Wedding bells still tolling on set of Tinsel

Iyke and Florence Okechukwu

Just when many people seem to have given up hope on some unmarried actors and actresses, as well as other practitioners in the Nigerian entertainment industry, ever walking down the aisle, wedding bells are tolling for the third time on the set of Tinsel – one of the country’s most successful television drama series in recent times.

Considering the size and extent of Nollywood’s influence, nobody expected the MNET soap opera that is currently broadcast on one of DSTV’s African Magic channels to provide the fulcrum for the breaking of a jinx that had turned the industry into a place of refuge of sorts for ‘unrepentant’ singles.

It all began with an actor and actress on the set of the popular TV drama series. Iyke Okechukwu and Florence Uwaleke played the roles of husband and wife before they were both pierced by Cupid’s arrows. Then, in a sudden twist of fate, they found themselves tying the nuptial knots as husband and wife in real life on April 17, 2013.

The following year, it was the turn of Chris Attoh and Damilola Adegbite to trudge the same path to matrimony. They got married almost a year after the Okechukwus walked down the proverbial aisle.

Then, only a few days ago, Osas Ighodaro and Gbenro Ajibade, also members of the cast of Tinsel, reportedly announced their engagement in the United States, thus becoming the third couple to get hooked on the set of the soap opera.

In an interview with our correspondent, a member of the technical crew, who craved anonymity, noted that a number of factors might be responsible for the marriages. “In the first place, these actors and actresses have been spending a lot of time working together on the set of the drama series. My guess is that along the line, they became close enough for certain bonds to develop among them. I think that in such a situation it is easy for a man and woman to fall in love with each other,” he said.

The source added that the marriages were good for the image of Tinsel. He said, “There haven’t been the usual scandals that are often associated with the kind of job we do. Instead, here in Tinsel, couples have been getting involved in relationships, getting engaged and eventually getting married. So far, the story has been cool. I think this is commendable.”

Commenting on the first couple to get married on the set of Tinsel, he continued, “I think getting married has rubbed off on them positively. I observed that they have been working well together ever since they became husband and wife. Even before Chris and Damilola left Tinsel, they were already engaged and they seemed to be happy being on the set of the soap opera.”

Although there have been cases of other actors and actresses working on the set of a movie or TV soap operas falling love and even getting married, the current development on the set of Tinsel seems to be attracting a lot of attention from viewers. Nowadays people joke about going for auditioning in the hope that they might be lucky enough to hook up with their life partners.

For now, it is clear that the wedding bells may continue to toll.