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

Published

1 year 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

Netanyahu Asks Israeli President For Pardon From Corruption Charges

Published

14 hours ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has asked the country’s president for a pardon in his long-running corruption case, saying the criminal proceedings are hindering his ability to govern and that ending the trial would benefit the nation.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has denied the bribery, fraud and breach of trust charges.

His lawyers told the president’s office that he still believes the legal process will eventually lead to a complete acquittal.

“My lawyers sent a request for pardon to the president of the country today. I expect that anyone who wishes for the good of the country support this step,” Netanyahu said in a brief video statement released by his Likud party.

The prime minister, who has been on trial for five years, has not admitted guilt, and neither have his lawyers. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu should not receive a pardon unless he admits wrongdoing, expresses remorse and immediately withdraws from political life.

Pardons in Israel are usually granted only after a conviction, but Netanyahu’s lawyers argued the president can step in when public interest is at stake, saying intervention could help heal national divisions and promote unity.

President Isaac Herzog’s office described the request as “extraordinary” with “significant implications”. His office said the president “will responsibly and sincerely consider the request” after receiving the necessary opinions.

United States President, Donald Trump, recently wrote to Herzog urging him to consider approving the pardon, describing the case against Netanyahu as “a political, unjustified prosecution”.

Herzog’s office said the request will be sent to the justice ministry’s pardons department to gather assessments that will be forwarded to the president’s legal adviser, who will prepare a recommendation.

(Reuters)

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US: Four Killed, 10 Others Wounded In California Shooting

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2025

Editor

Four people were confirmed dead and 10 others injured after a shooting at a family gathering in California, United States on Saturday night, according to US police, who described the attack as a “targeted incident.”

The incident occurred inside a banquet hall in Stockton, northeast of San Francisco, shortly before 6:00 pm, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Heather Brent, told reporters during a news briefing.

Brent said the victims, ranging from “juveniles to adults,” were rushed to nearby hospitals, noting that details about the shooting remained limited.

“What we have confirmed at this time is that there was a banquet hall where a family was celebrating. We have 14 victims of this shooting. Four of those are deceased,” Brent said.

“Early indications suggest that this may be a targeted incident. Investigators are exploring all possibilities at this time.”

The sheriff’s office posted on social media that detectives were “working to determine the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.”

“We are urging anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed any part of this incident to contact the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office immediately,” the post added.

Authorities said no suspect had been identified at the time of the report.

California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on the development, his office said in a social media statement.

Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows there have been 504 mass shootings in the United States so far this year, including the Stockton attack.

(AFP)

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FULL LIST: US To Review Green Cards From 19 ‘Countries Of Concern’ After Washington Shooting

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

The Trump administration announced on Thursday that it will review the immigration status of all permanent residents, or “Green Card” holders, from Afghanistan and 18 other countries following the attack on National Guard troops in Washington, D.C.

U.S. officials identified the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting as a 29-year-old Afghan national who previously worked alongside American forces in Afghanistan.

The individual was granted asylum earlier this year, not permanent residency, according to AfghanEvac, an organisation that assists Afghans resettled in the United States after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

“I have directed a full-scale, rigorous reexamination of every Green Card for every alien from every country of concern,” said Joseph Edlow, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), on X.

The review follows a June executive order from President Trump classifying 19 countries as “of Identified Concern.”

The order banned entry for nearly all nationals from 12 countries, including Afghanistan. The full list of these countries is:

Afghanistan

Myanmar

Chad

Congo-Brazzaville

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Haiti

Iran

Libya

Somalia

Sudan

Yemen

A partial travel ban applies to seven additional countries, though some temporary work visas remain allowed: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.