When Love Runs Its Course

I was scrolling through my phone the other night, half-watching a Nollywood movie, when a notification popped up that stopped me cold: 2Face Idibia, Nigeria’s music legend, confirming his divorce from Annie Macaulay after 12 years. My heart sank a little, you know? I grew up on “African Queen,” that song that felt like a love letter to every hopeless romantic. To think that the couple who seemed to embody that song was calling it quits—it’s like finding out your favorite love story didn’t get its happy ending. Ever have one of those moments where a celebrity breakup hits you harder than it should?

There’s something raw and human about 2Face’s words on the 234 Mzansi Podcast. “We gave it our best,” he said, his voice carrying that weight of someone who’s tried, really tried, but still came up short. He called Annie an “amazing woman,” but didn’t dive into the why of it all, just left it at that. And I get it. Some things are too private, too heavy to unpack for the world. I think about my friend Temi, who went through a breakup last year. She’d sit on my couch, cup of tea in hand, and say, “We loved each other, but sometimes love isn’t enough.” That’s what I hear in 2Face’s voice—resignation, but also respect for what was.

Their story wasn’t picture-perfect, not by a long shot. The rumors, the headlines—infidelity, family drama, that public spat in 2021 when Annie called him out on social media. It was messy, human, real. I remember seeing clips from Young, Famous & African, where Annie opened up about her miscarriage and the strain of 2Face’s other relationships. She didn’t hold back, and it made me admire her for her honesty, even if it was raw and unfiltered. Blended families are tough—my cousin’s been navigating that for years, trying to keep peace between kids and exes and new beginnings. It’s a lot. And for 2Face and Annie, with his seven kids from three women, it must’ve been a constant tightrope walk.

But here’s the thing that sticks with me: they tried. Twelve years, two daughters, a star-studded wedding in Dubai that had Nigeria buzzing back in 2013. They had their moments—those Instagram posts where they looked happy, like when they’d show up at charity events together, all smiles. I can’t help but wonder what it’s like to love someone so publicly, to have your highs and lows dissected by strangers. You ever think about how fame amplifies everything? A fight that might’ve been a quiet argument for us becomes a headline for them. And now, with 2Face moving on to a new relationship with Natasha Osawaru, the internet’s got opinions—some calling him a “serial cheat,” others saying Annie deserves better.

I don’t know the whole story. Nobody does, except them. But I keep coming back to what 2Face said about not staying in an unhappy union just because society expects it. It’s brave, in a way, to admit when something’s not working, to let go even when it hurts. My neighbor, a divorcee herself, told me once that leaving her marriage felt like failing, but staying would’ve been worse. “You can’t force what’s broken,” she said, and I hear that echoing in 2Face and Annie’s story.

So, where does this leave us? Two people who loved each other, who gave it their all, but couldn’t make it last. Annie’s back to using her maiden name, Macaulay, stepping into her own light at the Headies Awards, vibrant in lemon-green, calling herself a single lady. 2Face is promising a press conference to share his side, but I wonder if we’ll ever really know the heart of it. Maybe it’s not about knowing. Maybe it’s about respecting that love, like life, doesn’t always follow the script. What do you do when love runs its course? Do you hold on, or do you let go and wish them well?