The fascinating love story of the bride-to-be that ran away thrice & kept her man waiting for 60 seconds after he proposed!

 Ope and Gbenga met two years ago via a surprise matchmaking – the groom’s relatives had been ‘looking for a wife’ for him, and sent him her number, only telling her after.

They hit it off immediately, and ever since the day after, they haven’t gone a day without speaking to each other. Ope’s dad also happened to be a Vicar of Gbenga’s parents’ church. Match made in heaven this is!

How We Met
by Ope, the bride

 On the 21st of January 2014, my best friend Lamide Ajani called me, saying that she had given my number to a mutual friend’s brother. I was shocked, and at first I was like, “Are you for real? You didn’t even tell me? Who is he?… Abeg Abeg”.

That day was actually Gbenga’s birthday, Adeola Ajani (Gbenga’s sister) had put his picture up as her DP, and goes, “I’m looking for wife for my brother o!!”

Sounds funny yeah? but the only funny part at least to me was that I seemed to go along with it…Next thing you know, we had started chatting. We chatted forever, and even though he didn’t call me on that day, it remains the only day since we met that I haven’t heard his voice on the phone.

Love is exciting I must tell you, it felt like nothing else mattered, and even when I was in my lectures, all I did was read our previous messages, while blushing in class. On his own side, he tried to come across as a tough guy, little did I know he was gushing about me to his sisters and his parents the whole time.

Fast forward to many months later, we realized that his parents go to the church where my dad is the presiding Vicar. I guess it’s true when they say its a small world. With our parents seeing each other every Sunday, and quickly becoming firm friends, the rest became history in the making.

Love is a beautiful thing, it is not painful, it is not dramatic, it is not draining….My boy has given me the kind of love my mother always prayed I would find. He is steady making efforts to keep me happy, and I cannot be more grateful for him. I must say, I have never been more excited about being his girl.

The Proposal
by the bride, Ope

Soooo.. this was really dramatic!!! *covering my face*

Basically I live in Scotland, 6 hours away from where Gbenga lives (London). We chatted/spoke on the phone the whole day. He was at work “having a busy day”. I was in school too, having lectures, so I wasn’t particularly paying attention to his environment when we spoke on the phone.

He had been planning with my friend Eniola Falowo, telling her he would be coming over, and that it was a surprise, and she should take me to the city centre where he would meet us.

Eniola made up a story about needing a dress for her friend’s graduation. She told me to help her pick, and being the good friend that I am, I bought it hook, line and sinker.

After my class, under the heavy rain, and the freezing Scottish weather, I went with her to pick out dresses. Eniola was acting up throughout, and a part of me was wondering what the problem was, but I chose to stay out of it. To cut it short, as we walked down the mall, someone walks up behind me, and whispers “Ohun Ope Mi” (This is what Gbenga calls me)… The next seconds happened so fast!! In my mind I’m thinking who is this person calling me what my boo calls me? Why is the person standing so close to me? Why are you trying to touch me? I then looked back, and its him!! Reflex.. I SCREAMED and RAN!! I cannot explain why, but I did. I stopped for a bit, looked back again to be sure it was him, it was!! 

I WAS SHY!!!!

 

Trust our “Oyinbo” people… such romantics… they were already staring and making videos. He got on his knees, I said YES (of course)!!, and ran off again *covering my face* I was really shy!

I must say, My baby!! is the “perfectest” gentleman!!!!