LOVE OR DUTY?

I wonder if we eventually get to tick those boxes, the boxes on the checklists we make before going to college— university. What is one thing common to all these checklists? Money? Good Grades? Adventure? Political acumen? Love? Nothing is out of the ordinary on the lists, and only very few of us get to tick all our boxes. So, you wouldn’t put it past a Mr UI, the most handsome guy in the premier university, to tick all his boxes, will you? Become the most sought after guy in UI —Check. Find the love of your life—Check. Marry her when you’re ready —Don’t check this just yet.

The broadcast messages endlessly flooded all UI- affiliated WhatsApp groups and the Student Union page. They were usually long and exhausting to read but the underlying message was concise and as clear as a crystal ball —Nimi Onipede, Mr UI, is getting married. Girls cried, hearts were broken, dreams were shattered and boys mocked girls that actually thought Nimi was their “boyfriend” (Okay, I don’t know how many people did the last part, but I did and it felt great). Although it is not rare that college sweethearts take their relationship to the proposal level while in college or in their adolescent age, it is however a rarity that a current MR UI— a guy with girls at his feet— decides to settle down in what you might call his “”age of youthful exuberance””, me personally  I prefer ‘hoe years’.  Some may argue that this is a new age and things like this are not surprising and they may even go to cite examples; Anthony Martial, 19-year old footballer, is married but this begs the question isn’t “steady” income the basis for managing a family? Does Nimi have a source of “steady” income?

This argument leads to an evolving school of thought that he was forced to marry early due to extenuating circumstances. The extenuating circumstance here is that Layo, the bride, is currently pregnant. However, this logic is questionable to some regard. This wouldn’t be the first time we hear of adolescent pregnancies that do not lead to marriage. This occurrence had become so frequent; it led to the birth of the word “Babymama”. So why should Nimi’s case be different? Was it preservation of the family name because of age-long Yoruba tradition? Wizkid and Davido are either Yoruba boys or Yoruba demons as the phrase goes these days, and they both have babymama’s, why should Nimi’s case be different?

If however, Layo is indeed pregnant, how does she cope with school in her final year? Does she intend to defer her admission or brave the crest till graduation? Is Nimi who we can fairly say is still under parenting ready to parent another human being? Do they do their honeymoon at a period when exams are close by or is that another thing they choose to forsake along with a church wedding? Their traditional wedding held yesterday although like everything that's done in haste, something's had to be forgone. In this case - aso-ebi, which you will agree the Yoruba's hold to be of utmost importance and would only forgo under duress.  People just wore whatever they already owned -  or maybe they were being considerate given that a bulk of the attendees might be students? Do they still live in their respective parent's houses? Do they move to the richer parent's house (there has to be a richer parent)? Or do they get an apartment? Uncertainties linger desperately as we wait to see how the newlyweds adjust to married life. Amidst these uncertainties, they are some certainties: This was a marriage borne out of love and not coercion. Was he ready to marry before now? That’s probably a no. However, we understand that Layo and Nimi have been together since 100 level, who have the girls that have been calling Nimi their boyfriend been dating?

             What most people forget when they were  writing their articles and BC’s is that this is a love story. Do you really think Nimi would have married her if he didn’t want to? Would Layomi have kept the baby if she didn’t have assurances? We are in a age were abortion does no damage at all or far less than what Afmag portrays. I salute the courage of both Nimi and Layomi, because people don’t think about them making their own decisions by themselves before informing their parents about the pregnancy. People do not see that though parents may have suggested, even pushed for it, the decision to get married was ultimately theirs.

Regardless of the answers to the questions and the uncertainties that continue to fester in the hearts of onlookers, lovers and adorers of the newlyweds, we at UISTT will like to wish the newlyweds - The Onipede's, a happy married life.

 We have a question that we are certain you have an opinion on, do you think the newlyweds did the right thing by tying the knot this early in their lives? Let us know in the comment section.