December 2020, coming off one of what seemed like endless lockdowns, we’d been given the “freedom to move” by the powers that be. Being jingle bell season and having no plans, my guy Jude suggested coming over to Dublin as they were having a Christmas get-together. I accepted the invite. (Lesson No 1: Accept invites when you have no solid plans) Getting to Dublin, I learnt courtesy of Kene (Jude’s friend and housemate at the time), girls would be joining us. Out of curiosity, I asked about the girls coming and all I can remember (Yes! selective amnesia) is Kene’s brother - Susu saying: "One of Kene friend dey come, Anita. If you see her…. chaii, anyways you go see when she come”. It’s Christmas Eve, and Kene’s friends join us (including “the Anita”), I fact-checked what Susu said and found...no lies. Then Kene, Anita and I all getting to know each other and for some reason talk of we get into a discussion on Afrobeat and African music and how naija currently dominates in this regard. The details of how we got to Anita saying Davido’s shirt can sponsor one Cameroonian music video now escape me (Damn this selective amnesia again!) PS: By this time, she did not know I am Cameroonian and the whole time Kene is desperately signalling to her to hush 😂 Long story short, she later copped on it and boy was she embarrassed! I made light of it, it was Christmas season, forgive and forget, life is short to beef a girl you just met, who could even end up being…. (Lesson No 2: Don’t take offence. You never know.) We had a good Christmas party, my guy Susu set Anita and I up for a karaoke duet (Simi and Ladipoe’s “Know You”). To date I don’t know his intentions for this but safe to say he played his part in setting the ball rolling for where we are today lol. The Karaoke went all right. Could have been better if one of us could sing to save her life. From there we had a chance for “small talk,” and in the end I got her IG handle (not from her anyways but story for another day/audience). (Lesson No 3: Accept Karaoke challenges)

Christmas party over, new year resolutions made, January 2021. I put up IG story, as per first update for 2021 and first comment “Fine boy 😉”. While the other main character in this story will challenge this part of the story “to court,” I have my proof and I save it for when necessary lol. In any case, she’d beat me to it, and I picked up the DMs from there. And what ensued were months of morning check-ins, “how’s the day going” and hoping to be the last to tell her good night. (Lesson No 4: Slide into DMs by any means possible?) I mentioned new year resolutions above and I had resolved for 2021 to “be in the streets”. No solid commitments, just for an enjoyable time and not a long time. Had no idea what was coming my way after that Christmas party in Dublin. From 3hr back and forth journeys to Dublin every two weeks, to hours of daily (video) calls and dates every now and then, I had broken my resolution before January ended, and happily so. (Lesson No 5: Break some (New Year) Resolutions). We had grown to a point where we thought it’d be wise to let our parents know especially given the fact that we’re from different countries. We’d prayed about it and “strategised” on how to go about it. After a series of calls and assurances that we knew each other to a decent level, our parents trusted us to do right by ourselves. This part was key for us I believe because after this we felt a huge relief knowing our parents had given their “blessing.” In 2022, I thought hard a long, not because of the God-sent lady Etin-osa is - that was an easy decision. The hard thought was if I was ready for the road ahead and the commitment. But then again, she being everything I ever prayed for, longed for, and planned for, I was completely sold! In the same year I proposed and took my parents to Nigeria to meet Etin-osa's for an introduction which went very well and both families on board, we arranged for a traditional wedding which took place May 2023 in Ibadan. (Lesson No 6: Pray Ahead) It’s 2023, and we’re planning what is part 2 of our wedding in Ireland. Typing this story this Saturday, I look back over the last 2.5 years of knowing Etin-osa and I say truly ever since she came into my life, things have only gotten better. She’s brought so much clarity to my life than I could have ever imagined, we’ve achieved things together in this time which I could only remotely consider. Every experience, good or not-so-good has been worth it and has been a learning experience. Etin-osa is simply an angel, she’s my baby girl for life…and MY WOMAN MY EVERYTHING #MWME #TheLeetExperience23

It was the eve of Christmas in the year 2020 and I did not have any thing planned for Christmas, all I knew at the time was that I did not want to spend Christmas alone😊. In previous years I would have gone over to my aunt’s house for Christmas but that year my cousins travelled to Nigeria for Christmas and my aunt was spending Christmas with her friends. I thus decided to go over to Kene’s for Christmas with with my friend Dawo. We arrived Kene’s house late in the evening and upon my arrival I noticed this dark-skinned guy in the sitting room going out of his way not to pay attention to the hot girls that just came into the room. We exchanged pleasantries nonetheless and I went about my business of the evening. On Christmas Day Susu (Kene’s older brother) had a party and invited his friends over. This party had a karaoke session and myself and Bertrand were paired up to sing “know you” by Simi and Ladipoe and that is how it all began from that day till date Bertrand has made it his life vision and mission to “know me” 🤣🤣🤣. At the end of the karaoke session the karaoke moderators wanted us to kiss 🤣🤣🤣Bertrand was ready but there was no chance on earth I was going to kiss someone I just met 🤣 To "appease" him, I jokingly promised Bertrand that I was going to come with him to limerick. I left Kene’s house on the 26th and when I was leaving Bertrand was surprised because he thought I was serious when I said I was going to go to limerick with him (Bombastic side-eye ft Yimu!) 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 On the 31st of December 2020 (New Year's Eve), he posted a picture on his IG story, and I commented “fine boy” and that’s how we started chatting and since the 31st of December 2020 we have had no days off 💃🎉 Okay I’ll give more details 🤣🤣Bertrand got my IG handle from another guy who was bold enough to ask me for my IG handle at the party and added me up on IG (Low-spirit guy!). We started talking actively on the 1st of January 2021 and since then we have spoken every day. It was easy to fall for Bertrand because he was very intentional about our relationship. He was giving 200% at some point when I was too lazy to give as much as 50% to the relationship (Because a girl must shakara and why not more lol!). I always wanted to marry a highly intelligent and intentional man and God answered my prayers when he sent Bertrand my way. I am getting married to the most intelligent man I have ever met. Bert is my Angel sent from heaven 😊He is my reward for being a good girl 🤣 I look forward to doing life with him, to starting and raising a beautiful and amazing family, radiating excellence and God's love and abundance. #TheLeetExperience23