Sophia Michaels
This article was written by Saheed Ojubanire of OperaNews. We found it interesting and wanted to share it. Read more below
Why has Toyin Abraham refused to adopt hubby’s surname, Ajewole, like Funke Akindele did with Bello?
Big question? Well, that is the situation star actress, Toyin Abraham’s hubby, Kola Ajeyemi, who is equally an actor in the Yoruba movie industry has found himself. And interestingly enough, it is not just over a year of their love, but they also have already, a bouncing baby boy named Ire (Goodness) between them. And yet, Toyin Abraham still wishes to be known and referred to as simply, Toyin Abraham! Especially, judging from her most recent official introduction to the members of the public in a video on twitter.
Now, the momentum of the story is building up. It is no longer news that, super star actress, Funke Akindele, was yanked off the twitter handle of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as the face of their campaign against the spread of the novel Coronavirus which has been ravaging countries around the world as a pandemic that has forced lockdown in all the countries its cases have been recorded. But what may still be news to some people is that, Toyin Abraham has been engaged as her replacement by the NCDC.
And in a video she obviously recorded in her house because a photo frame of her and her husband is in the background of the video, for the NCDC campaign, Toyin Abraham, after enlightening people in Yoruba on how to guide against contracting the highly contagious disease, signed off with, “Oruko mi ni Toyin Abraham,” (My name is Toyin Abraham) which was subtitled on the screen along with other things she said in Yoruba. And another, reality that must be taken into consideration in this instance is that, her hubby, Kola, must have been behind the camera with whoever recorded the video. It was in their house, and he heard his wife just refer to herself, as “Toyin Abraham” as against, Toyin Abraham Ajewole!
So, the question is, why can’t Toyin Abraham be like Funke Akindele she has replaced on the campaign? Because since Funke Akindele got married to her darling husband, Rasheed Bello, popularly known as JJC Skills, she has adopted his surname with hers to form a compound surname for her official use. Because, all the movie and television series she has featured in since she tied the nuptial knots with her hitherto singer husband have been carrying her name as Funke Akindele Bello.
Interestingly, the trajectory of Funke Akindele and Toyin Abraham’s love stories have been skewed in similar direction from the ordinary romantic affairs they had up till when both decided to start giving marriage a trial. The only area of dissimilarity may just be that Funke Akindele was involved in a dalliance with a fellow actor, Femi Adebayo, which was well celebrated in the media before she walked out of it to give real marriage a shot, while Toyin Aimakhu came out of a marriage to a fellow actor, Adeniyi Johnson, before going into a celebrated love liason with celebrity movie producer, Seun Egbegbe, which was also feasted upon by the media.
In case you may have forgotten about the stories, this writer will take you on a quick trip down the memory lanes. Some time around 2009, stories filtered into town that Funke Akindele and star actor, Femi Adebayo were an item. Although, they continually denied the affair, but people in the know were able to put the lie to their claim of not dating, because they could not hide it from everyone, and for the fact that the dalliance led to the crash of Femi Adebayo’s marriage at that time, were pointers to the fact that his heart was stolen by Funke Akindele at that period.
While many were expecting that what existed between them would lead a wedding after the crash of Femi Adebayo’s marriage which had already produced kids, the affair of the 2 talented role interpreters however hit the rocks after irreconcilable differences. And coming out of the failed affair, Funke Akindele later found new love in a property mogul, Kehinde Oloyede-Almaroof and they got married in a fairy-tale wedding that took place at The Haven Event Centre, Ikeja-GRA, Lagos, on 26th May, 2012.
But quite unfortunately, somewhere along the line, things fell apart and the centre could no longer hold between them, and so few months into their marriage, it crashed! “On behalf of our client, star actress, Funke Akindele, we want to formally inform you that after due consultation and consideration, she has now separated from Mr. Kehinde Oloyede as his wife,” a Press Statement by the actress’ publicist then who also happened to be her immediate elder sister, Ayo Ola-Muhammed, read in part.
Going forward, Funke Akindele took her time to get over the disappointment brought about by the crash of her talk of the town wedding back then, before her path later crossed with that of Rasheed Bello and they got married on 23rd August, 2016. But this time, the union was devoid of all the fanfare and razzmatazz that greeted her previous wedding. It was a very quite event that many family members from both sides were not even allowed to be part of. And the marriage has since been blessed with wonderful twins.
Always willing to show that she is happily married to her darling husband, Funke Akindele would never leave her husband’s surname out of her official introductions. “My name is Funke Akindele Bello,” she would say and write. Meanwhile, the reverse has since been the case with Toyin Abraham who used to be known as Toyin Aimakhu before she did a change of name. And when asked back then why the change of surname without actually getting married at that point, she had something to say.
“Yes, changing my name signified a fresh start. Initially, it was a family decision to change the name but Abraham (her) resisted because of her brand.” She said in an interview after she went public with the new surname. But then, going by that tarse statement, she said the new name “signified a fresh start”. A fresh start from what experience? You must be wondering. And this makes another quick trip down memory lane, necessary.
On July 8th, 2013, Toyin Aimakhu then, got married to a crossover actor, Adeniyi Johnson at Ikoyi Registry and their union was well celebrated in the media. But about 2 years after, the marriage had become so troubled that, the actress had to file for divorce in August, 2015. And interestingly, the divorce issue dragged for 3 solid years between them until it was finally resolved for them by the court, to go their separate ways in 2018.
Meanwhile, as at the 2015 that the divorce papers was filed, Toyin Aimakhu had also into an affair with Ebony Films Production boss, Seun Egbegbe, and the relationship also went awry to the extent that Seun Egbegbe reportedly embarrassed her at a movie location where he went to seize her phones on the claim that what Toyin Aimakhu was posting on the social medial about finding (new) love with another man was insulting to his personality. The reason he went for her phones so she would no longer be able to keep posting the “insulting stuffs”. Theirs was indeed, a messy matter that media feasted on very well at that time.
Hence, it was after coming out of all that, she decided to drop Aimakhu with all the controversies that had surrounded it, for Abraham. And having taken up “Oruko Tuntun” (New Name) like a popular gospel artiste, Tope Alabi, said in one of her songs, Toyin Abraham had a marital introduction with Kola Ajeyemi in February, 2019, but they kept it under wraps. Nobody knew about it, though there were speculations stating that it was a fellow actor, Kola Ajeyemi, that had come into her life especially, after she got pregnant for him, a development also denied vehemently, by the 2 of them until she put to bed.
Now, they have a son, Ire, between them. And reports also have it that they have also gone to the registry to legalize their wedding. Hence, the question remains that, when will Toyin Abraham add her hubby’s surname, Ajeyemi, to her name, like her counterpart, Funke Akindele, with almost similar cupid experience did with Bello, that she currently answers to Funke Akindele Bello?
Just imagine this scenario. As celebrities that the 2 couple are, they would always be a red carpet delight at any event they attend together. And what if they find themselves at same event, and for the cameras, the red carpet host asks for their introduction. While the man in the first couple says, “my name is Rasheed Bello” and woman says, “my name is Funke Akindele Bello”. And the man in the second couple says, “my name is Kola Ajeyemi, while his woman says, “my name is Toyin Abraham”. Just Toyin Abraham! Husband and wife!
This article was written by Saheed Ojubanire of OperaNews
