By Cynthia Johnson
The collapse of the marriage of popular Nollywood actor, Bolanle Ninalowo, also known as Nino B, is no longer news. The actor shared updates on his marital status via Instagram in the early hours of Friday, September 1, 2023.
Although the news came as a shock to many of the actor’s fans, the couple’s previous separation before reconciling a few years back was already public knowledge.
In an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Nino B admitted that his initial separation from his wife was a result of his past infidelity. He stated, “During the years when I was feeling too young and cheating all day, breaking her heart; to the years when I wasn’t there and pursuing my dreams. But, I forgot she was a human being who was keeping records and experiencing her life as well. So, I became someone she did not recognize anymore. At some point, I could not call her, and she would not answer the phone. The woman I once had control over, I had no control over anymore because she outgrew me.”
Determined to make things work between them, the actor consistently praised his wife for giving him a second chance. In an interview with Punch on November 21, 2020, he expressed his admiration for his wife, saying, “She is quite an introvert. We are practically two opposite people who complement each other well. Before I became a celebrity, I used to show off my wife. She looks like my mother, and I have always prayed to marry a woman that looks like her. I admire my wife, and I’m obsessed with her. I have messed up so much in the past, and I figured I could rewrite my own story. I am fortunate to have been given a second chance, so I am just living my dreams. I am not living to impress anybody.”
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Nino B also explained how work had caused him to be away from his wife and children for ten years. He mentioned, “What I always wanted for my fortieth birthday was to be with my wife and kids because I had been living in Nigeria for ten years without them. Due to my hustle, I had to leave my family in the United States of America for a while, so this is the first time I am spending my birthday with them in ten years. My dream was to have achieved my goals so that I could relocate them before my fortieth birthday, and that was what I did. I was really looking forward to that, so I didn’t have plans for any grand party to mark the milestone. My greatest aim was to just be with my family.”
Furthermore, in an interview with Vanguard Allure in February 2023, Nino B’s wife, Bunmi, mentioned that although the first few years of their marriage were turbulent, they had grown to respect each other. In her words, “The most challenging period was the first few years of our marriage. We had so many fights and disagreements while growing up and getting to know each other better. As time went on, we fought through it all and learnt so much more about each other. We grew to understand that love is not enough, but that respecting each other must be intentional. We built good communication and shared everything.”
When asked where she would like to spend their next wedding anniversary, which would have been their 20th anniversary, Bunmi said she would love to spend it on an island; somewhere beautiful, alone with her king, just enjoying nature.