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

Published

8 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.

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Netanyahu Says Israel’s Strikes On Iran Have ‘Clear Support’ Of Trump

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel’s air strikes on Iran had the “clear support” of US President Donald Trump.

“Our enemy is your enemy… We’re dealing with something that will threaten all of us sooner or later. Our victory will be your victory,” Netanyahu said in a video statement addressed to Trump on the US leader’s birthday.

“This is what Israel is doing with the support, the clear support of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, and the American people and many others in the world.”

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US Lawmaker Shot Dead, Another Wounded In Targeted Attack

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

A gunman shot two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota early Saturday, killing one and her husband and wounding the other, in what the northern US state’s governor said were politically motivated attacks.

The shootings came at a moment of deep political divisions in the United States, as thousands took to the streets in protest at the policies of Republican President Donald Trump.

The suspected assailant was still at large, officials said, with a massive manhunt underway.

Trump and US Attorney General Pam Bondi decried what they called “horrific violence” and said the perpetrators would be prosecuted to “the fullest extent of the law.”

State representative Melissa Hortman — the former speaker — and her husband Mark were killed at their home near Minneapolis, Governor Tim Walz told a press conference.

State senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and wounded, the governor said, his voice breaking with emotion. He said officials remained “cautiously optimistic” they would recover.

“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz told reporters.

“Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said Hoffman and his wife were shot first, and as police investigated, Hortman and her husband were shot about 90 minutes later.

The suspected gunman was able to escape during an exchange of gunfire with officers near Hortman’s residence, Evans told reporters.

“We’re actively searching for that individual right now,” he said.

– Impersonating law enforcement –

In both cases, authorities believe the assailant was impersonating a law enforcement officer.

“The suspect exploited the trust that our uniform is meant to represent,” said Bob Jacobson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

An anti-Trump rally in Minneapolis — part of the national wave of “No Kings” protests planned for Saturday — was canceled after police issued a shelter-in-place order because of the shootings.

Flyers for the protests were found in the suspect’s car, as well as a manifesto that named numerous politicians and state officials, police said.

Police are looking for a white man with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants, local TV station KSTP said.

“We do have the suspect’s car. Suspect is on foot,” said Mark Bruley, the police chief in Brooklyn Park, where Hortman lived.

The United States has been deeply divided since Trump returned to the White House in January.

The Republican president has drawn criticism from Democrats over his harsh deportation policy, his assault on universities and the media and a perceived flouting of limits on executive power as he pushes his agenda.

“At this precipice moment we’re on, this tragic act here in Minnesota should serve as a reminder to all of us,” Walz said.

“The democracy and the debates in the halls of Congress, in state houses, in school boards, is a way to settle our differences peacefully and move society to a better place.”

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar remembered Hortman as a friend who entered politics at the same time as her and dedicated her life to serving the state, working on issues such as women’s rights and clean energy.

“Let me be absolutely clear: this was an act of targeted political violence, and it was an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy,” Klobuchar said in a statement. “We must all condemn it.”

Minnesota’s other US senator, Tina Smith, also issued a statement condemning the shootings.

Former House member Gabby Giffords, who survived a shooting to the head in 2011 and is now a prominent advocate for the prevention of gun violence, described herself as “devastated” by the death of Hortman.

“We must protect our democracy from those who try to destroy it with a gun,” Giffords wrote on X.

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Diplomat, Wife Injured In Iran Strikes On Tel Aviv

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Croatia’s consul in Israel and his wife were lightly injured in Iran’s missile strikes on Tel Aviv, Croatia’s Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman said on Saturday.

“I am shaken by the news that our consul and his wife were injured in the attack on Tel Aviv. The building they live in was hit,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

“I spoke with them and, fortunately, their injuries are minor and they are not in any life-threatening condition.”

Grlic Radman added that his ministry was in constant contact with the Croatian embassy in Israel and was taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its staff.

“We strongly condemn attacks on civilians and diplomatic facilities. We call for immediate de-escalation and restraint,” Grlic Radman said.

Israel on Friday launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, hitting scores of targets across the country, including nuclear and military sites and residential buildings.

Iran said 78 people were killed and 320 wounded in the first wave of Israeli strikes.

Iran retaliated with barrages of drones and missiles at Israel, killing three people and wounding dozens.

AFP