How we met and found love on Instagram — Roby Ekpo and wife tell their love story

Comedian and radio presenter, Roby Ekpo, is married to Mayowa, a media personality. They share their love story.

How and when did you meet your wife?

Roby: I met my wife on
Instagram. I usually like celebrity pictures on social media. I did not
know I had previously liked her pictures on Instagram about a month or
two before that. Unknowingly, I liked several of her pictures one
morning and she just sent me a direct inbox message saying “uncle please
send us your number.” When I saw the message, I sent her all my contact
details. She called me and we had a lengthy conversation, although I
was travelling that day.

How did you cultivate a relationship with her?

Roby: She was what I
wanted in a woman. She has a good sense of humour and asked me awkward
questions like if I snore when I sleep and she was excited about my
response. After about a week, she said she wanted to visit Calabar. When
she reached the arrival lounge and I saw her, I told my brother she was
the woman I would marry. I proposed to her on my birthday last year and
we got married in November.

Why did you send him the message on Instagram?

Mayowa: I wanted to
find out why he liked my pictures, only to find out it was how he
generally likes pictures. I did not want to be rude to him, but I did
not think it was normal for a young man to like my pictures 70 times in
one day. The fact that I was curious got his attention because he also
wondered why anyone would get upset because their pictures were liked.

How did he propose to you?

Mayowa: It was during
his birthday. After the party, he insisted on going to sleep in a hotel.
I wondered why he wanted to do that because his house was comfortable.
His excuse was that he wanted some time alone. Together with his
friends, we went in search of hotels. The hotel staff said they had only
one room left and I ran to the room because I was tired. I entered the
living room and as I was about to enter the bedroom, he was on the bed
with a ring and petals asking me to marry him. Out of reflex, I ran into
the restroom and locked the door. Then I realised it was all planned.

What was the initial attraction?

Roby: She is a pretty woman and the humour in her direct message got me too.

Mayowa: We do the same
kind of job, so that caught my attention. He is a jovial and friendly
person. No matter how stressed he is, he always has control of any
situation.

How long did your courtship last?

Roby: It was from June to November.

Was it not somewhat short?

Roby: No, it was not.
It does not matter how long you court someone. The important thing is to
be compatible. I know couples who courted for a long time and the
marriage did not last.

Did you plan to marry an entertainer?

Mayowa: No, I did not. I was so sure I would marry a lawyer or doctor.

Was your family in support of your decision to get married?

Roby: My parents are
late; my dad was a journalist before he died and my grandmother was the
famous Margaret Ekpo. If they were alive, the pressure would have been
more, especially from my mum since she was Igbo. My brother knew he had
to let me take my time.

What qualities do you admire about your wife?

Roby: She is
down-to-earth, fearless and not easily intimidated. I always prayed to
God for a wife that would curb my excesses because I am hyperactive and
she does that by mere looking at me.

What initial challenges did you encounter?

Mayowa: We are still
getting used to them. You never know someone completely but it is a lot
easier when the person is totally fond of you. The first few months were
quite tough but the fact that I genuinely love him and had the desire
to make our marriage work saw me through it. God was there for me too.

How do you spend time together?

Roby: I travel to Lagos most weekends but I plan to relocate to Lagos.

How often do you have misunderstandings as a couple?

Roby: We argue a lot
about little things but people do not believe we do. I have a hot temper
but I have not raised my voice at her. She brings out the best in me.

How does your spouse get you angry?

Roby: She is
independent and does not like to talk. She likes to bottle things up
when she is not happy and it annoys me. She keeps saying she is fine and
I wish she could open up more.

Mayowa: The fact that
he does not take things to heart sometimes gets me angry. The way he
smiles when he tells me not to worry annoys me the more. Also, the fact
that we are apart is frustrating.

How do you make up when you have a misunderstanding?

Roby: I married my
friend, so we do not pretend. I do not know how we do it but I know it
does not take too long and everything comes back to normal.

How do you spend time together as a couple?

Mayowa: He does a lot of jobs in Lagos. We have been able to manage depending on how desperate I want to see him.

Has marriage robbed you of any privilege?

Roby: I used to enjoy a
lot of female attention but now most of them have disappeared. It is a
good thing for me as I have always dated one woman at a time.

How do you separate your marriage from your private life?

Mayowa: We both have
the same mindset on what we want even before we met. Working does not
mean I will neglect my responsibilities at home.

Do you quarrel over finance?

Mayowa: My husband tells me about every penny he makes, just like I do. I hope nothing changes and I will back it up with prayers.

Do you have access to each other’s social media accounts?

Mayowa: No, we don’t.
Not because it is a big deal or matters to me, but as human beings, we
need privacy. We do not hide anything but there are things that could be
misunderstood even though they mean nothing.

Are you not worried that you live apart?

Roby: No, I am not.

Mayowa: I used to be worried shortly after I knew I would marry him. But his attitude and firmness has completely gotten me relaxed.

How do you ward off erring fans of the opposite sex?

Mayowa: He gets that a
lot. But what works for me is to shut it off in my mind. Also, the way
he responds to them or the situation makes me have nothing to worry
about.

What advice do you have for celebrity spouses?

Mayowa: It would be
nice if they can shut their marriage out of the entertainment scene.
Once in a while it might get out there but shield it as much as you can,
because it is your private life and not entertainment.

What pet names do you call each other?

Roby: She calls me Bobo. And I called her Baby or Mayowa.

Mayowa: He calls me Babe or any other name depending on his mood.