Nollywood actress Stella Damasus has opened up about her second marriage, describing the eight-month union as one of the biggest mistakes of her life and attributing the decision partly to pressure from religious expectations.
Damasus, in a recent reflection on her personal experience, said she married her close friend after people around them encouraged the relationship, believing their strong friendship would naturally translate into a successful marriage.
The nollywood actress got married to her second husband Emeka Nzeribe in 2007, three years after she lost her first husband. The marriage lasted eight months before the couple mutually agreed to end the relationship.
According to the actress, she and her former husband had shared a deep friendship before marriage, including serving together in church activities, but later discovered that being compatible as friends did not necessarily mean they were suited for marriage.
She explained that religious and social pressure influenced their decision to take the relationship further, as they were repeatedly told that their closeness was inappropriate outside marriage.
“We were pressured by religion and the church. We were told it was wrong to be close friends, to serve in the choir together, to be single workers in the church,” she said.
Damasus said counselling sessions were arranged and wedding plans followed, with both of them believing that their existing bond would provide a strong foundation for marriage.
However, after getting married, she said they realized they were not compatible as a couple despite the love and respect they had for each other.
“Friendship and marriage are not the same,” she said, adding that the experience taught her the importance of making marital decisions based on personal conviction rather than external expectations.
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The actress said the marriage ended peacefully, with both parties choosing to maintain mutual respect and cordiality after their separation.
Damasus’ experience adds to broader conversations around marital compatibility, relationship expectations and the influence of family, cultural and religious pressures on personal decisions.
Marriage experts often emphasize that while friendship can be an important part of a successful marriage, factors such as shared values, communication styles, emotional readiness, financial expectations and long-term goals also play significant roles in determining marital stability.
Damasus, who has enjoyed a career spanning decades in Nollywood, has been married three times. Her first marriage was to Jaiye Aboderin in 1999 when she was 21 years old.
The couple had two daughters, Isabel and Angelica, before Aboderin died suddenly in 2004 at the age of 33 after suffering a heart attack.
After the end of her second marriage, the actress later entered a relationship with Nollywood producer and director Daniel Ademinokan.
The pair reportedly started dating around 2011 and kept their romance private for years before going public with the relationship. The couple eventually parted ways in 2020.
Throughout her career, Damasus has remained one of Nollywood’s most recognized actresses, known for roles in films such as Rattlesnake, Breaking Point and Behind Closed Doors, while also working as a filmmaker, singer and media personality.
Her latest comments have renewed discussions about the importance of personal readiness, compatibility and individual choice in marriage, with the actress encouraging people to avoid entering unions because of pressure from others.
The News Giant
