For Ruth Kadiri, privacy was not a publicity strategy. It was a way to protect a relationship she was still learning to trust.
Nollywood actress and producer Ruth Kadiri has explained why she deliberately kept her marriage and family life away from the public spotlight.
Speaking on a recent episode of the Dear Ife podcast, Kadiri said she entered marriage with significant fears about whether the relationship would work.
The actress revealed that she had what she described as a “phobia of marriage” and was worried about the uncertainty that came with making such a major commitment.
Why She Chose a Private Wedding
Kadiri said those concerns influenced her decision not to make her marriage a public affair.
Rather than invite a large crowd or expose the relationship to unnecessary attention, she and her husband agreed to have an intimate ceremony.
Their guest list was limited to just 50 people.
- Her husband selected 25 guests.
- Kadiri selected the other 25.
She said her husband fully supported the decision to keep the occasion small and private.
‘I Didn’t Want a Lot of Drama’
Kadiri explained that she also wanted to avoid the pressures and potential drama that could come with making her relationship highly visible.
Her approach was simple: build the marriage away from public scrutiny rather than invite outsiders into an uncertain new chapter.
She even joked that, had she been living abroad at the time, she might have opted for an even simpler route — walking into a registry with her partner and getting legally married.
Building a Family Away From the Spotlight
Kadiri and her husband married in a private ceremony in 2018.
They welcomed their first daughter in August 2019, followed by their second daughter in July 2022.
Years after choosing a deliberately quiet beginning, Kadiri’s explanation offers a glimpse into why she has continued to draw a firm line between her career in the public eye and her family life.