‘She wanted counselling on sports journalism but we found love’

Love conquers all’ very much describes the story of Tobi and Chika. They are two journalists different in many ways, yet their love and devotion for sports and reporting consume their differences, writes MORAKINYO ABODUNRIN.

Much romantic affection on social media platforms had reportedly led many to tears and sorrows but that wasn’t the case in Enugu last weekend as two budding sports journalists, Tobi Samuel Adepoju and Chika Christiana Ilokwe, consummated their marriage amidst joy and laughter.

Theirs seems to be marriage made in heaven following the extraordinary manner they struck the Cupid cord from a long distance; and what started like a bric-a-brac five years ago on the internet became a dream matchup in front of their families and friends.

“We had two different missions and we were able to reach positive compromise,” Tobi, an indigene of Ibadan and a leading member of the new media gang in sports journalism, purred about the lovey-dovey with Chika, a shining beauty of the Igbo extraction from Mmaku in Enugu State.

“Yes (she played hard to get); it was difficult convincing her despite being my friend for months.

“She wanted counselling on journalism but I wanted love.”

Until most recently, inter cultural marriages are not a fad in Nigeria but Tobi through-and-through is a goal getter and his creed, according to  close friends, is having his way when there is a will.

“We became friends about five years ago and during our friendship, I studied her and I decided to extend it to relationship,” offered Tobi, an alumnus of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye in Ogun State. “I started visiting her regularly when she came to Lagos for NYSC and we built a bond.

“After months of friendship, I asked her out for a relationship and after her consultations she accepted.

“I think I am caring and despite my tight scheduled with football, I did enough to create enough time for her. I think that was how I captured her. She might also have noticed that I am hard working with good family background.”

A likeable fellow, many gals reportedly milled around Tobi but the burly Romeo had long set the parameter for his would-be Juliet and his choice of Chika, he reiterated, was not an accident but an inspired choice.

“I love light skin ladies because I am very dark,” he said with his trademark deep titter. “I have always wanted a mixture in the family and also a complement to my dark skin. Physically, that attracted me most.”

As a Christian, one of the biblical tenets Tobi had long committed to heart ‘is being able to find a capable wife with a value more than that of corals’, consequently his search for a woman with more endearing qualities than physical sexuality.

“Of course, I discovered more interesting attractions in the journey; she is caring and accommodative, open to new ideas and love businesses,” he explained. “She got attracted to me because of my loyalty and commitment, my zeal to succeed in my endeavours and my wish to give my wife and family the best.

“She is a Mass Communication degree holder from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu State. We met on Facebook, social media connected us.

“She has been my friend on Facebook and noticed I practiced journalism. As an undergraduate Mass Communication student, she chat me for advice.

“She is also a lover of Nigerian football; she has been watching NPFL games since their family days in Makurdi and also she is a big fan of Enugu Rangers.

“We share same dreams; we want the best in life. We are prayerful and hardworking, passionate about domestic football and love people around us.

“I gave her advice on how she can succeed with her passion after school but I didn’t stop with the counselling, I got a big feeling in my heart and I requested to be her friend; and from friendship to relationship and now to marriage.”

Of course, names often assume a larger-than life image and nothing best can captures the essence of CHISAM18 (their wedding  hashtag) for Chika than the meaning of her name in the Igbo dialect which transliterates to ‘God pass (bigger than) everybody.’

She spoke candidly about her choice: “I love his charisma; I was convinced with his attitude and maturity to handle issues, prayerful and focused.

“We became friends. After some months, he asked me out and we decided to know each other better and see how things would go between us. At the end, it was all positive.

“We understand each other; we are focused and we do a lot of things together. We got attracted by our dreams and ideas.

“He invited me to his house and he proposed. I was overwhelmed because I wasn’t expecting it. We decided to get into each more and set a road map for our marriage.”

Their rite to marriage-hood actually started about a year ago when the dream guy struck a dramatic proposal that his dream queen couldn’t resist. “I proposed to her in November 2017. I invited her to visit me and she got the biggest surprise but we decided to keep everything off social media. The next month, I met her elder brother in Lagos and the journey to our wedding ceremony began.”

In Enugu to witness the marriage between love birds were family and friends, and the amiable Chairman of the vibrant Lagos chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Debo Osundu, who   captured the event with  glowing  remarks: “The marriage between Chika and Tobi shows that we can achieve so much together as members of SWAN and this calls for oneness, unity  and bond among all of us.

“It also shows that Nigerians still have belief in our staying together as one despite our challenges and political differences.

“Tobi is one young man that is liked by all, he’s well brought up and that attested to the huge attendance of many people across the country at his wedding. I want to say that Chika fell in love with a man of her dream and everyone can see that she was so excited and happy about the union and we pray that the grace of God be upon their marriage.”

They say love conquers everything, and Chika says she is truly well at home in her new milieu. “We didn’t grow up in Enugu and we had lived outside our tribe for years,” revealed Chika, the sixth of her parent’s seven children.

“My father lived in Lagos for years before moving to Makurdi. Infact, my elder brother is based in Lagos for almost 20 years now and our parents accepted him (Tobi) because tribe isn’t an issue for them.”

Ditto for Tobi, who says his family have unfurled their hands and hearts to welcome Chika into their fold. “Honestly, my parents don’t fancy tribalism; they accepted her since the first day she visited my family house. She has a good relationship with my parents, especially my mother; they relate in love.

“You won’t believe she is not from my tribe, because her sense of humour and attitude to accommodate is massive,” noted Tobi, the first of the Adepoju’s four children.