What Do You Think of Mass Weddings?

25 soldiers and their brides at a mass wedding

A lot of churches carry out simultaneous weddings for more than one couple at a time, depending on how big the church is, and how many couples want to get married on a certain day. Some seasons and periods are favorites, like the end of the rainy season or December in Nigeria when weddings are happening every weekend, and so doubles or triple weddings are common or up to 10 or more.

Growing up, all the weddings I attended had just one couple each and I got used to that, and that was what I had. But I have also attended mass weddings, and the couples I knew managed to make it personal for themselves and great for their guests too.

What has been your own experience, and what impression did that leave you with of mass weddings?

Couple Wed After the Boston Marathon Explosions

After the shocking news yesterday of the Boston Marathon Explosions [see post], a couple of the marathon runners, Robert Watling and Kelli Johnston went ahead to get married in the Boston Common just three hours later. The couple have a long history of running together, and had been planning this post-marathon wedding ever since Watling proposed to Johnston back in October, after they both completed the Chicago Marathon. Happy married life to them.

Dear Myne - How Can I Get my Boyfriend to Propose?

Dear Myne, I have being dating this man for more than 5yrs now and he has not proposed. I was about to enter university when we met, he already had his business then, about 7 years older than me. After I wrote JAMB, I moved to the another country, but my boyfriend visited often and would always come to see me where I was, like 8 times in a year.  When I finished my degree, I thot of going back home because I love him and we have dated for so long. I thot maybe he would ask me to marry him.

I stayed for 1 year and he didn't ask me, worse, I couldn't get a job! To pressure him to make a move, and also to get some money since I was broke, I lied to him dat I was pregnant. I'm sorry I did that but I needed the money for something important as I was planning to return to the UK. Instead of proposing like I really hoped, he gave me money to have abortion. I was disappointed and told him, but I took the money and returned to my base. I was thinking that was the end of us.

After a month here, he called and then came to see me. I love this guy, he's been there for me all this while and it doesn't hurt that he is very rich. I am ready to get married, but it's like he's not. If pregnancy won't get him, and after dating for over 5 years, I don't know how else to get him to ask me to marry him. Or should I tell him to let me go? Please help me!

Efa Ft Praiz - Over You [Music Video Romance]

Efa and Seyi Shay

Efa is a rapper, and he did quite good in this song, but my favorite parts are those with Praiz's amazing vocals. Lovely video too, starring Seyi Shay. See it below...

Couple Love at the MTV Movie Awards

Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington - Not a couple but looking great together :)

Titi and Gbemileke Welcome Twins

I met Titi through a writer's group on FB and we met for the first time when she featured me in a program with her at Inspiration Fm during my last trip to Nigeria [see pictures]. Today, Titi and hubby, Gbemileke welcomed a set of twin girls. Congrats to them.

Fuelling Poverty - Can This Film Fuel Revolution?

This documentary feature is about the culture of greed and corruption in Nigeria as filtered through the prism of the Fuel Subsidy Scam of 2011/2012. It was made by Ishaya Bako but his attempt to get approval from the National Film and Video Censors Board, NFVCB, to classify and approve the film for distribution around Nigeria received a smack down.

In an April 8 letter to Mr. Bako, NFVCB banned the documentary in Nigeria, saying its contents “are highly provocative and likely to incite or encourage public disorder and undermine national security.” According to PremiumTimes, the letter, "signed by the NFVCB’s Head of Legal Services, Effiong Inwang, warned the filmmaker against violating the order, saying “all relevant national security agencies are on the alert. A copy of this letter has been sent to the Director General, Department of State Services and the Inspector General of Police for their information.”

I have seen the documentary and if you ask me, it is a stretch to see what the censor's board is seeing. It was a film worth making and I believe it should be distributed on national networks including NTA. Watch and share your thoughts.

Boston Marathon Explosion: A Moment of Silence

I was in a waiting room when the breaking news came on CNN, two explosions at the Boston Marathon. Two people were dead and about 20 injured. Every eye was glued to the TV and as each minutes passed, the number of those injured continued to rise. I went on Twitter and soon found that an 8 years old was one of those dead. Reading the clip below on the HuffPost made me even more sad.

Boston Children’s Hospital received eight patients injured at the explosion at the Boston Marathon. Patients’ conditions ranged from good to serious. There were no patient deaths among the patients brought to Boston Children’s from the scene. Our patients included:
A 9-year-old girl with leg trauma who is in the operating room.
A 42-year-old parent of a patient is being treated in the ED.
A 7-year-old boy is being treated in the ED for a minor leg injury.
A 12 year old with a femur fracture has been admitted.
A 2 year-old-boy with a head injury has been admitted to the Medical/Surgical ICU.
More on HuffPo

May the souls of those dead rest in peace, and God grant peace and healing to those injured and all their families.

Adventures of a Miss! Episode 8

Saturday was finally here and regardless of all our issues, we all come together to help Semi prepare for her daughter’s birthday party this afternoon. I was helping with decorations, Tayo was cooking, Kehinde was running errands picking up last minute things like the cake, ice and other stuff while Semi was busy coordinating everyone else. I had just burst yet another balloon and I was running out of breathe so I decided to get a drink.

Semi: “Have you finished with the balloons, what are you doing here?”
Me: “Just so you know, we are not your hired help, we are volunteers” as I walk towards the fridge.
Tayo: “Amen to that.”
I start laughing while pouring myself a glass of water; “And this volunteer needed a glass of water.”
Tayo: “Don’t mind her, of what use are you here in the kitchen just sniffing the aroma of my food.”
Semi: “You guys are not serious oh, are you doing this for me or your darling Fiona, abegi jo.”
Tayo: “If only Fiona’s mummy wasn’t so bossy, anyways Toks, shey Muhammad is still coming today?”
Me: “Yes, I invited him on Tuesday so I believe so.”
Semi: That’s good then, no need to worry, everything will be ok.”

I went back to my decorating duties and started thinking about if the way I am handling this Zainab issue is the right way. As much as I want to empathize with her, her boldness of thinking her money can solve all her issues won’t let me. At this point, even if Bolaji broke up with me with everything that has happened, I would still go ahead with the plan because she definitely deserves it.

Overcomers Church Founder Speaks on Solomon Akiyesi

In this video, the founder of Overcomers Church, Bishop Moses really lambasts Solomon Akiyesi's actions in fraudulently trying to marry another women while still married to another [read post]. IMO, Solomon Akiyesi is simply a love rat/scammer, and he almost got away with it with the lackadaisical attitude of this church. It is good they are standing by the women who as almost scammed into committing bigamy, she actually makes a cameo in the video. And BTW, she is not pregnant.

The video is accompanied by another statement from the church [read first one]. They have come down even harder on Solomon Akiyesi, but also express disquiet about his first wife's MO of disrupting the wedding. Well to each their own, and she was married to a Nollywood director :) Seriously though, I agree with the publicist, there are more dignified ways of stopping this wedding than seeking a public fight. Read the statement...

This is a follow up to our statement from Saturday, April 13, following the disrupted wedding of Mr. Solomon Akiyesi to Ms. Uloma Agwu.

In light of the media mayhem that has erupted with tabloids spinning their own version of events, we find it necessary to make a final statement on the matter and hope that listening ears and hearts will understand the decisions we have made as a church.

Let’s start by addressing some of the rumours that have been perpetuated on several gossip blogs and tabloids.

Mr. Akiyesi is not a member of the Overcomers Church World Outreach. We heard no word of an existing marriage to Mrs. Lilian Akiyesi.