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When We Got Married, No Family Member Came For Our Wedding – Nigerian-American Couple

Published

10 months ago

October 22, 2024

Blessing, a Nigerian, and Jake, an American, opened up about their extraordinary journey to matrimony, defying cultural expectations and family resistance.

In an interview on Femi Lazarus’s YouTube program, Stories, on Sunday, the couple shared how they got married in Nigeria without any family members present, navigating obstacles with unwavering faith.

Blessing’s childhood was fraught with trauma, living under the strict and harsh care of her stepmother.

She described her upbringing as a time of fear and suppression.

“I grew up in a very strict environment,” she said.

“My dad does not smile; he does not say, ‘How are you?’ If he’s coming back from work, we would pretend to be asleep because your presence alone would get you in trouble.”

Blessing recounted a particularly traumatic incident at age five when her stepmother beat her severely, causing her to lose consciousness for three days.

“She beat me and hit my head against the wall… when I woke up, I was in the hospital on oxygen,” she recalled.

The experience left permanent marks on her forehead, serving as a constant reminder of her difficult past.

Jake, who was a missionary at the time, met Blessing through a Christian discipleship program.

Despite never having been attracted to Black women before, he felt a strong, immediate conviction.

“The first time I saw my wife on Instagram, I knew it was my wife,” he said, adding that he had never messaged a woman online before.

Their relationship developed over five months of long-distance communication, primarily through phone calls and video chats, during which they discussed their faith and life experiences.

The couple faced significant opposition from Blessing’s family when they announced their wedding plans.

Her relatives expressed doubts and fears about Jake’s intentions, with some even spreading rumours.

“My mom started telling people that I was marrying an organ harvester, that he was coming to Nigeria to harvest my organs,” Blessing disclosed.

She recalled her brother’s warnings not to let Jake visit Nigeria, fearing that he would be kidnapped.

“There was just so much opposition from different sides, and I felt like I was under an attack,” she said.

The situation escalated to the point where Blessing’s health was affected, as she found herself falling sick frequently.

Jake was also confronted with the challenge of adhering to traditional Nigerian customs, which eventually led them to decide against a traditional ceremony.

“The Lord was saying we should not do the traditional wedding,” Blessing explained, noting that Jake was hesitant to proceed with practices he didn’t feel led by God to follow.

In the end, they opted for a small church wedding attended by fewer than 20 guests, foregoing a reception.

“We planned our wedding without seeing… after two weeks when he came to Nigeria, we got married.”

She explained further, “We just did court and church joining. The Lord was saying we should not do the traditional wedding.”

“I knew this was confirmation from God,” she said, recalling how the decision aligned with a divine message she had received about keeping things simple.

Jake paid the bride price to Blessing’s mother rather than her estranged father, whom Blessing had not spoken to in over a decade.

“I wasn’t going to pay bride price to a father that hasn’t taken care of his daughter for 13 years,” Jake explained.

The couple converted the traditional monetary exchange into a gift, following the advice of their marriage counsellor.

Despite the challenges, both Blessing and Jake believe their union is part of a greater purpose.

Reflecting on their journey, Blessing said, “God told me that He was going to connect two countries through me. This marriage is not just about us; it is a purpose.”

Jake shared similar sentiments, recounting how he had experienced divine visions and confirmation about their relationship.

“The Lord asked me, ‘Can I trust you with my daughter?’ It was the most fearsome experience of my life,” he recalled.

For Blessing, the journey has been one of healing.

“Growing up, I always felt like nobody loved me, like I was a problem,” she admitted. “But the love of God, coupled with my husband’s love, has really been great for me.”

As the couple continues their new life together in Abuja, they remain confident in their calling and the divine purpose that brought them together.

Headline

Nigerian Man Pleads Guilty In US To $405,000 Romance Scam Against American Women

Published

6 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

A40-year-old Nigerian man, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, has pleaded guilty in the United States to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering, in connection with a romance scam that defrauded American women of more than $405,000.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, in a statement on Thursday, said Inweregbu and his co-conspirators ran the scheme between July 2017 and December 2018, using a fake online persona named “Larry Pham” to lure victims on dating sites and social media targeting US citizens.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson said that Inweregbu, described as a citizen of Lagos, Nigeria, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2025 before United States District Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown to two of the counts pending against him.

