by Mary Spiller
December 2, 2023
The couple hosted a five-day long celebration of their union with nearly 1,000 attendees.
Two time WNBA All-Star, Chiney Ogwumike, revealed to The Knot that she and heavyweight boxer Ethansor Akpejiori tied the knot. The pair exchanged vows and participated in a big Nigerian- and Western-themed ceremony over the course of five days starting on Nov. 15 in Houston, Texas.
The husband and wife hosted nearly 1,000 guests at their cultural festivities. They kicked off the ceremonies with a traditional African ceremony with their families. Honoring their Nigerian heritage, Ogwumike and Akpejiori held the ceremony at the Igbo Catholic Community Center.
“Even though we’re both Nigerian, we come from two different cultures within Nigeria. [Ethsanor] is Edo, and I am Igbo,” she said. “These cultures have different nuances when it comes to weddings. It was a beautiful and colorful display of unity in our own authentic way as Nigerians.”
Ogwumike admitted that they chose the venue as an alternative to having the wedding in Nigeria. Houston’s bustling Nigerian community helped them both to feel at home for their dream wedding.
“Because there’s a strong Nigerian community in Houston, the venue served as a symbolic representation of my father’s ancestral house. So, according to tradition, this wedding was open to the public to some degree,” she explained.
Chiney and Ethansor walked down the aisle dressed in beautiful custom African outfits with bold silver and gold jewelry. It was important to maintain the beauty of African clothing for the couple, Ogwumike said, because “African attire is very bright, so the people were the color.”
The five-day long celebration continued on when they surprised all of their loved ones with tickets to see Nigerian singer Burna Boy live in concert.
Ogwumike and Akpejiori told The Knot that their second ceremony was more traditionally Western than their first on Nov. 19. The decor was decorated with white flowers and gold detailing. The couple ended the multi-day event by hosting a farewell brunch for attendees.
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