FLASHBACK: I married Regina Daniels three weeks after I met her, her mum

It has been about forty-eight hours since what was once one of Nigeria’s most talked-about marriages, have been in the news for not so pleasant reasons.

Over the weekend, the marriage between actress Regina Daniels and her husband, Ned Nwoko, the lawmaker representing Delta North Senatorial District, began to unravel publicly.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that both parties have taken to social media to level damaging accusations against each other since Saturday.

While Regina accused her husband of repeatedly assaulting her and claimed she could no longer endure the alleged abuse, the 64-year-old lawmaker countered, alleging that the 25-year-old actress was addicted to drugs and had destroyed his property under the influence.

As the controversy deepens, a 2020 BBC interview in which Mr Nwoko first discussed how he met and married Regina has resurfaced and is now gaining viral traction across social media platforms.

Three weeks

In the now-trending interview recorded after the couple had already welcomed their first child, Mr Nwoko disclosed that they did not court or date.

He explained that he married all his wives within weeks and did not believe in dating before marriage.

“We married within three weeks. I don’t believe in dating anybody to marry them. When you marry them, you need to fall in love from within the marriage,” he said.

He added that their union was “built on understanding and respect” and rooted in traditional values he grew up with.

The senator further stated that he met her for the first time when she visited his home in Delta with her mother and siblings, saying he had never heard of her or watched her movies.

Polygamy

He also did not rule out the possibility of taking another wife, stressing that he came from a polygamous background and loved children.

“So whether I marry another wife or not, she knows it can happen… I come from a very polygamous environment myself. I love children, so I want more children.”

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In November 2024, this newspaper reported Mr Nwoko’s claim that Regina was a virgin when he married her, adding that prominent suitors, including pastors and oil magnates, had pursued her.

Their marriage, which first made headlines in 2019 when the then-19-year-old actress married the then-59-year-old politician as his sixth wife, now appears to be facing one of its most turbulent moments, prompting the public to revisit earlier declarations about their union.

As of press time, Regina has not responded to the allegation of drug addiction levelled against her by her husband.

Mr Nwoko has not made further comments about their marriage.