I didn’t want to marry an ugly woman — Von Apochi

Mr. and Mrs. Apochi

Nollywood actor and Gulder Ultimate Search 1
contestant, Von Apochi, is married to Noella, a
business development manager. They share the
story behind their successful union

How did you meet your wife?

Von: We met about four years ago when I
started consulting for a multinational financial
organisation. I met her during one of the
trainings we underwent together, because she
worked there as well. My spirit told me that she
would be my wife the first day I saw her, and
that was the first thing I told her.
Why were you convinced that she would become
your wife?
Von: She is a beautiful woman, but that was not
the reason why I was initially drawn to her.
Apart from her physical appearance, I fell in love
with her personality. The conviction was so
strong that I could not explain it. I had to tell her
because I could not keep it to myself. Then, she
did not know I was a celebrity and did not
recognise me, even though she had seen a
couple of my works.
How did the relationship develop?
Von: The training lasted for about two weeks
and we met every day. I engaged her in
conversations. Over time, she began to like my
personality and after the training, we were
posted to the same unit. We got closer and she
finally accepted to be my girlfriend.
What attracted you to him?
Noella: I was drawn to him because he is very
intelligent.
Why did you initially refuse to be his girlfriend?
Noella: I did not believe him when he said he
wanted to marry me. I thought he was fake. I
wanted to be alone but he was persistent.
How did you later tell that he was genuine?
Noella: I guess his persistence convinced me. He
kept telling everyone that I was his wife.
How did he propose?
Noella: He proposed to me at his birthday party.
It was sort of a surprise because I did not
expect it. He stood up to give the vote of thanks
at the end of the party and eventually popped
the question.
How did you feel at that moment?
Noella: I did not expect it when it came. I was a
bit shy because there were too many people
there and they told me to smile. I thought he
would propose in a quiet atmosphere.
What challenges did you face during the early
years of your marriage?
Noella: Every marriage has its own challenge and
it takes a physically and mentally strong
personality to face it. If you marry your friend, I
do not think there will be any challenge you
cannot overcome.
Did any of your family members ever oppose
your decision to get married?
Noella: We did not have any issues like that.
Both families were supportive.
Why didn’t you marry an entertainer?
Von: I was not particular about the kind of
woman I wanted to marry. I just wanted to
marry a good wife. I have my excesses and
without sounding cocky, I am also smart and
intelligent. I needed a woman that would learn
very fast, complement my energy and still remain
calm. I prayed about it when I met her. Also, I
did not want to marry an ugly woman because I
did not want my kids to turn out ugly. It
sounded vain, but I was also concerned about
the spiritual aspect as well. But my wife is
conversant with the entertainment world, even
though she works in the corporate sector. She
runs her own blog as well.
Were you scared of losing her after you were
involved in an accident?
Von: I was not scared at all. I still retain my
swag, with or without the accident. I knew I
married a good woman and she was quite
supportive. My mother was supportive as well.
After the accident, she came to the hospital and
almost broke into tears but she was strong and
kept praying. She looked at my face, hands, and
even opened my boxer shorts to see if my
manhood was intact. I never expected her to
leave me during my ordeal.
He said you checked all parts of his body to see
if they were still intact…
Noella: I did that because I had never seen a fire
accident victim all my life. I kept asking him how
he felt in the process. I am sure he was joking
when he said I tried to check if everything was
intact.
Some women would have left after the accident,
why did you not consider it?
Noella: If you took your vows before God, you
are expected to keep them. I did not think about
leaving and it never crossed my mind. All I
wanted was for my husband to be fine and I was
there for him to ensure he was never depressed.
It was simply a trying period for us.
Were you not concerned that his looks could be
marred for life?
Noella: Looks are only physical attributes. They
only complement his personality, which matters
most. I did not get married to him because of
his looks.
How did you pull through the trying period?
Noella: I live a low profile life apart from what I
do and most people do not know I am his wife.
Only people that knew us called all the time to
find out what happened and the calls became
unbearable at some point. Apart from that, there
were no snide remarks and I never felt
embarrassed.
What are some of the things that get your
partner upset?
Von: I could be quite unpredictable when it
comes to things that get me angry. My wife is
meek and would not intentionally get me angry.
Whenever she notices my countenance has
changed, she retreats unlike some women who
would want to stand their ground. It was the
way she was brought up and her parents did a
good job. She understands the role of a man and
woman, even when I want to be domineering as
a man.
Noella: One thing I like about my husband is that
he is always very apologetic. We talk if we have
any issues. Your partner should be your best
friend. He understands that there are things I do
not like and he does not intentionally do them. I
love the fact that I have a husband who can
apologise. He is polite and patient.
Are you sometimes scared that ladies would
distract him?
Noella: I always accompany him to most of the
events he attends and sometimes I let him be. I
know who I am married to; he is focused and is
bound to have fans. I do not have to come
between him and his fans. I am not jealous of
his fans.
How do you spend time as a couple?
Noella: Sometimes, we see a movie or hang with
my friends. We like to travel as well.
How must celebrities manage their home?
Von: Celebrities must understand that they lead
a double life. They should respect their family
and create time for them. They should drop the
celebrity toga when the get home and involve
their spouse in what they do. It creates fun.
They should always stand their ground and be
firm when things go wrong. I am not a
promiscuous person and I think men should be
disciplined as well. They should also marry
people they are compatible with.
What advice do you have for celebrity spouses?
Noella: They should be prayerful always because
celebrities face a lot of temptations in the
industry.
What pet names do you call each other?
Noella: We call each other Sucre.