Why I Refused A Society Wedding—Kalu Ikeagwu

Actor Kalu Ikeagwu wedded Ijeoma, last Saturday June 25, 2016 in Enugu State. But he went for a low key celebration instead of the usual extravagance that trails society weddings.

What could have made the veteran actor opt for this mode of wedding? He revealed his excitement about his marriage to Ijeoma, who is a makeover artist, but Kalu has his reservations on extravagant wedding ceremonies.

He said, “Not because of the money. I told God to take care of how the money for the expenses comes, especially at this time when everything is on the increase. My friends call and ask how we are going to cope with a basket of tomato at that high price. I know God would take care of how those would come. The good thing about the wedding preparation was that I was seeing the beauty of the person I was getting married to through this. I mean she was not getting stressed and she was working very hard. She is a very reliable person. She did most of the work for our wedding.”

Asked if he met the expectations of his fans who thought he would marry a beautiful actress and he replied, “Someone asked me that question before. He asked if I would marry an actress and I said if that is the person for me, I would marry an actress. The person I married is from the entertainment industry as well. She is a makeover artist amongst other things that she does.”

Harping on providence at work when he met Ijeoma, Kalu said he almost thought he was his own problem in the quest for a life partner.

He said, “I got to a point in my life where I was trying to get the perfect person for me. I found out that maybe I was the problem and not the women. Because all the women I dated before were very wonderful women. They had good character. I got to a point where I told God to make a choice for me because I recognised that I am flawed as a human being. I had two conditions that I cannot compromise on: First, the person has to love God more than I do and the second is that I want a companion throughout my years, whether she is beautiful or ugly, local or sophisticated; thin or fat, I did not care. All I wanted was a companion that I would be happy with and God answered my prayers.”

Now, how does he feel having given up bachelorhood?

His response: “My bachelorhood was the toughest thing for me to give up.
That was one of the reasons why I was not married for quite a while. I have been on my own since I was nine years old. I was in boarding school so I learned to be on my own from that time upwards. I am sort of introverted. My whole world exists in my head.”

Did that connote his romantic side?
“I wouldn't call it being romantic. I call it what the other person would like. I don't see myself as a romantic person,” he said. 
Kalu confessed that he was scared of the word romance, “When you say romantic, I get scared and think, 'Oh my God,’ I have to get down on my knees, buy flowers everyday and all that. It's scary I’m not that person.”
So, how did he propose to Ijeoma?

“I proposed indirectly and under pressure. I put her on the spot. Immediately it occurred to me that I cannot let her go, that she is a keeper and someone I cannot afford to lose. At my uncle’s funeral, I was speaking with one of my uncles when she came to me to collect my car key and I held her by the waist and told my uncle that she was the one I wanted to marry. He looked at me and said, ‘Are you sure?’ I said I was very sure. He turned to her and asked her if I was her choice and she shyly said, ‘Yes,
uncle.’ To me that was more important than any romantic proposal. I am not romantic. I am boring if that's how you and many others see me. No apologies whatsoever. I may learn in the marriage. She is not that romantic herself.”

As a married man, are there some roles he would give up acting?
He said, “I have a step daughter and I keep asking my wife which of my movies she has seen? Are they the ones I acted as a bad guy or the ones where I am a good guy. I thought about this question and I realised that I am like a role model to my family. My family would have to inform the roles I take on from now onwards. I might not be going naked in any movies anytime soon. I don't think I will give up being a bad guy in movies so far as it teaches something. But if it will be vulgar, I would hands off.”

Should fans expect the couple to start popping babies in nine months?
He replied in the negative—there is the need to ‘enjoy’ before babies come. “No, I will love to enjoy my wife before the babies start coming.”
Finally, how many babies do they want?

“I only want to change pampers only once or two times. I love my quiet but I can mature and manage with two. Two children are enough,” Kalu said.