Thread: Joseph Yobo marries ex-beauty queen, Adaeze Igwe

By Audu Onoja, Correspondent, Jos

Super Eagles Vice Captain, Joseph Yobo, on New Year day, got married to former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), Adaeze Igwe, at the Evangelical Bible Outreach Ministries International (EBOMI) Prayer City, Jos, Plateau State.


Yobo, who flew into the country for the low-key wedding, took many by surprise, as most of the guests at the Exodus Night Meeting at the EBOMI Prayer City were not aware of his presence at the gathering.


General Overseer of EBOMI Prayer City, Prophet Isah El Buba, while officiating at the early morning wedding, which was witnessed by Governor Jonah Jang and top government officials, described Yobo and his wife as new born again Christians who gave their lives to Jesus Christ during their recent encounter with him in London.


According to him, the solemnisation of the wedding became necessary as the duo have left their past behind and embraced God, urging them to always remember God first in all they do.


He described marriage as something ordained by God, and as such, whoever finds a wife has found a good thing in the sight of the Lord.


Buba called on the couple to take marriage with all the seriousness it deserves, insisting that marriage is a glorious thing that calls for tolerance from each spouse.


He told Yobo that since he is going to lead his colleagues to South Africa this year for the World Cup tournament, and for the African Cup of Nations in Angola, his wedding has prepared him to go for these two football fiestas with God’s anointed golden legs.


In the same vein, Governor Jang, who is an ordained minister at the EBOMI Prayer City, told the couple to show love to each other.


Jang advised Yobo to remain steadfast in the Lord with his wife since there are trials in marriage, but assured him that God will see them through.


The couple exchanged vows at 3.30 a.m. on January 1 at the prayer meeting amid cheers from well-wishers and relations, who stormed Jos for the wedding despite the timing.


The couple had private reception in their hotel room immediately after the wedding.


Attempts to speak with Yobo proved abortive as he refused to speak with journalists over his choice of Jos for the wedding.


Yobo, born September 6, 1980 in Kano, but grew up in Port Harcourt, is a Super Eagles defender currently playing with the English Premier League (EPL) club Everton.


He is the younger brother of former Nigeria international Albert Yobo.


Yobo left Nigeria for Belgium to join Standard Liège in 1998. He made his first team appearance in 2000, and went on to appear 46 times for the Jupiler League club. In 2001, he was bought by French club, Olympique Marseille. Soon after making his debut, Yobo was loaned to CD Tenerife in Spain. After nine months Yobo retuned to Marseille, before joining English club Everton, again on loan, in July 2002. A £1million fee was required to register the player, and he became the first signing of new manager David Moyes. An option to make the move permanent was taken up and completed in 2003 after a dispute between Yobo and Marseille was settled, with Everton agreeing a fixed additional fee of £4 million.


Yobo became one of the most consistent players in the Everton squad, and was one of only seven players in the entire league to play every minute of every game throughout the 2006/2007 Premier League season.


The delay, in 2006, in signing a new contract with Everton led to rumours of a move to Arsenal, but on July 22, Yobo committed himself to Goodison Park until 2010. As of 15 April 2007 Yobo is the record appearance holder for an overseas player at Everton.


In 2007, he set up the Joseph Yobo Charity Foundation, to help under-privileged children in Nigeria. As of July 18, 2007 he has handed out over 300 scholarship awards ranging from primary to university level. Yobo has started a football academy in the Ogoni region of Nigeria. He also runs football camps in Lagos, in conjunction with Everton Lagos F.C.


Igwe was a student at the University of Abuja, before she became Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. She pursued her childhood dream by representing Anambra in the pageant with 29 other girls.


Apart from winning N5 million, a Hyundai car and endorsement deals, Anambra-born Igwe represented Nigeria at Miss World 2008 in South Africa. She made the top 20 in Miss World Talent, and placed second in Miss World Sports.


During her reign, Igwe established her own charity, The Adaeze Igwe Foundation, an organisation, which promotes AIDS and breast cancer awareness and raises funds towards similar causes, including malaria and tuberculosis.


She was quoted to have said of her relationship with Yobo: “We are in a relationship and it is not one of those frivolous ones. It is a serious one that my mum even knows about. This is for real.”


She is currently attending the New York Film Academy and was at Vivian Fowler Memorial College before the University of Abuja, which she did not return to after she won the MBGN crown.


News -- Joseph Yobo marries former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN), Adaeze Igwe, in Jos