Fashion entrepreneur and CEO of Ouch!, Uche Nnaji,
got married in a
traditional way to his lover of five years, Anthonia Onwamaka on August 31, 2013.
The church wedding held in September, read his interesting interview with Encomium below:
The traditional marriage was in Lagos, why not in your wife’s hometown?
My wife is not Igbo, she is from Delta State. I am sure that
nullifies the general notion that why not in the village? Her parents
are in Lagos. They are progressives. They just felt there is no need
moving everybody down to the village that’s why we did it in Lagos.
Tell us briefly how the ceremony went.
I have always wanted something private but the turnout was shocking.
We made invitation cards for 150 guests but at the end we had over 600
people. Thank God me and my wife made arrangement for the spill-over,
God just took control of everything. We had family members who made
arrangement for themselves to assist in such situation.
We tried to do a simple traditional wedding, it didn’t succeed. Our
white wedding will be very private. We have only 100 invitation cards.
The venue can’t even take more than 100, so, no accommodation for
spillover. We want the 100 guests to have a swell time and enjoy
themselves. The white wedding is coming up later this month.
Is it a new trend now to only budget for a particular number of guests at an event?
I wouldn’t say it’s a new trend, I will rather say it’s more of
wisdom. People are beginning to realize that the success of every
marriage does not depend on you opening your door to everybody to come
to your wedding and celebrate with you. Weddings world over are more of
family affair. People are just getting to realize that it is not a
carnival.
When did the journey actually start?
She has been my friend for five years. From when I was just starting the Ouch! Brand
in Maryland, Lagos. She came and bought an item. I guess that was our
first encounter. They live around there, we were just friends, we were
not dating. Of course, she knew the people I dated. We were just
friends then. It just got to a stage I realized she is the right person
I have been looking around for. I just thought I should pay attention
to her. I also realized she had feelings for me, I had to reciprocate.
How did you sustain the friendship to get to this level?
I don’t have the recipe for that. I won’t expect her to stay with me
for that period. How can I explain the fact that for the five years we
were friends, she knew all those I have dated. I will say that what
has sustained our friendship is her patience and understanding. I will
say that was what actually pushed me to pop the question to her. She
knew what she wants, she knew I am in the limelight and she has to cope
with that. She didn’t criticize me. She didn’t rush me. She didn’t
put me under any pressure. I guess she just kept praying and God just
pushed me to do it.
Can you tell us briefly about her family background?
She is from Delta State. She’s got siblings right here in Lagos. But
she will not want me to get the family into this. From day one, mostly
the mom never wants to be in the limelight. When I proposed to her,
the mother told me she didn’t want her daughter to marry somebody in the
limelight, that was an issue.
How did you propose to her?
It was at a private lounge in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Was there any special gift for her for this marriage?
My heart, that is the special gift. I am sure she won’t ask for more.
What are your expectations as regards this union?
Everything success and most important for our union to be like a
trigger to influence most of my friends who are still on the line of
indecision to settle down as soon as possible. Our union will be
fruitful and exemplary so that others will follow suit. I pray our
marriage blossoms and be a good example for others to take the bold
step. For the white wedding, I expect the 100 guests to come and have a
great time and wish us well.
Is it an easy decision for you to wait to get married?
It wasn’t an easy decision. Sometimes I look back and thought to
myself if I really took this decision. I decided to get married late
2011. The traditional outfit I wore was made then. I just came out of a
relationship I thought that was the real person for me. It was in the
midst of depression. I bought the material in 2012 and I didn’t wear it
until August 2013, almost a year and some months. It didn’t come easy
because the attention was coming. A lot of beautiful women with
prospects were coming with their attention. The tendency to be confused
was not far-fetched, but I didn’t allow that to happen to me. I bought
that dress and put in my wardrobe. I didn’t touch that cloth until
last week. As at the first week of July, I didn’t know I was going to be
married.
The whole thing came to manifestation within a short period.
I just moved to a new place in Lekki, Lagos months back in preparation
to settle down. It was as if a new set of women just moved in here in
terms of attention. It really got me scared. I thought my destiny was
at stake here. Some people will say I should go ahead and sample, but I
said for what? Sample and my soul will be in jeopardy. I just decided
to take that decision. It wasn’t an easy one but today I am grateful.
The attention was just coming, I had to take the decision. I actually
moved the wedding to August against our earlier agreed date of
December. My wife was like what about the logistics and all that. I
told her we should go ahead that God will take control, or else I am
seeing fire on the mountain. I believe God, we can do it and on the day
of our traditional marriage, I was smiling all through because I am not
out to impress anybody, just the two of us.
What are those attributes you saw in her that convinced you to marry her?
She is a rare gem, any woman to have stayed for five years and
watched me date other women. One of them even confronted her at a
point, she is the shy type, simple and different. She did not
pressurize me to leave other relationships I had been into. Her
patience, and she knows how to fight with her knees down, I guess that
is where she won my heart.