Africa Entertainment News: KEEPING MARRIAGE ALIVE (KMA) INITIATIVE HONOURS PROF. PAT UTOMI, HON. COSMAS OKOLI AND REV. IWUNZE

Prof. Pat Utomi and Wife

Prof. Pat Utomi with his wife, and Hon. Cosmas Okoli with his wife, were among the prominent couples who were awarded by the Keeping Marriage Alive (KMA) Initiative during her one year anniversary event in Lagos Nigeria.The award was meant for couples who have lived together through thick and thin and have been a source of inspiration and aspiration for others.

The event was held on the 18th of May, 2014 at De Dove Multipurpose Event Centre, Lagos. It was attended by couples of all socioeconomic status and all works of live, among whom are the clergy, Nollywood actors/actresses, entrepreneurs, financial experts and young men and women.

Hon. Cosmas Okoli (OON) and Wife

Prof. and Dr (Mrs.) Utomi

The Organizers, and the vision coordinators of Keeping Marriage Alive (KMA) Initiative, are Dr. and Mrs. Rich Okonkwo, simply called Rich & Ngee, who said the aim of the award is to celebrate outstanding couple,, the most committed couple, and the best couple who in spite of being in the limelight daily have withstood the pressures of society to set the pace for the younger generation.

Ngee, Prof. Utomi, Dr. Ify Utomi and Rich

Rich and Ngee

Rich and Ngee explain that the initiative came when they were having marital crisis and almost gave up to path ways, but on a second thought, they both chose to make the marriage work. And as it started working, they decide to help others who may be going through similar challenges to keep their marriage ALIVE (Always - Loving - Intimate - Verifying - Everyday). They have been married for ten years and their intimacy and love radiate all over them even in the public eyes. They do everything together, and even got the camera jealous with a hot kiss during the interview.

Prof. Pat Utomi

Prof. Pat Utomi and his wife, Dr. Ifeoma Linda, were awarded the Outstanding Couple. On a brief chat with our correspondence, he said "For any marriage to work, there has to be a spirit of sacrifice, a giving up of something for the joy of others in the relationship....We should be more tolerant of one another...." About the wife, he said: "...my wife is extra-ordinarily accommodating," and he has never raised his voice at his wife outside.

Hon. Cosmas Okoli and his wife, Azuka Justina, bagged the Most Committed couple Award. Hon. Okoli, had won Gold and Silver at various international games, including the 1990 World Stoke Mandeville Wheelchair Games in the UK. At the award, he said, the alarming rate of divorce in Nigeria today is due to our embracing foreign culture to the neglect of our own culture. According to him, our African culture encourages a stable home. about his wife, whom he had lived with for almost nineteen years now, he said, "She is very understanding..." and encourages parents to support their children in making their marriage to work, especially in times of conflict.


Hon. Cosmas and Mrs. Azuka Okoli (OON) - President/CEO MAARDEC

Rev. and Pastor (Mrs.) M.C.A. Iwunze - G.O., Love Base Assembly

Dinma and Nedum Nwobi

Other recipients of the esteemed KMA award 2014, include: Rev. and Pastor (Mrs.) M.C.A. Iwunze, the General Overseers of Love Base Aseembly, based in Festac Town, Lagos, Nigeria. They were honoured with the BEST Couple Award; Mr. & Mrs. Rowland Okonkwo were the Most Consistent Couple in attending the KMA programmes for the past one year; The Close-Knit family Award went to Dinma and Nedum Nwobi who have been married for eleven years and had excelled in the overall performance of tasks during the Family Alive Retreat (FAR); Mary Okaraba got the Best In-House artist award, Peter, Best In-house Actor, while Chris Omeruo, head of Media was awarded for his commitment to the KMA Initiative.

Rich and Ngee

Keeping Marriage Alive (KMA) Initiative is committed to making marriages work in homes and guiding the younger ones in bulding their prospective homes to be stable, starting from making the right partner choices. They do this through their activities whichh include: LOVE School (workshop for the singles), Couples Alive Retreat (CAR), Family Alive Retreat (FAR), Help Seminars, on how to improve your relationship (for both singles and married)

For details, please visit contact:

Website: www.keepingmarriagealive.com

Tel: +234 9092153103, 0807225010

Below are photos of some guests at the event.