Toke Makinwa, a media personality and actress, recently shared her perspective on marriage in a Toke Moments episode, revealing that she has no plans to adopt her partner’s last name when she gets married again.
In her candid discussion, she expressed that her name is not just a label but a brand that she has painstakingly built over time. Toke, who was previously married to fitness instructor Maje Ayida, disclosed that retaining her last name during their marriage eased the process of their divorce, sparing her from the added stress of reverting to her original name.
During her marriage, Toke maintained her identity as Toke Makinwa, though her husband would address her as Mrs. Ayida at home. Reflecting on this, she shared:
“I kept my last name when I got married. It was supposed to be Toke Makinwa-Ayida but it was only at home that he called me Mrs. Ayida.
I hope that whoever I end up with next would actually love it because Toke Makinwa is staying. I don’t want to hyphenate. But my kids can bear their father’s surname.
In my marriage, my bank details, my passport, nothing changed. Imagine what I would have gone through trying to change it back when we got divorced. I have built this brand with my blood, sweat, and tears.”
