This is “US” – Alibaba writes |
Today is the 8th wedding anniversary of Comedian Ali Baba and his wife – they have been together for 16 years though! Ali Baba has always testified that marriage has brought him happiness, and
fulfillment. Their marriage is blessed with six children, including
an adopted daughter.
In a recent chat with Vanguard, the couple excitedly shared their love story, marital journey, likes and dislikes, weaknesses etc.
Se excerpts below:
What marriage has done to me
Marriage has been good. It’s a stablising factor, it helps one to plan
properly. It also redefines your responsibility pattern. When you are a young
man, you don’t have the kind of responsibility you should have as a man. For
instance, if somebody says ‘let’s go partying in Ghana,’ you are ready to
storm Ghana without anything holding you back.
But when you get married, you will
no longer take that kind of decision on your own. It means that a lot
of things you do will now have to be shared with your partner.
Marriage also helps you not only to reorganise youself in respect of how you
want to live your life, but, more importantly, how you spend the money
that you make in your business.
no longer take that kind of decision on your own. It means that a lot
of things you do will now have to be shared with your partner.
Marriage also helps you not only to reorganise youself in respect of how you
want to live your life, but, more importantly, how you spend the money
that you make in your business.
Meeting my wife
I met my wife after I had started my comedy business. She was my banker. I met her while I was banking with the now
rested Citzens Bank.
I met my wife after I had started my comedy business. She was my banker. I met her while I was banking with the now
rested Citzens Bank.
Proposing to her
It took a long time. For the kind of person that I am, particularly in my
own kind of business and also, in her own kind of profession, she needed
closure and a lot more to be offered to her. Given my kind of business, you
don’t blame her if she’s skeptical because of the exposure that comes
with it. I think sincerity of purpose was one of those reasons that made her to
accept my proposal.
It took a long time. For the kind of person that I am, particularly in my
own kind of business and also, in her own kind of profession, she needed
closure and a lot more to be offered to her. Given my kind of business, you
don’t blame her if she’s skeptical because of the exposure that comes
with it. I think sincerity of purpose was one of those reasons that made her to
accept my proposal.
How long I have been married
I have been married for eight years. But we have been together for over 16
years.
I have been married for eight years. But we have been together for over 16
years.
Courtship before marriage
Yes, courtship with a purpose, indicating that this is where I am going to, and
it would be nice if you would go with me. Unlike when you say, ‘this is where I
am’, and your partner says, ‘okay, I am thinking about it’. You will be
compelled to convince the person that you are actually going in
that direction.
Yes, courtship with a purpose, indicating that this is where I am going to, and
it would be nice if you would go with me. Unlike when you say, ‘this is where I
am’, and your partner says, ‘okay, I am thinking about it’. You will be
compelled to convince the person that you are actually going in
that direction.
Secrets of the success story of my
marriage
My wife has been the secret of our success story in marriage and God. She is
the glue that keeps holding us together. She holds the home front, she also
manages me. I am not the easiest person to live with, considering the
fact that I am an artiste and always on the move. She’s somebody who believes
in firm planning. She likes to do everything according to plan. I am the kind
of person that works on the fly and I think on the fly as well. But she finally
began to make me to fall in line. She’s a stabilising factor in my life.
marriage
My wife has been the secret of our success story in marriage and God. She is
the glue that keeps holding us together. She holds the home front, she also
manages me. I am not the easiest person to live with, considering the
fact that I am an artiste and always on the move. She’s somebody who believes
in firm planning. She likes to do everything according to plan. I am the kind
of person that works on the fly and I think on the fly as well. But she finally
began to make me to fall in line. She’s a stabilising factor in my life.
Having admirers in marriage
You will continue to have admirers even after marriage. It’s natural that
everybody gets attracted to what is good. And so, for anybody who becomes a
celebrity, you would see people who would want to associate with you, not
because of your real person, but because of the popularity and cloud of
celebrity that surrounds you. It’s a mix of all of that and you decide on how
to handle the situation.
You will continue to have admirers even after marriage. It’s natural that
everybody gets attracted to what is good. And so, for anybody who becomes a
celebrity, you would see people who would want to associate with you, not
because of your real person, but because of the popularity and cloud of
celebrity that surrounds you. It’s a mix of all of that and you decide on how
to handle the situation.
Love at first sight
It was a case of getting to know the kind of person she was, and knowing that
she was a family oriented person. She’s also a very professional person, and it
took a cousin of hers to introduce us to each other.
It was a case of getting to know the kind of person she was, and knowing that
she was a family oriented person. She’s also a very professional person, and it
took a cousin of hers to introduce us to each other.
Your parents opposing the union
Not at all. My dad’s main concern is whether she’s somebody that ‘you are
comfortable with, somebody who can support your dreams and make you grow as you
would want to grow. If she’s, then we will support you’.
Not at all. My dad’s main concern is whether she’s somebody that ‘you are
comfortable with, somebody who can support your dreams and make you grow as you
would want to grow. If she’s, then we will support you’.
Pitfalls in marriage
When respect is eroded and when the causes of happiness are missing in
marriage. If your spouse is somebody who likes to be pampered and you do
not have the means of pampering her or don’t have the time to pamper her,
it begins to get at her. So, in every relationship, once your partner begins to
want something that is
When respect is eroded and when the causes of happiness are missing in
marriage. If your spouse is somebody who likes to be pampered and you do
not have the means of pampering her or don’t have the time to pamper her,
it begins to get at her. So, in every relationship, once your partner begins to
want something that is
supposed to make him or her happy,
it systematically leads to break up of that relationship. But beyond this,
issues of infidelity, jealousy, incompatibility and inreconcilable differences
could also lead to break up of marriages. You need to know the kind of person
you are going to spend the rest of your life with.
it systematically leads to break up of that relationship. But beyond this,
issues of infidelity, jealousy, incompatibility and inreconcilable differences
could also lead to break up of marriages. You need to know the kind of person
you are going to spend the rest of your life with.
