LAGOS: Tolu’s love story with Olumide Ijogun started like something out of a feel-good Nollywood film. The two met while attending Greensprings School in Lagos. What began as a teenage friendship soon blossomed into romance, and by November 2012, they decided to make it official.
Their traditional engagement and white wedding took place at the Fountain of Life Church in Ilupeju, Lagos. The ceremony was a grand affair attended by dignitaries, friends, family, and church members. The reception, held at The Haven Event Centre, GRA Ikeja, was equally glamorous.
Tolu dazzled in a lace Pronovias wedding gown for the service and later changed into a stunning Deola Sagoe dress for the reception a picture-perfect celebration that seemed to mark the start of a lifelong union
After marriage, Tolu and Olumide welcomed three beautiful children. Their first daughter was born in the United States in September 2013, followed by another daughter in July 2018, and a son in June 2020.
On social media, Tolu often shared moments of family joy birthdays, vacations, and ministry life creating an image of a loving Christian home where faith and family thrived hand in hand.
Beyond her family life, Tolu became known for her bold and practical teachings on marriage. She regularly addressed topics like forgiveness, humility, and intimacy in relationships.
One of her well-known statements compared sex in marriage to a form of currency, emphasizing the importance of maintaining closeness between couples.
Her ability to blend spiritual principles with everyday realities earned her admiration from many who saw her as a relatable voice for modern Christian relationships.
Despite the outward appearance of stability, cracks had begun to show beneath the surface. On October 3, 2025, Tolu publicly confirmed that her marriage had ended.
She described the separation as one of the most painful experiences of her life a kind of death, as she put it.
The heartbreak was compounded by a series of devastating family losses between 2021 and 2023: her stepmother, her father’s twin sister, and eventually, her father, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya.
Tolu made it clear that her separation was not driven by scandal or resentment. Sometimes, she explained, two people can be good, but not good together.
She also described Olumide as a good man, expressing respect and gratitude even as they went their separate ways.
In the aftermath, Tolu has found strength in her faith and her calling. She admitted that there were moments she felt unworthy to continue ministering but came to see her struggles as part of her testimony.
With the support of her siblings and the memory of her father’s encouragement, she has continued to serve and inspire others. For her, vulnerability is not weakness it is proof that grace can sustain even the most broken hearts.
Tolu’s story strikes a deep chord with many Nigerians. It reminds the public that no marriage not even one built on faith and love is immune to challenges.
Her openness about separation and grief has been both shocking and refreshing in a society where many prefer silence on such personal matters.
For younger Nigerians, especially women in ministry, her experience highlights the realities of balancing personal pain with public responsibility, and the strength it takes to walk through heartbreak with dignity and grace.
From teenage romance to marriage, motherhood, and ultimately separation, Tolu Odukoya-Ijogun’s journey is a moving story of love, loss, and resilience.
It is a reminder that even when life doesn’t unfold as planned, there can still be healing, growth, and purpose.
Through it all, Tolu continues to demonstrate that faith though tested remains the ultimate anchor.
