By Brian Okoth
Nigerian musician Davido has tied the knot with his partner Chioma Rowland, also a Nigerian, after dating for more than 10 years. The couple held their traditional wedding in Nigeria's commercial city, Lagos, on Tuesday, June 25th.
The wedding was attended by notable people, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Davido's uncle Ademola Adeleke, who is also the governor of Osun State. Two other governors also attended the ceremony.
The other prominent guests were musicians Don Jazzy and Patoranking, football star Victor Osimhen, and Seyi Tinubu, the son of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
The ceremony was filled with bright smiles, hearty laughter, dance, networking and gifts. During the wedding rites, Davido assured Chioma's parents that he would respect and protect her.
University sweethearts
The wedding was a culmination of colourful activities including the release of pre-wedding photos and videos on Davido's Instagram page, where he has nearly 30 million followers.
In a past interview, 31-year-old Davido said he met 29-year-old Chioma before the musician became widely famous. The two met at Babcock University in Nigeria's southwestern state of Ogun in 2013.
Davido was pursuing a bachelor's degree course in music, while Chioma was pursuing a bachelor's degree course in economics at the institution. She later developed an interest in becoming a professional chef.
When Davido and Chioma first met, Davido's song "Dami Duro" was ruling the airwaves, and his music career was taking off.
Teased by friends
In a recent interview, Davido said one of his close friends often teased him that he had everything in life except a wife. The artiste added he was grateful that he met Chioma before becoming famous.
In his words, Davido said: "If I was single today, and I met a lady, I would feel she is probably talking to me because I am Davido, the celebrity who has money."
Despite being in a relationship for years, Davido publicly acknowledged Chioma as his girlfriend for the first time in 2018. Speculation into the couple's relationship had begun a year earlier, when Davido regularly posted Chioma on his Snapchat stories.
Postponed wedding
Davido would then feature Chioma in the 2018 hit song "Assurance" which has over 96 million views on YouTube. The musician proposed to Chioma in September 2019, and their wedding was planned for 2020. However, the Covid-19 outbreak led to postponement of the wedding.
The couple welcomed a son together in October 2019. The boy, Ifeanyi Adeleke, however drowned at the age of three in November 2022 in a tragic swimming pool incident at the couple's house in Lagos.
In October 2023, Chioma gave birth to twins. The pair's June 25th wedding seals more than a decade of friendship and love for one of Nigeria's power couples.
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