Why people love to hate celebrity marriages and relationships [Opinion]

In Nigeria, there is an obsession with marriages crashing; we barely care about cute couples.

Many people are quick to bash a couple who posts lovingly about each other, calling them fake and show-off content creators. An easy example is Twitter influencers Lawrence and Motara, whom people accuse of displaying too much PDA.

Even with couples we admire, we are so quick to turn against them when rumours start to spread. Banky W and Adesua have been the subject of vicious unsubstantiated rumours of infidelity, the couple have ignored these rumours and reaffirmed their love for each other on Instagram.

When we learn that a married couple have separated, we tend to discuss it incessantly, frequently relishing the idea that relationships are fake and that men (or women) are innate philanderers. 

Outside the shores of Nigeria, the situation is pretty much the same. The Little Mermaid star, Halle Bailey, and her boyfriend DDG (it's possible he's now an ex as they have removed each other's pictures from their Instagram pages) were constantly under attack.

Many of her fans and netizens think she is too good for him and they ought to break up. They leave nasty comments whenever DDG posts, and they are always tagging her and telling her to break up with him.

It’s foolhardy to think fans have no say in their idols' relationships. Even if someone is a celebrity, hurtful comments online can affect them too. The negativity may cause strain in their romantic relationship, which could potentially result in a breakup.

The way many people react to celebrity content shows that something is indeed broken in our psyche, especially in regard to relationships. If we have such deeply negative views of relationships, how do we handle our own relationships, and how do we feel about relationships in general? Do people have to be perfect to be in relationships? Do we really believe everyone cheats? Do we think all women are materialistic and after men’s money? How can we have meaningful relationships when we are constantly assuming the worst of others?

Regardless of whether one or both of them were repeatedly unfaithful and dishonest, we should not be so happy and excited when they break up. Instead, we should feel saddened that a couple who professed love for each other failed to keep their vows and promises.

It appears that we feel envious of these relationships since they are both rich, famous and in love. Subsequently, when the relationship dissolves, our envy and jealousy are justified.

No marriage or relationship is perfect; just because people share their relationships with us online doesn’t mean they're perfect. There are good times and bad times. There are fights and romantic moments, but ultimately, many relationships might come to an end; it might be due to irreconcilable differences, toxic behaviour or even infidelity.

It is unnecessary to take pleasure from such situations or to conclude that love is nonexistent because a celebrity couple broke up despite displaying their love publicly. It is unfair to label them as posers and liars. Such a reaction is akin to engaging in witchcraft. Why are you so excited that the marriage didn’t work? You have no idea what goes on in their relationship or marriage, and their decision doesn’t affect you.

Undoubtedly, certain celebrities like Yul Edochie and Judy Austin exploit their relationships to gain attention and chase clout, they should be rightly ignored or their foolhardiness can be condemned.

Some people may argue that since celebrities frequently share information about their personal lives, they are inviting the public to comment and be involved, but can you imagine being subject to that level of scrutiny in your own relationship and marriage? Imagine everyone you know has an opinion about your marriage, and they let you know. You wouldn’t be able to take that, and you would tell them to mind their own business. But how is it acceptable to be so opinionated about celebrities? Imagine people rejoicing when they discover your relationship or marriage is over. How would you feel if it were you?

When a celebrity's relationship actually comes to an end, we should not shame them. This makes it harder for people to leave toxic relationships because of the fear of what people will say and more and more we should learn not to assume we know what truly goes on in a celebrity's relationship or marriage.