My Wife Said Yes After My Ex Said No” – Daniel Etim-Effiong Opens Up About His Journey to Marriage

Popular Nollywood actor Daniel Etim-Effiong has opened up about the surprising turn of events that led him to marry his wife, Toyosi. In a candid conversation with Chude Jideonwo, Etim-Effiong shared that he decided to settle down with Toyosi after his previous relationship ended when his ex-girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal.

According to the actor, at the time, he was living in South Africa and had reached a point in his life where he was ready for commitment. However, his then-girlfriend a non-Nigerian wasn’t on the same page.

“I told her I was ready to get married, but she had other plans,” he recalled. “She was preparing to go to graduate school in the United States and didn’t want, for lack of a better word, to be ‘tied down.’ I was disappointed. I thought, ‘We could build a life together.’ But she said no.”

Shortly after, Etim-Effiong returned to Nigeria for a film project a move that would change his life. The production manager for the project was Toyosi, the woman who would later become his wife. Though they had been in touch before, this was their first time meeting in person. It was also Toyosi’s first job back in Nigeria after returning from New York.

“We had a long, meaningful conversation,” he said. “I told her I was serious about getting married, and she simply said, ‘Let’s do it.’”

The two tied the knot in November 2017, just a year after reconnecting in Nigeria. They welcomed their first child, a daughter, in January 2019.

Etim-Effiong’s story is a reminder that sometimes, closed doors lead to exactly where we’re meant to be.