HOW DOES ANYONE STAY “MARRIED” TO ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN FOR 60 YEARS?

Chief & Lolo with their marriage certificate.

Chief Jude and Lolo Philomena Oparaeke’s journey as husband and wife is very instructive to the world of marriage and what it has become today, as I am of the opinion that it has become very imperative to ask if truly the sanctity of the union between man and woman still exist in our today’s world.

When the story of their marriage (dedication) broke, a lot of people who read it on Precious Eze’s Blog felt it was too good to be true that a man would live with one woman for a period of 60 years? ONE WOMAN, ONE MAN FOR 60YRS?

Having met in 1956, the couple walked down the aisle on the 7^th of September, 1957 after a short period of courtship and prayers through which their future together was revealed. This wouldn’t have been if the traditional inquiries, rites, wine carrying and payment of dowry were settled as the Igbo tradition demanded and they became MAN and WIFE.

The love between them did not mean that the road was gonna be smooth and they understood this fact very early in their marriage and took a decision to stick to each other regardless of how the storm may sound, even as Chief Jude worked and traversed through the length and breadth of Nigeria, serving the country in the Nigerian Prisons Service where he rose through different capacities to a Superintendent of Prisons before his retirement in 1995.

Having laid the foundation for this story, one is forced to ask how possible it is for man to remain married to one woman for comprehensive 60 years non-stop.

In our society where “FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE” TILL DEATH DO US PART, has become a thing of the past, Chief and Lolo Oparaeke’s story is a standing challenge to the younger generation whose attitude to the union between man and woman especially in marriage has gone sour and the rate of divorce and separation are increasing daily as people just go in and out of marriages these days as though divorce is going out of fashion.

Furthermore, there are issues I would like to raise through this platform that may have people disagreeing with, but if looked into with a very clear understanding; you would agree that the points being posited may have a lot to do with the success that happened to this couple.

The God factor in relationships is something a lot of people may have to examine and looked into critically to ascertain where the place of God is in a marriage. Does God determine who we marry, how we live as husbands and wives, or does God really matter in the affairs concerning marriage?

Chief & Lolo Oparaeke’s love story, which culminated into a successful marriage of 60 years in a society like ours, is one worthy of emulation as we recommend that this story be told abroad with emphasis on the existence of true love and God in the affairs of men, especially in marriages. They are blessed with seven very successful children, 3 sons and 4 daughters with 17 grand-children to crown them as we wish them longer lives together as husband and wife.