Veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwo, has shared details of how she entered marriage at a young age through an arrangement made by her parents.
Naija News reports that the popular actress said she was only 19 years old when she got married. Her revelation was shared via a verified X account named Igbo History and Fact
She explained that the decision was not hers but was planned by her family. Ozokwo explained that she was frightened at the beginning because she did not know how to love a man she did not choose.
Ozokwo, however, stated that with time, feelings grew between them, and the marriage became stronger. She revealed that she and her husband had been together for 23 years, adding that during that period, her husband battled illness for 15 years before he died in 2000.
The actress said they had three children together and later adopted five more children; however, one of the adopted children later died, leaving her with seven children in total.
After losing her husband, Ozokwo said she did not remarry and decided to focus fully on raising her children.
Speaking about marriage in recent times, the veteran actress said many people now spend too much time trying to fix themselves, yet many homes still break apart.
She explained that in her own time, marriages arranged by parents were treated with patience, duty and endurance.
She added that she raised her children with strong values, teaching her daughters to show respect and her sons to act responsibly.
According to her, these lessons helped her keep her family together despite many hard moments.
Ozokwo said she always advised her children never to think of divorce and to build their homes with love, respect and sacrifice.
She said: “Marriage found me at just 19. It wasn’t my choice, my parents arranged it. At first, I was scared. I didn’t know how to love a man I didn’t choose.
“But as time passed, love grew. We spent 23 years together. He was sick for 15 of those years, and in 2000, he passed away.
“We had three beautiful children, and I adopted five more. One of them died, so I now have seven.
“I have told my children never to think of divorce. I raised my daughters to be respectful and my sons to be responsible. That is how I built a strong home through hardship, love, respect, and sacrifice.”
