His Sight Challenge Fails To Be A Barrier
It was a colourful event on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Trust Inonse married his friend of over a decade, Ebun Bello.
Families, friends, acquaintance, colleagues, well-wishers and curious individuals converged on the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Oko-Oba Residential Scheme 2, off Alexander, Agege where the team later moved to a prestigious event centre at Ekoro Road, Abule-Egba, Lagos.
The 29-year-old radio personality married his 28-year-old fiancée whom he met at the University of Lagos, UNILAG as a final year student.
The wedding was tagged #LovinglyTrustingEbun, a combination of the groom’s and bride’s names.
One unique feature of the wedding is the fact that, Trust is visually impaired, but this challenge never deters him from going after his dream of being well-educated and married a beautiful woman.
He once told his emotionally down woman not to feel despair. In his word,”I can do all that my mates can do. And the wedding to Ebun is a pointer to the fact and every member of his family cannot hide their joy.
For the guests, it was a moment of merry making, food and drinks were never in short supply and the DJ lived up to his expectations.
When it was time to make a speech, Trust held everyone spellbound with his beautifully crafted love poems and promises.
Their dance steps were electrifying and Ebun provided support all the way.
Everyone was dressed elegantly with the men and women in arrays of beautiful colours including shades of emerald green and gold.
Narrating how he met his wife, now Mrs. Inonse, the groom said they met through her sibling.
He told our reporter, “Ebun was rounding up, she was in her 400 level at the University of Lagos. This is one of the funniest stories I tell people. I wanted to introduce her to one of my friends, she was a great person. I thought she was a great person, and I think that let’s be friends, we became friends.
“We became friends, and in my head, I was thinking, she’s in 400 level, and I’m in 100 level, It’s almost impossible for us to have a relationship because …I’m just struggling with my life in school, so I wanted to actually give her to one of my friends who told me then that he needed someone, so we were planning this territory seldom work at Ogun State – territory seldom work, for people who don’t know, it’s where you go to remote areas to preach. I’m a witness. We were going to plan that, and I begged her to come. Why am I begging her? So, I can introduce her to my friend. She agreed, but she didn’t come. I think she said she had a test or exam or something. I cannot honestly remember, but she had something to do, and she couldn’t come. But thank God, she didn’t come because if she had come, probably today wouldn’t have happened, that happened, that didn’t happen and later, we lost touch and we came back, our coming back was actually frustrating before she came to me, she just texted me randomly, like what’s up? How are you doing? Are you doing good? You’re still in school? I want to come see you.
“And that was actually shocking because this is someone who we’ve lost touch for a couple of years, and in my head, I don’t send people like that.
“So, I’m like show up now. She came. She brought some things for me, she brought lemonade. I will never forget lemonade in my entire life, because she brought lemonade for me that day and to be fair that was my first meal for that day. So, it was significant and we’re going to get ice cream right now, and we forgot to pay, when we realised we had not paid, we went back.
“We just started becoming friends little by little, and it got to the point where we were just looking for hours. There’s a screenshot I think she has that we spoke for about 10 to 12 hours, not necessarily speaking, speak, we go and do other things, slept on the call, did everything on the call and in my head I’m sure you don’t want to lose her to someone else that you’re not ready to deal with this babe, she’s all you want. So, just ask, her if she’s willing to move this to the next level, and she gave her honest opinion about it, that was November 14, 2022, and she told me, yes let’s do this, let’s give it a try, and here we are, on August 4, 2023, I proposed and August 28, we married ourselves.”
For Mrs. Inonse, “Trust and I met at the University of Lagos, and we’re both in the same department.”
Trust and Ebun also spoke about how elated they are about each other, their wedding, their attraction, family, friends, and sundry issues.
How do you feel today?
“I feel excited, to be perfectly honest and actually, I think I feel more excited than I thought I would because I think she’s excited so one of my fears planning this was I hope she can get at least, let it be exciting for her and let her see reasons why I want this to happen and I think she was excited except she says she’s not quite but I think she was and that makes me happy.
“I’m glad that everything went well and a little bit of problems but it went well and I’m elated.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
“I’m Trust Inonse, popularly known as TSI and a lot of other aliases.
