, I would not have married anyone else.”
And this is quite understandable, as their union of
16 years has weathered the storm and is one of the few in the industry
that is scandal free.
Surprisingly, the actress says scandals are expected
when an individual is famous. As such, they add up in making her life
story more interesting. She adds that she is not bothered because her
husband is very understanding.
“It would have been extremely painful if my husband
takes things to heart, then it would have been a roller coaster ride for
me and then I have to go through the problem again and again. God has
been great you know, ‘the guy no get wahala,” She quips.
As a veteran in the marriage business, Omosexy, as
the actress is fondly called reveals that the love was not
instantaneous. “I always tell people that when I met him. I was not in
love with him but he says for him it was love at first sight so I had to
grow to love him. I was attracted to him because of his maturity. I saw
the ability for him to see me. I mean, he knows me more than I know
myself. It is just weird I can’t explain. You just can’t get it. But he
feels my pain, it is easy for him.
When their paths first crossed, a young Omotola had
just lost her father; hence the emotional trauma she was experiencing at
that time was overwhelming.
Then her husband showed up with a ray of hope and
then she fell for his charming nature. “In those days I was young so
there were ways I particularly handle things that were immature so I
would snap very fast because I was short-tempered. So many people will
think I was very difficult even my mother. But he would tell her to
leave me alone. Even then, my mother will say ‘you will not marry, there
is no one that will marry you,’’ She says with a smile.
Describing her husband as her love ‘therapist’,
Ekeinde attributes her spiritual growth to her husband. “I have even
gone closer to Christ because of his exemplary behavior and the way he
handles things. With the maturity I find in him, I can admire that and
then emulate him. That is the connection and the way I have been able to
live with him.”
Asked if she considers herself a doting mother to her four children,
the actress lets out a gale of laughter, saying , “In my own mind yes.
In fact my kids think I am their situation too much. So I am thinking
that if I was around, they would have run away from the house. I feel I
am a very hands on mum in fact I just got back from Ghana and they were
telling me that I am always on the phone with them. Even though my
husband is always around, I know what they are doing every minute. I
think I am a bit too strict with them maybe because I am taking after my
mother. She was a disciplinarian to the core.”
