Actor, Sunkanmi Omobolanle and his wife, Bimbo talk about the gains of their three-year-old marriage
How long have you been married?
Bimbo: We have been married for three years and June 16 was our anniversary.
Were you introduced to each other?
Sunkanmi: We met many years ago. We were still youngsters when our paths first crossed. We were still in secondary school and attended the same after-school classes. We lost contact after a while because she relocated abroad to further her education. We met again via social media and we took it off from there.
Is that to say you have always had your eyes on her?
Sunkanmi: Of course I did. I liked her then but time and chance did not permit us to date.
Bimbo: We met again on hi5 and I was not certain if it was the same Sunkanmi Omobolanle I used to know. I confirmed when Muyiwa Ademola and some of his colleagues came over to Dublin for a programme. I asked for his number and I was obliged.
What was the attraction?
Bimbo: Without sounding boastful, my husband is cute. Beyond the looks, he has a very good heart which endeared him to me. Even though I was young when we started dating and I did not know we were going to get married, I kept the hope alive.
Sunkanmi: Till date, I can’t tell what got me attracted to her. All I know is that I am very comfortable around her and also she has a hairline just like my mother. Since my mother is dead, that is always a big reminder.
How long was your courtship?
Sunkanmi: We dated for about seven years and it was a beautiful time. Many people would consider it long but it afforded us the opportunity to know each other well. I proposed to her about two years before we had the marriage ceremony.
How did you propose?
Sunkanmi: I just told her I wanted to get married to her. I believe that if God is involved in something, you will not go through any hassles. We were two young adults who loved each other. Thank God we are together now and we are happy. Since we got married, our feelings for each other have not changed. Bimbo is not just my wife; she is also my best friend. She knows a lot about me, even things my supposed close friends do not know. I confide in her. If you put all these together, I don’t think I could have been married to a better woman.
How convenient was it getting married to someone who is in the make-believe industry?
Bimbo: I don’t and have never had a problem with it. From the initial, I made sure I came to terms with the demands and dictates of his profession. I knew it was something I had to fall in love with to be able to live with it. Besides, I trust him so why bother my head?
Do his female fans make you jealous?
Bimbo: Not at all except when one or two girls call consistently. At times like that, I query his relationship with the person. He does not even have to be an actor for things like that to happen. Even people who are not famous have admirers.
Was relocating to Nigeria your idea or his?
Bimbo: I am yet to relocate. I still shuttle Dublin and Nigeria but ensure I spend more time here. It has not been easy but God has been faithful. He also visits when his work schedule permits.
Did your family kick against your union?
Bimbo: My parents know the kind of job he does and they loved him from the outset.
What are some of those things you do that annoy each other?
Bimbo: He receives calls late at midnight and he also likes to chat on his Blackberry at such ungodly hours. These calls are not even business related and it really gets me upset.
Sunkanmi: I don’t like the fact that she makes me feel like a baby. Women like to dish out instructions to their husbands and make him follow it to the letter. For instance, if I park the car at the right spot and then she comes to tell me to turn the car around for it to face the opposite direction. It’s not as if we are going out anytime soon. What I do is give her the key to go and move the car in whatever direction she desires.
How would you describe three years of being married to each other?
Bimbo: I would not say it has been easy but it has been a beautiful experience. The first few years of marriage are not the easiest because there are a lot of things the couple has to get used to. There was a day he woke me up in the midnight to say he was hungry. For me, that was a new experience.
Sunkanmi: For me, nothing much has changed. I had to cut down on my outings and also reduce my intake of alcohol. That is not to say I was an alcoholic before we got married. Now, it’s no longer about me, I get to think about my wife before I even think about myself.
Are you comfortable with the romantic roles he plays sometimes?
Bimbo: I tease him about it occasionally. It’s not a bother because I know such roles will come his way from time to time. Sometimes, he consults me before he takes up a role but it is not binding on him to consult me because I can’t dictate which roles he should take and those he should not take. He is a man and is capable of taking good decisions. I accompany him to locations but that does not happen all the time either.
Do you ever suspect him of having extra-marital affairs?
Bimbo: If such thoughts occur, I ask him. Like those late night calls he makes, I will refer to it if need be. If a particular number keeps calling him, I will commit the number to memory and ask him if there is more to the incessant calls. If he says there is nothing, I believe him wholly.
People are of the opinion that you got married quite early…
Sunkanmi: I have heard that several times. They think being an actor; I ought to have given it more time. What I tell them is that, I got married early because I found the right woman. I am definitely going to get married someday and why do I need to delay? Even my dad was surprised when I told him I was ready to get married. I am better off as a married man because I used to be what people call a town boy. My friends used to call me‘baddo’. I can tell you that a good number of my friends took the decision to get married after I did. I was able to influence them positively.
How do you spend time as a couple?
Sunkanmi: We spend time indoors playing board games such as Ludo and we also watch a lot of Yoruba films. We go clubbing once in a while even though she does not really like it.
Who is the first to apologise when you quarrel?
Sunkanmi: She is always the first to apologise. At some point in our marriage, I got scared because she is always quick to apologise. I spoke to a marriage counsellor who said it is because she has a bigger heart than I do.
Do you believe in couples having a joint account?
Sunkanmi: My wife and I have a joint account. We also have our individual accounts but the joint account is better run by us and given greater priority. We don’t fight or argue over money because it has never been a determining factor in our marriage.
Apart from being his wife, what else do you do?
Bimbo: I am a businesswoman. I buy and sell in Dublin.
What are your pet names for each other?
Bimbo: I call him Babes.
Sunkanmi: I call her using her panegyrics.