Popular Nollywood actor, Daniel Etim-Effiong, has recently opened up about his journey to marriage and past romantic experiences in a revealing conversation with Chude Jideonwo. The actor shared intriguing details about how he met his wife, Toyosi, and candidly discussed a period in his life when he "explored" multiple relationships.
The Path to "I Do": A Marriage Born from Disappointment
Etim-Effiong's path to matrimony was not a straightforward one. He revealed that he was actively seeking to settle down when his then-girlfriend in South Africa declined his marriage proposal. "I had a girlfriend at that time, and I told the girl that I think I am ready to get married, but she wasn’t ready," he recounted. His former partner's desire to pursue graduate studies in the United States and her reluctance to "be tied" left him feeling disappointed, especially as he was eager for commitment.
It was this pivotal moment that coincided with his return to Nigeria for a project. Serendipitously, he met Toyosi, who was the production manager for the same project. They had been in contact prior, but their meeting in Nigeria marked a new chapter. Etim-Effiong wasted no time in expressing his intentions. "I had a long conversation with her. I told her that I really want to get married, and she said, ‘Let’s do it,'" he shared, highlighting the immediate alignment of their desires. The couple tied the knot in November 2017, a year after they met, and welcomed their daughter in January 2019.
In the same interview, Etim-Effiong addressed a more personal aspect of his past, admitting to a brief period of "womanizing." When asked by Chude if he was a womanizer before marriage, Etim-Effiong clarified his definition. While acknowledging that he did date multiple women simultaneously at one point, he emphasized that this phase was not prolonged. He referred to it as a period of "exploration" and surprisingly, "learning."
"I learned that certain things don’t necessarily bring you the fulfillment that you think they would," he explained, reflecting on the superficiality he discovered in such a lifestyle. This self-awareness has led him to advise young people against developing habits of non-commitment. He stressed that a tendency to jump from one relationship to another or maintain multiple connections does not simply disappear after marriage. "If you are not able to commit to one person, if you jump from one relationship to another, that won’t automatically change when you marry," he warned, emphasizing the importance of developing the "muscle" of commitment before tying the knot.
Etim-Effiong's candid revelations offer a glimpse into the personal growth and intentionality that shaped his journey to becoming a committed husband and father. His story serves as a reminder that personal experiences, even those perceived as missteps, can ultimately lead to valuable life lessons and a clearer understanding of what one truly seeks in a relationship.