HOW LAVISH WEDDINGS LED TO DIVORCE OF 10 NOLLYWOOD MARRIAGES 100% NOLLYWOOD AND AFRICAN FILMS | 16 October, 2014 at 07:36 3607 0 Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services 3 Nollywood It has become the social norm: a lavish wedding held at a luxury venue adorned with flowers and awash with champagne; the loving couple spending like there is no tomorrow when their marriage is supposed to last for ever. A scientific study, however, has found that a big wedding is one of the quickest ways to the divorce courts. Spending too much on creating your dream day reduces the chances of long-term happiness, according to economists who have published their findings in the wake of the four-day extravaganza of the marriage of George Clooney, the Hollywood star. The verdict provides an uplifting message for true romantics, but strikes a blow at a wedding industry that has pushed the cost of the average nuptials to more than $33,000 and leaves many newlyweds starting married life in debt. The wedding of Clooney and Amal Alamuddin reached an estimated cost of $15 million as they whisked 150 guests around Venice. The rapper Kanye West and his bride, Kim Kardashian, spent a similar amount on their wedding in Florence in May. Kardashian should know better. Her previous nuptials with Kris Humphries, a basketball star, cost an estimated $11m for a marriage that lasted 72 days. When Elizabeth Hurley and Arun Nayar wed in 2007 it took eight days, starting at Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire before moving to a palace in India. It cost pounds $2.75. The marriage ended after four years in a quickie divorce.Cheryl and Ashley Cole split four years after their wedding: the picture rights reportedly fetched a seven-figure sum. In the words of two economists who claim to have conducted the first statistical analysis comparing wedding spending with the longevity of the marriage: “We find evidence that marriage duration is inversely associated with spending on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony.” They found that women whose weddings cost $22,000 or more were 3.5 times more likely to end up divorced than those who spent $5,000 to $10,000. The research, by Andrew Francis and Hugo Mialon at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, was based on a sample of 3,150 people and has been published by the Social Science Research Network. The economists have also demolished the advertising slogan created for De Beers in the late 1930s that “a diamond is forever”. The company updated the campaign in the 1980s to: “Isn’t two months’ salary a small price to pay for something that lasts forever?” In reality, men who spent $2,000 to $4,000 on an engagement ring were 1.3 times more likely to end up divorced than those who spent $500 to $2,000. Lady Diana Spencer’s engagement ring consisted of 14 solitaire diamonds surrounding a 12-carat oval blue Ceylon sapphire set in 18-carat white gold. Her marriage to Prince Charles in 1981 is believed to have been the world’s most expensive — $120min today’s money — but the supposed “fairytale romance” ended in divorce after 15 years. Why did we fall for the hype? The economists blame the wedding industry which “commodified love and romance”. They observe: “In 1959, Brides [the American wedding magazine ] recommended that couples set aside two months to prepare for their wedding and published a checklist with 22 tasks for them to complete. By the 1990s the magazine recommended 12 months of wedding preparations and published a checklist with 44 tasks to complete.” Susanna Abse, chief executive of the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relationships, based in London, believes couples who go over the top to create a “perfect” day may be aware of an underlying problem in their relationship. “However much you have spent, when it’s over it’s just the two of you in the relationship,” Abse said. One who decided that all you need is love is the actress Keira Knightley. At her marriage to the musician James Righton last year, there were 11 guests at the ceremony at a town hall in the south of France and the newlyweds were driven away in a Renault Clio. 10 Nollywood Marriages Crash In 15 Months From last year, 2013 to 2014, one of the thriving entertainment sectors in Nigeria, Nollywood has recorded not less than 15 failed marriages; most alarming are those that crashed almost the moment they were consummated, within 5 months! The most controversial of them was that of star actress Funke Akindele who got married to Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede despite warning from friends who saw the impending danger. The couple got married on May 26, 2012. Barely a year later, on Monday, July 15 2013, Kehinde announced on Facebook that their marriage was over. After an initial denial on Wednesday July 17 2013, Funke confirmed the split on Friday July 19, 2013 through a message from her publicist. The duo have since moved on with their lives and Funke is reported to have found love again. Another controversial separation as that of actress, Chika Ike. She officially announced the end of her marriage on July 28, 2013 after several years of controversy rocking the marriage. For star actress, Moji Olaiya, her marriage ended last year and that dealt her a big blow. Another crashed marriage that caused a stir was that of Nollywood actor Solomon Akiyesi. Another movie star was Juliet Mgborukwe, a former Sound city presenter, and model. In September 2011, Juliet met USA-based Chima Ojukwu and within a week, they were engaged. Less than three weeks after they met, Juliet and Chima had their introduction – on the 29th of September 2011, which was followed by a traditional wedding. The white wedding was scheduled to take place months later in the US but it never held as the couple parted ways over irreconcilable differences. It will be recorded as one of the shortest Nollywood marriages so far. That of star actor Joseph Benjamin came as a rude shock as many didn’t even know he had been married for 10 years with two kids until trouble shook their homefront and the marriage collapsed. One name that can’t be omitted in this write-up is that of top Nollywood movie producer Tchidi Tchikere and his ex- wife Sophia Tchikere.The marriage was one of the most celebrated in Nollywood until few years ago when the director-cum-producer met and fell in love with another actress Nuella Njubuigbo who he is now married to. For actress, Uche Iwuji and her ex-hubby their union packed up barely a year into their controversial marriage. When award-winning director Jeta Amata from the popular Amata family also ended his marriage to his wife Mbong while in the United States, he disclosed why they were calling it quits unlike all the other failed marriages where no one made explanations. For Nollywood actress, Uche Ogbodo, hers was the most pathetic because it crashed before it was properly consummated. The fair-skinned actress had a secret traditional marriage ceremony on Saturday, October 5, 2013 to a Norway-based ex-footballer Ato Abby. But it packed up 2 months after with the actress alleging she was deceived by her husband-to-be. Also is the crashed marriage between Nollywood actor, Ibrahim Chatta and his wife, Salamatu Lafiaji, the daughter of former Kwara State governor, Senator Shaaba Lafiaji. The marriage of Ghana star actress, Juliet Ibrahim to Kwadwo Safo Junior also hit the rocks a few months ago with the latest being Nollywood diva, Ini Edo, who has now filed for a divorce due to irreconcilable differences.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 21:28:05 +0000