Gone are those days when a divorce carried a stigma tag attached. Women and men alike are now embracing the idea that there is always life after a bitter divorce.
While some fizzled off the radar following split with their partners, these female celebrities appear to have found their footing ,made more fame, gotten better partners, and of course achieved immense success following their divorce.
There are so many celebrities winning after divorce but Miss Petite Nigeria Blog has shortlisted it’s top 5 in no particular order..
TOKE MAKINWA
Toke Makinwa’s divorce from her partner, Maje Ayida was as bitter as any divorce can be. It was a very hard pill to swallow considering she was a ”relationship expert” who dished out advise on her popular Youtube channel.
So it was such a shock and a let down as many mocked her for not being able to apply her tips on her own marriage .
Many wrote her off and swore the end of her marriage was the end of her brand..She was shamed, accused of neglecting her man, hence his decision to have a baby by another woman.
While she maintained radio silence and turned to God for solace, little did we know this petite lady was about to turn her life around using nothing other than her pain.
Out of her heartbreak,her wildly successful best selling book”Onbecoming’ was born. She opened up in ways no one believed she would.She also gave an insight into her tumultuous and long relationship with her ex-husband,which spanned over a decade.
And her life took a different turn after that.Jet-setting around the world,countless endorsements,speeches,Toke Makinwa started winning in every way possible.
She got her dream car, a Range Rover,moved into a tastefully furnished apartment, upped her fashion game by splurging on the latest fashion wears money can buy.Even launched her own line of luxury bags.
And while there are slight whispers that her good fortune is thanks to an 80 year old billionaire, you can’t take away the fact that,Toke Makinwa is a hard worker. And she appears to have a lot of fun while putting in that work.
Her divorce was finalized on October 6th 2017.
Yes,Toke Makinwa is one divorcee who is absolutely winning and we can only say cheers to her future.
CHIKA IKE
This long-legged Nollywood actress and producer has come a long way following her divorce in 2013.
Infact, won’t be surprised many have no idea she was married for 5 years before her marriage crashed.She blamed he crash on her age
She said:
“I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH SO MANY REASONS; ONE OF THEM MIGHT BE BEING YOUNG. SOME PEOPLE GET MARRIED THAT YOUNG AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THEIR MARRIAGES WORK. BUT IF YOU’RE YOUNG, YOU’RE YOUNG.”.
She is not just an actress, she produces her own movies, ventured into real estate,created her own reality show ”African Divas’ and in what is considered her biggest achievement yet,and a testament to the fact that she is a mix of beauty and brains, she earned herself a spot at the prestigious Harvard business school.
However,it is not all work for Chika Ike as she loves to enjoy the rewards of her hard work by splurging on designer items and taking multiple vacations yearly.
Though,there have been rumours linking her good fortune to a former senate presidenct, till date, there is no concrete proof of the affair.
Without doubt, she is winning and we are not just talking about the fact that she cruisies around town in a black G-Wagon.
FUNKE AKINDELE
Name one hugely successful female celebrity in Nigeria and actress and producer, Funke Akindele’s name comes to mind.So huge is her success story that she has found love for the second time,proving there is still marriage after divorce.
The producer of hit movie and TV Series,Jenifa’s Diary, Funke Akindele had a very short-lived marriage to Kehinde Oloyede which she admitted with rife with abuse.
In 2013,she called the one year old marriage quits, prompting him to call her out on Facebook after failed attempts to see her.In an interview ,talking about her marriage,she said
“I WAS ABUSED EMOTIONALLY AND VERBALLY. REALLY, I FELT WE COULD WORK THINGS OUT WHEN THE TROUBLE STARTED TWO MONTHS AFTER THE MARRIAGE, BUT I MADE UP MY MIND AND SHUT THE DOOR OF THE MARRIAGE AT HIM WHEN THE TROUBLE WAS COMING TO ME TOO MUCH..
In 2017,she married music producer,JJC Skillz and despite allegedly losing her twin pregnancy, the actress has moved on with optimism and despite that heartbreaking setback, it’s clear to see she is winning.
STEPHANIE LINUS
Stepahnie Linus is proof that there is love and immeasurable success after divorce. The actress and producer not only put her divorce to ex-Nigerian footballer,Chikelue iloanusi, behind her, she found love in a man, Linus Idahosa, who treated her to one of the most romantic destination weddings in Nigeria.
Not only was their marriage or wedding scandal-free,he is also her major backbone professionally as they undertake movie projects as a team.
“MARRIAGE HAS BEEN VERY GOOD TO ME AND IT HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE ALL THE WAY. I AM HAPPY THAT I AM WITH SOMEONE I LOVE AND WE ARE BOTH EXCITED TO BE SHARING THE REST OF OUR LIVES WITH EACH OTHER. I HAVE NO REGRETS ABOUT GETTING MARRIED AT THE TIME I DID AS I BELIEVE THAT GOD’S TIME IS THE BEST.”
The couple broke the internet with their Paris wedding in 2012,welcomed a son in 2016,and she produced one of the most ground breaking movies ,DRY which addresses Child marriages.
These days,when she is not producing movies,she is travelling the world and lending her celebrity voice to social and medical causes in partnership with top Non-governmental organisations.
Infact, Stephanie Okereke’s achievements are so immense, one has to be reminded she was once married….
Talk about the real definition of winning.
INI EDO
This curvaceous beauty and Nollywood actress is a boss lady. Her 2008 marriage to Phillip was rife with controversy as he was accused of leaving his first wife for the actress.
However, in 2014, the marriage which produced no child,started to show cracks. Then, to everyone’s surprise, Ini Edo filed for divorce and a few months later, bought a huge choice property in Lekki, Lagos.
“I TRY NOT TO REGRET (THE TIME I SPENT IN MARRIAGE) BUT I WILL SAY, IT’S BEEN AN EXPERIENCE I HAVE LEARNT A LOT FROM. IT MADE ME A STRONGER PERSON. IT MADE ME WISER AND I THINK IT ACTUALLY MADE ME MORE MATURE.
There were rumours problems with her ex-husband began when she refused to list him as a co-owner of the home.
As if that wasn’t enough, she took delivery of a G-Wagon,opened a night club in lekki.
To crown it all, Ini Edo was appointed Special adviser on Tourism to Akwa Ibom state governor .
Now, if that isn’t winning, I wonder what that is.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
Don’t give up on love.
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