In a recent interview with gooo/spice/celebrity-couple/i-read-my-husbands-text-messages-sisiyemmie/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Punch newspaper, Blogger, Yemisi Odusanya aka SisiYemmie, and her husband, Yomi, talked about their marriage. See excerpts below:
How did you meet you wife?
Yomi: Her cousin who is
my childhood friend told me she was also a student at Igbinedion
University, Edo State, where I was studying at that time. As such, I was
on the lookout for her.
my childhood friend told me she was also a student at Igbinedion
University, Edo State, where I was studying at that time. As such, I was
on the lookout for her.
What qualities endeared you to each other?
Yomi: Sometimes, I was
fortunate to find her standing in front of her hostel anytime I drove
past. At such times, I would stop to chat with her and I discovered we
had similar interests. I was also attracted to her innocence.
fortunate to find her standing in front of her hostel anytime I drove
past. At such times, I would stop to chat with her and I discovered we
had similar interests. I was also attracted to her innocence.
Yemisi: So many traits
endeared me to him; he has a great sense of humour, and is very
knowledgeable about a lot of topics. He’s very handsome, caring,
supportive and generous in the real sense of the word
endeared me to him; he has a great sense of humour, and is very
knowledgeable about a lot of topics. He’s very handsome, caring,
supportive and generous in the real sense of the word
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Why did your courtship last 10 years?
Yomi: We were quite
young when we started dating; she was 19 while I was 22. I believe if
you are at home with someone, you continue with that person. Another
reason was that we had to wait until we were emotionally mature to get
married. I’m glad we waited because I learnt so much just before
marriage and I am still learning. It’s what you know that makes you
ready for marriage and not what you feel.
young when we started dating; she was 19 while I was 22. I believe if
you are at home with someone, you continue with that person. Another
reason was that we had to wait until we were emotionally mature to get
married. I’m glad we waited because I learnt so much just before
marriage and I am still learning. It’s what you know that makes you
ready for marriage and not what you feel.
How did he propose to you and how did you feel when he did?
Yemisi: I was in Nigeria
to attend my younger sister’s wedding and after the ceremony, he
proposed to me in the presence of my family. Unknown to me, he had
spoken to my father before he proposed.
to attend my younger sister’s wedding and after the ceremony, he
proposed to me in the presence of my family. Unknown to me, he had
spoken to my father before he proposed.
Did you foresee the proposal?
Yemisi: I suspected he
was going to propose but I did not know when. I had already seen a set
of lines that indicated the shape of a box in his pocket. I was very
happy and at the same time surprised, because I was not aware of the
situation.
was going to propose but I did not know when. I had already seen a set
of lines that indicated the shape of a box in his pocket. I was very
happy and at the same time surprised, because I was not aware of the
situation.
Why did you choose to enter the My Big Nigerian Wedding competition?
Yemisi: Initially, we
didn’t want to enter but I kept getting private emails from readers of
my blog to enter for the competition. I asked Yomi, if he would like to
and he told me to go on- he only took it seriously when we got the first
set of votes to go to the next stage. I had a good feeling about the
competition but never thought we could win.
didn’t want to enter but I kept getting private emails from readers of
my blog to enter for the competition. I asked Yomi, if he would like to
and he told me to go on- he only took it seriously when we got the first
set of votes to go to the next stage. I had a good feeling about the
competition but never thought we could win.
Yomi: Yemisi acted on
her own initiative while I imagined the competition was a trick intended
to attract attention. I thought it was something that was certain to
fail. Notwithstanding the competition, our minds were set on getting
married that year whether we won or not. I have never been so blessed to
be wrong.
her own initiative while I imagined the competition was a trick intended
to attract attention. I thought it was something that was certain to
fail. Notwithstanding the competition, our minds were set on getting
married that year whether we won or not. I have never been so blessed to
be wrong.
How did you adjust to your ‘celebrity status’ after winning the competition?
Yomi: Sincerely, it has
never occurred to us until you mentioned it but I still get caught off
guard when people refer to us as the couple from MBNW.
never occurred to us until you mentioned it but I still get caught off
guard when people refer to us as the couple from MBNW.
Did any member of your families oppose your relationship?
Yomi: We did not
experience anything like that. In fact, my parents were eager to meet
with her family. Yes, there was the standard disagreement over the day
the wedding would hold but God took control.
experience anything like that. In fact, my parents were eager to meet
with her family. Yes, there was the standard disagreement over the day
the wedding would hold but God took control.
What would you like to change about each other?
