The secret love life of Tonto Dikeh and Churchill

By Nehru Odeh

“Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments; love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.” – William Shakespeare

Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh and her ex, Churchill Olakunle, are inextricably tied in a hot romance, willy-nilly. They might not be an item in the public space, but behind the scenes, beyond the glitz, glamour and spectacle, and despite social expectations — when the world might have turned its gaze away — they still roll together.

And they are in for the long haul, because they are going to be neck-deep in a rollercoaster relationship till death do them part, as the nuptial cliché goes.

Recent happenings between the couple point to that fact. One was when Nigerians woke up to the trending news that Tonto had reconciled with her ex. Another was when they came together to celebrate their son, King Andre’s 10th birthday.

That singular act shows they are already stuck with each other. However, what turned heads, inspired tales about a possible reunion and sent shockwaves was when they hugged each other tightly, as well as the effusion of prayers that Tonto poured on Churchill during the birthday ceremony. At the moment, they were the talk of the town.

Still, that premise does not sit well with many. They believe that not only has their erstwhile relationship hit the rocks, it has seen better days and is already dated, if the war of words that followed the strain in that affair and the subsequent divorce is anything to go by.

The brouhaha that ensued after the collapse of their marriage is still fresh in the minds of Nigerians, with Tonto — who felt scorned, abused and conned — throwing tantrums and revealing all kinds of unprintable things about Churchill.

One of the revelations Tonto made about her ex, which has stuck in the public memory, was when she famously referred to him as “a one-minute man” in a high-profile, tell-all interview after their separation. The internet, they say, never forgets; and that allegation, which has become fodder for gossip for many, remains in the public space.

Many believe that is enough to nail the coffin shut and put an end to any speculation about the chance of their coming together again and rekindling their relationship. But the question many are asking is: how did the romance between the two former lovebirds, which once blazed like a full Nollywood premiere night — dramatic, dazzling and impossible to ignore — crash?

Their union was a meeting written for the spotlight. They seemed to complete each other. Tonto was the fearless screen queen — bold, outspoken and unpredictable. Churchill was the suave businessman, measured and charismatic, with a quiet confidence that did not need headlines to announce itself. When their worlds collided, it felt less like coincidence and more like a well-scripted scene from one of Tonto’s blockbuster films.

Friends said their chemistry was immediate. Tonto, known for her fiery independence, found in Churchill a calming presence. Churchill, often reserved, seemed energised by Tonto’s vibrant spirit. Together, they were a study in contrasts — fire and poise, sparkle and steel.

But the fire their romance ignited had a short lifespan. No sooner had the relationship yielded a son than the bubble burst and the union crashed. Then came the flurry of accusations and counter-accusations, which now give the lie to any chance of reunion.

Still, many have been citing Okafor’s Law, saying that once a river has been crossed, it can always be crossed again and again, as the reason why a reunion should not be completely ruled out, and that their hearts may still throb for each other.

However, beyond the inevitability of Okafor’s Law, beyond the possibility of a river being crossed again once it has been crossed, the couple are indeed in a secret relationship which the public has not paid attention to.

That secret love affair, which seems recondite to many, is buoyed and fuelled by the fact that they both have a son, King Andre, whose 10th birthday they celebrated with fanfare. The couple know that since they have King Andre, they are inextricably tied together till death do them part.

King Andre is not just a son whom they both cherish; he is a metaphor for their secret love affair. As long as they live, they must love each other for the sake of King Andre. That explains why they reconciled their differences and let go of the past.

That also explains why they came together, to the consternation of many, to celebrate his 10th birthday. It explains why Tonto said, while praying for Churchill at King Andre’s birthday party, that she loves him with the love of God. What kind of love do Nigerians want her to show Churchill? Is it the love of the devil? That was the reason for that famous hug which Nigerians have turned into a topic of discourse.

That hug is also a metaphor for the secret love they have for each other. It represents the role King Andre plays in their lives. Whether they like it or not, they are inextricably tied together. And they know, as W. H. Auden, the British-American poet, wrote in “September 1, 1939”, his famous poem written at the outbreak of the Second World War, that “we must love one another or die.”

King Andre is their greatest collaboration. Theirs is no longer a love story in the traditional sense — at least not in the way the public expects. The romance may have ended, but the connection has not vanished. It continues to be reignited and rekindled, not by the prosecution of Okafor’s love, but by the fact that they are inextricably bound together through their son.

And at the heart of that lingering warmth is one very important person: their son, King Andre Churchill. For Tonto and Churchill, their bond did not just produce headlines; it produced a child. And that changes everything.

There is also the undeniable truth that you do not completely erase someone who once meant everything to you. Love can transform without disappearing. It can shift from passion to partnership in parenting.

King Andre is not just the king at the centre; he is the bridge. No matter how separate their lives become, they are permanently connected through him. At this moment, their affection is intentional, no matter what anybody might say about it, no matter whose ox is gored.

Not that they cannot do without each other romantically — but that they cannot undo the family they created. Because at the centre of it all stands a ten-year-old king, reminding them both that some bonds are forever — just in a different form. And maybe that is the real headline now.