In today’s “Don’t Give Up On Love Yet” chronicles, we have Sydaiya and Sheriff Oladimeji. After meeting via Instagram DMs, the couple recently had a luxurious wedding in Tanzania, giving even the most cynical dater a sense of hope.
According to Essence, Sheriff, a Nigerian man living in Dubai, took an interest in Sydaiya and decided to send her a DM. As most of us know, a private message on social media from an interested man could lead to places other than a wedding in the Motherland.
Sydaiya, tired of the dating run-around, was in the process of doing manifestation to find Mr. Right.
“Two days later, I got an Instagram DM from this handsome Nigerian man living in Dubai and said, ‘Ok God, ok!’” she said. “I accepted the assignment, and boy was it divine!”
The bride and groom connected in January 2020 in Dubai to celebrate their birthdays together. Of course, a month later, the pandemic shut the world down and kept the two apart for eight months.
They were committed to loving each other, so they researched countries still accepting travelers and settled on Tanzania. In September 2020, they met again and decided then that they should marry.
On June 12, 2021, Sydaiya and Sheriff exchanged vows on a terrace near the Indian Ocean.
The bride and groom had a bilingual and bi-cultural wedding integrating African-American traditions such as jumping the broom, and native drumming to celebrate Sheriff’s Yoruba heritage. Fortunately, about 30 family members were able to make the journey to share the start of this new journey in the couple’s lives together.
“It was a brilliant merger of cultures all in one place,” the bride said. “It was truly stunning.”
A full photo spread of the couple can be found on the Essence website. We wish the couple the best of luck in their marriage.
