My first reaction to the news of John Mensah’s wife filing for a divorce was “Oyi wa! I said it!” Not to say in the least that I have been praying and waiting for their divorce, but just to confirm my doubts about how the couple met each other and got married.

During Season 1 of Ama K Abebresse’s “A Day in the Life” on Via Sat 1, one particular episode featured John Mensah. A glance through any footballer’s life for a day is really like a dream that is almost impossible. But yes, these footballers have all the glitz and glamour to be called celebrities.

For John Mensah, I remember his mansion at Trassaco, the fleet of cars he owns including the unforgettable Yellow hammer that was parked outside his gate. In that car he gave Ama K Abebresse a ride to his church to meet his pastor.

In a conversation between Ama K Abebresse and John Mensah’s pastor, the man of God revealed to us that, John returned home one time from abroad and he called him up for a meeting.

During the meeting, the pastor told John Mensah that he was ripe for marriage and that he needed to settle down. However, because he knew what was best for John, he had looked around for a wonderful woman that would suit John perfectly. He arranged a meeting between the two, one thing led to another and the two got married.

My first reaction at this point was, “like seriously?”

Arranged marriage in the 21^st century? What happened to friendship, dating and courtship? For me, I doubted from that day if there was any real relationship between the two. I found it unbelievable, that John with all his escapades around the world and all over Ghana could not find someone to settle down with and had to resort to a choice made by his pastor, to a woman he knew nothing about.

A lot of people may not consider these little things but they really contribute to the success of marriages to a huge extent. Friendship, dating and courtship are avenues people get to really know each other and build a strong foundation so that the two parties involved would be able to stand each other at least when shortcomings and misunderstandings spring up their ugly heads.

Arranged marriages should really be a thing of the past and please to the ladies out there, money does not always equate happiness. Marry for love, companionship, and with the hope that if the other party is stripped off his money, charm and name, your love will be enough to sustain the relationship.

But to John Mensah and his wife, we wish them all the best and hope they make the right decision.