The counts which include conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and using an assumed name to commit a mail fraud scheme, Attorney Simpson said were in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1342, 1343 and 1349 (Count 1), and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(a)(1)(B)(i), 1957, and 1956(h) (Count 12). INWEREGBU’s plea stemmed from his role in a lengthy romance scam targeting American citizens.

According to court documents, a “romance scam” was a confidence scheme in which the perpetrator feigned romantic intentions towards a victim, gained their affection, and used the victim’s goodwill to commit fraud.

“These fraudulent acts might involve such acts as obtaining access to the victim’s money, bank accounts, credit cards, passports, e-mail accounts, or national identification numbers; convincing the victim to transmit things of value to the perpetrator or his witting or unwitting co-conspirators; or inducing the victim to, unintentionally, commit or participate in the commission of financial fraud against third parties on behalf of the perpetrator,” the statement read.

It added, “Between at least July 1, 2017, and December 16, 2018, Inweregbu, and his co-conspirators, devised and operated a “romance scam” whereby they sought to obtain money and property from multiple American women, including 4 victims, by means of false and fraudulent representations and promises.

“Specifically, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created profiles on social media and online dating sites using the alias “Larry Pham,” purportedly a middle-aged male, to attract middle-aged female victims.

“The co-conspirators, including Inweregbu, used online messaging platforms and email, to contact victims, introduce themselves, and appeal to victims’ longing for companionship. If the victim responded favorably, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators began to cultivate a romantic relationship that emotionally attached the victims to “Larry Pham.”

“Once the relationship was established, the defendant and his co-conspirators, posing as Larry Pham, requested victims send them money under various scams and ruses to domestic bank accounts they opened and managed. Inweregbu’s scheme resulted in actual and intended losses to the victims of over $405,000.

“Thereafter, Inweregbu and his co-conspirators laundered the funds, by conducting financial transactions using the proceeds of their wire and mail fraud scheme, designed in whole or in part to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds, by directing the victims’ funds through intermediaries.

“Inweregbu faces up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $250,000 as to Count 1. He faces up to twenty years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a fine of $500,000 as to Count 12. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count. Sentencing before Judge Brown has been scheduled for December 4, 2025,” the partly read.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson, according to the statement praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter and expressed appreciation for the great support provided by United States Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the United States Department of State.

“Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is in charge of the prosecution,” the statement noted.

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UK Bars Over 100 Job Roles From Foreign Recruitment To Curb Migration

Published

6 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The British government has unveiled major immigration reforms, blocking foreign workers from filling more than 100 job categories in a move aimed at reducing net migration.

The Home Office, in a statement posted on X Saturday morning, said the decision was geared towards creating more opportunities for local citizens while restructuring the visa regime.

“Cutting net migration means getting the fundamentals right.

“More than 100 occupations are no longer eligible for overseas recruitment – opening up more jobs for British workers. A fairer, skills-focused system is now taking shape,” the Home Office stated.

This policy marks the latest immigration clampdown under Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who assumed office on July 5, 2024, after Labour’s sweeping election win that ended Rishi Sunak’s tenure.

However, the measure has drawn criticism, with opponents warning it could deepen staffing shortages in critical sectors such as healthcare and social services.

The Home Office has not yet published the full list of restricted occupations.

Headline

PM Killed In Israeli Strike, Say Yemen’s Huthis

Published

6 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The prime minister of Yemen’s Huthis was killed in an Israeli airstrike along with other officials earlier this week, the Iran-backed rebels announced on Saturday.

Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi, who was appointed last year, is the most senior official known to have been killed in a series of Israeli strikes during the war in Gaza.

“We announce the martyrdom of the fighter Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi… along with several of his ministerial colleagues, as they were targeted by the treacherous Israeli criminal enemy,” a Huthi statement said.

“Others among their companions were injured with moderate to serious wounds and are receiving medical care since Thursday afternoon,” it added.

The Israeli military struck in the area of Sanaa, the Huthi-held capital, on Thursday. The Huthis, claiming solidarity with the Palestinians, have frequently fired missiles and drones at Israel during the Gaza war.

Israeli forces “struck a Huthi terrorist regime military target”, the Israeli military said at the time.

The Huthis have also targeted shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which they claim is linked to Israel during the Gaza war.

The rebel group controls large parts of Yemen, which has been gripped by war since 2014, and is part of Iran’s anti-Israel alliance alongside militant groups across much of the Middle East.