What I don’t like about her
There are a lot of things I don’t like about her just as there are lots of
things I like about her. Sometimes, she pushes me too hard. She’s like telling
me ‘you can do it, give it a trial’. Sometimes, I resist the pressure she
mounts on me. But later, I discovered that after I have done it, it actually
works out well. She sometimes feels I am not where I am supposed to be
yet. And the pressure is not about her, rather it’s about where she feels
you are supposed to be, and you are not. That’s positive. But there are some
people who can’t take that.
There are a lot of things I don’t like about her just as there are lots of
things I like about her. Sometimes, she pushes me too hard. She’s like telling
me ‘you can do it, give it a trial’. Sometimes, I resist the pressure she
mounts on me. But later, I discovered that after I have done it, it actually
works out well. She sometimes feels I am not where I am supposed to be
yet. And the pressure is not about her, rather it’s about where she feels
you are supposed to be, and you are not. That’s positive. But there are some
people who can’t take that.
Hanging out
We hang out a lot. She’s always a busy woman, but as much time as we have, we
hang out. She dances very well, but she’s not the partying type.
We hang out a lot. She’s always a busy woman, but as much time as we have, we
hang out. She dances very well, but she’s not the partying type.
Attraction
A lot of things attracted me to her. Apart from being a professional, she’s a
stablising factor in my life. She has great sense of humour, she cooks well and
she’s a very pretty woman. She understands the thespian in me, having read
Theatre Arts as her first degree. Above all, she normally sees where my
dreams are going.
A lot of things attracted me to her. Apart from being a professional, she’s a
stablising factor in my life. She has great sense of humour, she cooks well and
she’s a very pretty woman. She understands the thespian in me, having read
Theatre Arts as her first degree. Above all, she normally sees where my
dreams are going.
Advice for young couples
Getting to understand themselves. For a lot of young artistes, it’s not knowing
who you really want to settle down with because fame has crept in. You
find it easy to settle down with somebody who wants fame to set in. But
when you now become popular, you do not know who really loves you for who you
are, or because of the fame. What I’m saying is that, as a celebrity, it pays
if you get married before you achieve fame. This is because, as soon as
you become famous, a lot of distractions and camouflaging will come into play.
Getting to understand themselves. For a lot of young artistes, it’s not knowing
who you really want to settle down with because fame has crept in. You
find it easy to settle down with somebody who wants fame to set in. But
when you now become popular, you do not know who really loves you for who you
are, or because of the fame. What I’m saying is that, as a celebrity, it pays
if you get married before you achieve fame. This is because, as soon as
you become famous, a lot of distractions and camouflaging will come into play.
Break up of celebrity marriages
I don’t have issues with that. To me, your happiness in marriage is key
to every thing. That is not to say, for every flimsy excuse that you
have, you walk out of your marriage. But if the person you finally got married
to, turns out to be somebody totally different from somebody who you
thought he was, or totally different from who you expected the person to be,
you are in such a situation where the person is key to your happiness, you
prefer to be away from home in order to find happiness than to come back
home and break down.
I don’t have issues with that. To me, your happiness in marriage is key
to every thing. That is not to say, for every flimsy excuse that you
have, you walk out of your marriage. But if the person you finally got married
to, turns out to be somebody totally different from somebody who you
thought he was, or totally different from who you expected the person to be,
you are in such a situation where the person is key to your happiness, you
prefer to be away from home in order to find happiness than to come back
home and break down.
His wife speaks:
Our relationship
He was a customer and I was his banker. I was drawn to him because he had the
ability to simplify big issues and introduce laughter into difficult
situations.
He was a customer and I was his banker. I was drawn to him because he had the
ability to simplify big issues and introduce laughter into difficult
situations.
What I saw in Him
Although he is a comedian whose business is to make people laugh, he always
believed that being funny is a serious business. There was that seriousness in
him and determination to turn his laughter business into a major commercial
success. As his banker, it was my duty to give him valuable financial advice
along that line.
Although he is a comedian whose business is to make people laugh, he always
believed that being funny is a serious business. There was that seriousness in
him and determination to turn his laughter business into a major commercial
success. As his banker, it was my duty to give him valuable financial advice
along that line.
How I met him
I met him at work, he was a customer, I gave him the same kind of advice I gave
to all the other customers. I counselled them on how to properly plan
their finances and generate wealth for themselves.
I met him at work, he was a customer, I gave him the same kind of advice I gave
to all the other customers. I counselled them on how to properly plan
their finances and generate wealth for themselves.
Attraction
I became interested in the person that he was. It was not about marrying Ali
Baba, it was about marrying Atuyota as a person. I saw his qualities; the fact
that he would make a good husband and father. In addition to that, his ability
to make me laugh gave him an edge because I love to laugh.
I became interested in the person that he was. It was not about marrying Ali
Baba, it was about marrying Atuyota as a person. I saw his qualities; the fact
that he would make a good husband and father. In addition to that, his ability
to make me laugh gave him an edge because I love to laugh.
Female admirers
At such times I walk away and just watch from afar. I cannot do anything about
that. We go for events and people turn up and want to take pictures and all
that. It comes with the territory and I give him that space because he needs
it.
At such times I walk away and just watch from afar. I cannot do anything about
that. We go for events and people turn up and want to take pictures and all
that. It comes with the territory and I give him that space because he needs
it.