When two of Nigeria’s best-loved singers married in January 2019, most of their fans found out after it was over.
Simi and Adekunle Gold wed on 9 January 2019 in Lagos, in a ceremony attended by about 300 close friends and family. Guests, including celebrities, were asked not to take photos or record videos. For a couple whose love story fans had followed for years, the privacy was part of the message.
A love story in songs
Simisola Ogunleye, known as Simi, and Adekunle Kosoko, known as Adekunle Gold, had been friends and collaborators before they became a couple. Both built careers on songs about love and everyday life. Fans had long speculated about their relationship, and the couple teased it in interviews and on social media before announcing their engagement in 2018.
Their music together, and their playful exchanges online, turned them into one of Nigeria’s favourite celebrity couples.
The ceremony
The traditional ceremony was held at a venue in the Eko Atlantic area of Lagos, overlooking the sea. The couple wore coordinated Yoruba attire, and the guest list was kept small by celebrity standards. Photos released afterwards were chosen by the couple, which meant the images fans saw were the ones they wanted shared.
A white wedding followed, again kept away from the public eye.
“Promise”
Four days after the wedding, the couple released “Promise”, a duet in which they sing vows to each other. The song became a wedding favourite, played at receptions and used in wedding videos across Nigeria and Ghana. Many fans said it felt like being invited to the wedding after all.
Family
In May 2020, the couple welcomed their daughter, Deja. They have continued to share glimpses of family life on social media while keeping much of it private, and each January fans mark their anniversary with them online.
Why couples copy them
Simi and Adekunle Gold’s wedding showed that celebrity couples could choose intimacy over spectacle. Many couples, famous or not, now ask guests to keep phones away during key moments, restrict sharing until the official photos are released, or hold a smaller ceremony with a larger celebration later.
Tips from their approach
Decide your privacy rules early. Tell guests clearly if you want an unplugged ceremony.
Choose your guests. A smaller guest list lowers costs and increases intimacy.
Control your images. Share official photos when you are ready.
They could have turned their wedding into a national event. They turned it into a song instead, and let the country sing along afterwards.