Yomi: It’s really hard
to say. Yemisi can be very stubborn, thorough and selective but these
are the same qualities she uses to press forward in her career.
to say. Yemisi can be very stubborn, thorough and selective but these
are the same qualities she uses to press forward in her career.
Yemisi: I love him just the way he is.
How would you describe your marriage?
Yemisi: My marriage is a
gift that just keeps giving. Each day, I open and unlock something new.
It provides, comfort and support to me. It feels good knowing you have a
partner that has your interest at heart. We are a team.
gift that just keeps giving. Each day, I open and unlock something new.
It provides, comfort and support to me. It feels good knowing you have a
partner that has your interest at heart. We are a team.
Do you have access to each other’s phones and social media accounts?
Yomi: She has access to
my mails, phone and everything else. I know her password, but we always
have to remind each other. The only one we tend to remember are the
passwords to our phones and that’s because we share the same password.
my mails, phone and everything else. I know her password, but we always
have to remind each other. The only one we tend to remember are the
passwords to our phones and that’s because we share the same password.
Yemisi: Yes, we do. I
always help him check his text messages and sometimes, I have to remind
him to respond. At other times, I help him conclude a chat on Blackberry
as well as update his profile and photos on Blackberry.
always help him check his text messages and sometimes, I have to remind
him to respond. At other times, I help him conclude a chat on Blackberry
as well as update his profile and photos on Blackberry.
How do you spend time together?
Yomi: Yemisi’s idea of
spending time together is going on a family outing, dining at a
restaurant and shopping. I prefer to stay at home to watch a film or
two.
spending time together is going on a family outing, dining at a
restaurant and shopping. I prefer to stay at home to watch a film or
two.
Do you operate a joint bank account?
Yomi: Not yet and it is
not because we don’t want to. We’ve not gotten round to it because
Internet banking and ATM cards have given us unrestricted access to each
other’s accounts.
not because we don’t want to. We’ve not gotten round to it because
Internet banking and ATM cards have given us unrestricted access to each
other’s accounts.
Do you ever get jealous of your wife’s male admirers?
Yomi: Yes, I used to get
jealous when I was younger and before she became known as SisiYemmie.
Then, I was a bit immature but all that feeling became a thing of the
past as the relationship progressed.
jealous when I was younger and before she became known as SisiYemmie.
Then, I was a bit immature but all that feeling became a thing of the
past as the relationship progressed.
What hobbies do you have in common?
Yomi: We both love to
discover good food. It is not just about what you eat but where and the
people. There is a whole world to discover in food-it can take you to
places you have never been, make you meet people and bring new ideas to
mind.
discover good food. It is not just about what you eat but where and the
people. There is a whole world to discover in food-it can take you to
places you have never been, make you meet people and bring new ideas to
mind.
Yemisi: We love to eat good food and explore new places. We also share a love for looking at beautiful houses and furniture.
What makes you disagree with each other?
Yemisi: The devil does.
In a relationship, almost anything can cause a quarrel if one person
does not step down for the other, or allow certain things pass.
In a relationship, almost anything can cause a quarrel if one person
does not step down for the other, or allow certain things pass.
How do you make up when there is a quarrel?
Yemisi: We always try to
find an emotionally neutral interval when one of us apologises. Most of
the time, I have to apologise irrespective of who was wrong.
Afterwards, we sit and talk about what went wrong.
find an emotionally neutral interval when one of us apologises. Most of
the time, I have to apologise irrespective of who was wrong.
Afterwards, we sit and talk about what went wrong.
What pet names do you use to express fondness for each other?
Yomi: She calls me
pumpkin and I call her candy cane. My pet name for her has a bit of
history behind it- it began with a red and white stripped dress she used
to wear while we were still at the university. I thought it made her
look like a candy cane.
pumpkin and I call her candy cane. My pet name for her has a bit of
history behind it- it began with a red and white stripped dress she used
to wear while we were still at the university. I thought it made her
look like a candy cane.
Has marriage deprived you of anything?
Yomi: No, it has not. It
has only changed my priorities and I can still do most of what I used
to do before I got married. However, I have to take her feelings and
mine into consideration.
has only changed my priorities and I can still do most of what I used
to do before I got married. However, I have to take her feelings and
mine into consideration.
Yemisi: As a new mum, I
have since realised that I cannot go to all the places I used to visit.
Priorities have changed and I remember that when I was growing up, my
dad always told me that there is a time for everything.
have since realised that I cannot go to all the places I used to visit.
Priorities have changed and I remember that when I was growing up, my
dad always told me that there is a time for everything.