The couple was interviewed by BYU-Idaho
Scroll, student news source of Brigham
Young University, Idaho, U.S. where they are
both studying. When Shila Tietjen, a
sophomore studying Spanish education
decided to visit Nigeria, a proposal was the
last thing she expected.
Shila said she and her boyfriend, Olu
Egunjobi, also a sophomore studying
accounting, began dating in February after
they drove to a party together.
Egunjobi said the way they met was a long
story and that it was not planned at all.
After dating for a period of time, Egunjobi
said he wanted to take her to his hometown
in Nigeria.
While in Nigeria, on Sept. 13, 2016, on
Tietjen’s birthday, Egunjobi said he surprised
her by asking her on Olumo Rock to marry
him after they had toured the Kings Palace
and the first church in Nigeria.
"I was totally surprised," Tietjen said. "I had
no idea it would happen that day. Before we
left, I thought he would propose to me on my
birthday because he likes to do exciting and
big things, but then while we were there, I
totally forgot. I even forgot it was my
birthday when I woke up."
Tietjen said she was really excited to go to
Nigeria to meet his family and that they
showed so much love for her.
"They treated me like a princess," she said.
Tietjen said they did not expect the media
attention that they received from the African
news and that it caught them both by
surprise.
"I bet there was someone there who took
pictures of us thinking it was cool and put it
out there, and a lot of newspapers and
websites took it," Egunjobi said. "They didn’t
even know our names. We weren’t expecting
it, I was just there in the living room and I
started receiving calls. We went viral in two
days."
Egunjobi said their relationship had not
always been easy.
"We both had opposition from family and
friends about marrying into a different race
and culture," Tietjen said, "Luckily, though,
our immediate families are both really cool
with it."
Egunjobi said his family has not always been
members of the Church and he converted
when he was 11 years old.
Tietjen said she
comes from a long history of members of the
Church.
"The gospel is really cool," Egunjobi said.
"Without the gospel, I do not see how this
would be happening.
I am from a different
culture, she is from a different culture, and
the gospel is uniting us together."
Tietjen said she encourages people to be
open to different things and to the many
different cultures on campus.
"There’s a lot of cultures on campus," Tietjen
said.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to experience
them we should be willing to open up to
them, because when we are not open, that is
when we have so many problems in the
world."
The two said they have both received some
discouraging remarks from people, but that
their love remains strong.
"If the love is there, the color shouldn’t be a
barrier,” Egunjobi said. “In the end, we are all
human beings."
Tietjen said they both have grown together
through this process, and they look forward
to the eternities that are ahead of them.
"After a week of learning new customs,
traditions and ways of life, I understood Olu
better," Tietjen said.
"I knew for sure that I
wanted to be with him forever, no matter
what forever would consist of. On the Rock, I
had no doubts.
I will take my children and
grandchildren there to show them how two
opposite people with lots of opposition
decided to make the climb, face the heights
and then stand at the top, strong and firm in
their love and dedication."
Source: The Scroll-Idaho
0 comments: