HIGHLIFE
In today’s world of ‘marry quickly and get a divorce at the first sign of trouble,’ there are still some marriages that are inspiring. That of football legend, Augustine ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha, and his wife, Nkechi, is one of such marriages. In a way, Okocha’s characteristic ardour for the game of football comes across in his wedding vows to Nkechi. Therefore, 24 years after their wedding ceremony, Okocha and Nkechi (like Okocha and football) remain inseparable.
A few days ago, Okocha shared some family photos on social media to mark the 24th wedding anniversary with his wife, Nkechi. The photos, which had Okocha and Nkechi posing with their two children, were breezy, so one could almost reach out and—with both palms—harvest a dose of happiness from the photographs. Then again, every family snapshot of the former Super Eagles player sort of demands such reactions, so this is nothing new.
For those who are unaware, Okocha’s marriage to Nkechi is one of the best things about the illustrious attacking midfielder. As such, since their wedding in 1997, a lot of people inside and outside of Nigeria have paid quite a bit of attention to Nkechi. Moreover, the Nkechi in question has a dashing figure and a transcendent temperament, so this interest in how she got Okocha to fall for her has remained strong through the years.
It has to be said that although Okocha and Nkechi have been married for 24 years and have two children, their union has not been all roses and wine. This is not on account of anything they did, other than being outstanding individuals, but as a result of several attempts of character assassination. Thus, both of them have had to endure the strain that many celebrities are familiar with, often spending long vacations away from home to shun the steadfastness of overzealous rumourmongers.
Even so, Okocha and Nkechi continue to hold strong.
