What started with casual Facebook messages in 2014 eventually led to love, marriage and nearly eight years together.
"Around 2014, this man kept sending me messages on Facebook. “How are you? How is school?” Nothing serious.
When I started answering, he asked my name, my LGA, where I was from and my state. I said Imo. He jokingly said, “I will make you a lolo in my community.”
His profile picture did not even look convincing, so I didn’t take him seriously. For almost a year, we only chatted. He didn’t ask for my number. In 2015, he asked for my number. I gave it to him. He still didn’t call for about four months.
Then, he called. He was in Owerri and wanted to see me. I was in school at IMSU. He said he was driving down. That was the first time I saw him. He gave me perfume and other gifts. That was when I realised he wasn’t even living in Nigeria.
We met a few more times, with long gaps in between. Then, in 2019, I visited him in Lagos. He asked me to cook oha soup. I cooked and he ate. I went to have my bath. I didn’t eat with him.
When I came back, he had finished eating. He called me. “Nne.” I said, “Yes, dear?”. He brought out a small red box. Inside was a ring.
“I’ve tasted your food, and you’re good. I think I’m okay with you. I think I’m going to marry you.”
He asked me to wear the ring. I wore it. He said his people would go and see my parents. That night is still one of the best nights of my life. I will never forget it.
Our families met. Months later, we had our traditional marriage. Then came the white wedding. The man from my Facebook inbox is my husband. And next month, we’ll be celebrating eight years of marriage"
