Veteran Nollywood actress Patience Ozokwo has opened up about her early marriage, revealing that she was married off at the age of 19 through an arrangement made by her parents.
The respected actress shared the revelation via a verified X account on Sunday, Igbo History and Fact, explaining that the decision to marry was not hers and that she entered the union without fully understanding what love meant.
According to Ozokwo, the early days of the marriage were marked by fear and uncertainty, as she struggled to love a man she did not personally choose. She admitted that adapting to the arrangement was emotionally challenging.
However, she noted that with time, patience, and commitment, affection gradually developed between them, strengthening their bond and stabilising the marriage.
Ozokwo disclosed that she and her husband were married for 23 years, during which he battled illness for 15 years before passing away in 2000.
The actress revealed that they had three biological children together and later adopted five more. One of the adopted children later died, leaving her with seven children in total, whom she raised on her own after her husband’s death.
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Reflecting on marriage today, Ozokwo said modern relationships often collapse despite personal growth efforts, contrasting them with the endurance and sense of duty that characterised arranged marriages in her time. She added that she raised her children with strong values and always advised them to avoid divorce, encouraging them to build their homes on 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.”
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