Kanu Nwankwo’s Wife, Amara opens up about Facing Criticism, Why she got Married at 18, Dealing with the Fame & More in Rare Interview

Amara Nwankwo, Kanu Nwankwo’s wife will be turning 30 in a couple of days and the couple will also be celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary in June.

In this rare interview with Punch Spice, the mother of three opens up about how it was for her getting married as a teenager, dealing with the negativity that comes with fame, handling the pressures of her husbands job and more.

See excerpts below:

On getting married at 18 and coping: Marriage is a growth process and I learn on a daily basis. I got married as a teenager. I was young. I think I jumped into the deep end and I simply went with it. It takes a lot of determination to keep things going because irrespective of your age, marriage throws a lot of curves at you. The main thing is being able to bounce back after being hit with a surprise or what you do not expect.

On having any doubts about her marriage: I wasn’t scared; I felt it like it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was in love, so there was no time for a negative feeling like fear to come up. I think the love I had and still have for my husband was all I needed to feel comfortable and good.

On being married to a popular personality: When I was getting married, I was not ready to be thrust into the limelight. I didn’t even know what I was getting into. I wasn’t a football fan and I knew nothing about the Premiership. I didn’t know I was getting married into that level of limelight as I was young, vibrant and in love. I am now a football fan.

On keeping her privacy: If you notice, this interview is one of the very few I have granted in recent times. I try to keep my sanity, so that I can protect my family. I had to make a personal decision to stay private for a very long time in order to build what I have built for myself and my children. I understood this from a very young age.

On if she’ll let her daughter get married at such a young age: Having gone through it myself, I wouldn’t say I would like her to do the same. I would like her to experience life slightly a bit more than I did. But it all depends on the circumstances and the persons involved. I had support from my mum, dad and siblings. In hindsight, I can say that they actually did a good job. In June, we would celebrate the 12th anniversary of our wedding.

On handling criticism: I ignored critics and paid no attention to what people said. I overlooked Facebook and I only signed on to the platform in July 2011. That was shortly after I earned a degree in Architecture.

On motherhood: Motherhood is the best thing that has ever happened to me. In terms of motherhood, women empowerment and business sense, Beyonce inspires me. My children will always be my priority and I give God the most gratitude for blessing me with children. If I invest my time in them, they will give me more value at the end of the day.

For more from her interview pick up a copy of Sunday Punch.