By Gloria Ikibah
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Leke Abejide, has cautioned Nigerians against allowing economic strain to fracture their marriages, urging couples to remain grounded in shared values despite mounting pressures.
Speaking in Abuja during a thanksgiving service marking his wife’s 50th birthday alongside their 20th wedding anniversary, the Kogi lawmaker stressed that difficult times should not erode family stability.
He emphasised that enduring relationships are sustained through love, patience and mutual respect, noting that strong homes are built on understanding and a shared commitment to faith.
Abejide underscored the importance of staying united through hardship, warning that financial challenges, though real, should not outweigh the deeper foundations that hold families together.
“You sustain marriage with love as it is written in the book of Ephesians Chapter 5 — husbands should love their wives and wives should submit to their husbands. This principle has been working for us,” he said.
Abejide observed that despite widespread complaints about economic challenges, many Nigerians continue to make significant investments.
He said: “My message to Nigerians is: don’t allow hunger and hardship to take away your marriage. Let God be your foundation. When you have God, things will fall into place.
“You see people building houses, they say there is no money. You see estates springing up, people buying vehicles and travelling abroad. So we must not allow temporary hardship to destroy our homes,” he said.
In her remark, Deaconess Esther Abejide credited the strength of her two-decade marriage to a foundation built on patience, mutual understanding and genuine affection.
Reflecting on the journey, she highlighted the central role of faith and sacrifice in sustaining a lasting union.
“The secret is love and understanding. Couples must understand each other, know what their partner likes and dislikes. With that, the marriage will last.
“With God in the marriage, through prayer and even fasting, it will stand,” she said.
Speaking on balancing life as the spouse of a public office holder with her religious commitments, she described the experience as smooth and fulfilling, noting that her natural disposition has made the transition easier.
“It is easy for me because I love people and I am always happy to be around them, so it has not been difficult to cope,” she said.
Also at the event, Senator Sunday Karimi shared a hopeful outlook on the country’s economic trajectory, urging Nigerians to remain patient as reforms under President Bola Tinubu continue to unfold.
“There is hope. There is a renewed hope. Let me tell you what is happening, we are graduating from an economy that has no direction. When the country starts printing money, it’s a fake country. That was what was happening.
“But Tinubu came and said no. Let’s run a perfect economy. It’s not been easy. But I can promise you, we are moving to the promised land. Our economy is getting better. Don’t mind the borrowing they are talking about. Check the US and their debt. It’s in trillions of dollars but the economy is running well.
“Look at Lagos. Lagos is a shining example of a state that we ought to look up to in Nigeria. That is what Tinubu is doing for us. We need to be patient. Nigeria is getting better. By God’s grace, he is coming back to continue the work he is doing”, he said.
Karimi dismissed opposition coalition efforts, describing the actors as “the same old politicians” with nothing new to offer the country.
The celebration drew a mix of political allies, relatives and close friends, all turning out to mark the couple’s milestone. The occasion was further highlighted by the presentation of an 18-seater bus to the church as part of the festivities.