“I’m 29 years old. I’m blind. Yes, I’m not just visually impaired. Yes, I’m totally blind. I jokingly tell my friends I am legally blind but some people say I’m lying or something but I’m blind and I was born into a really decent family of four, three sisters and me – the only brother that they have that they don’t have a choice than to live with.
“I’m still with my father, my mother and we’re fine. That’s it.
What do you do?
“I do a lot of things. I love to refer to myself as a communication specialist because I do copywriting, I do advertising, communication strategy, and branding. I do media at the same time. I refer to myself as a communication specialist. I’m a copywriter, brand strategist, communication strategist, marketing strategist. I also do Public Relation for companies. I do media buying.
“Presently, I work on radio as an editor. I’m also a content writer. I write, I edit, and I do anything that revolves around communication and strategy.
“I graduated from the University of Lagos, Mass Communication with a 2-1 out of University of Lagos.”
What’s your relationship with MTN?
“MTN sponsored my education in the final year. We have a cordial relationship and we hope to do some other things together. We’re supposed to do something together this year, but unfortunately, that couldn’t happen. We’re hoping to do some other things together and to work together moving forward as in my capacity with MTN.
“MTN and I have a cordial relationship and that’s what it is. It started from 2013, 2014 until now we’ve been cool. We’ve been relating well.”
Were you born blind?
“No, I lost my sight at the age of four, that’s 1999 there about. So, I wasn’t born blind, I lost my sight and that’s what it is.”
What did they say caused it?
“Nobody knows. The doctor, as of then was just suspecting glaucoma. But till date, nobody has certified that it was glaucoma. So, I don’t really care what caused it.”
How did you then move on from that?
“I went to Pacelli School for the Blind & Partially Sighted Children in Surulere and from there, I went to Agbowa Model College, a state school, which is a regular school and my only Special school was the primary school.
“So, for junior secondary I went to Agbowa Model College. From senior secondary, I went to Federal Government College, Ijanaki, Lagos, and for my tertiary institution, I went to the University of Lagos.”
Do you have any challenges like people pitying you, not being able to cope in school?
“So, people pitying me is regular, I get that for the first time. I narrate a story. One of the MCs today, Opeyemi Balogun, one of my really good friends, and a great MC and a great guy is also in the communication space. I remember the first time, because we met at the university. He was my roommate.
“I remember the first time in UNILAG, and he told me that when I was cooking, (because I think I enjoy cooking, anytime I cook. I don’t cook much, but anytime I do, I enjoy it) I was cooking for the rest of my roommates. Some of them are here today and he was, like, quarrelling with them, ‘why do you allow someone who cannot see to cook’ and I just smiled, that’s normal.
“Two days later, this same Opeyemi Balogun, asked me, are you not cooking today? So, I get that at the first, and second time, but after a few meetings, you realise that Trust doesn’t actually need it, I’m good with him. We’re good together and that’s why I see most of my friends who came through today, they see me as them, like, we’re good, at every point, they see us as we’re good.
“So, having challenges with communication, with friendship has never been a challenge. Like, people love Trust Inonse. People love me a lot and I love people, I love them back and it has been quite easy.”
What’s this belief about being blind that people normally express, they doubt that someone is blind when it is obvious that the person is actually impaired? Why is there disbelief?
“It’s simple and I think our culture plays a dominant role and that’s why one of my dream is to actually do a proper Nollywood movie that portrays blind people and disabled people in a better light.
“If you look at most movies that have blind people in them, it’s more or less like, oh! they send them witchcraft from the village, and they got blind, and they cannot do anything for themselves. I watched some movies, and I’ve seen blind people out there behave like they can’t even do nothing for themselves, it’s a disservice because I am here and some other people would watch the movie and think probably for this guy people will have to do everything for him he can’t be independent, he can’t be that, unfortunately, that’s not what blindness is about.
“Now, I won’t sit here and say that there are no people who are like that, that are blind, no, that’s not true. There are people who seem not to exert themselves to get independent, but it is the same as we see people who can do everything, who can see, but they beg on the streets, so it’s the same thing. The same way you see abled people, who are lazy, who are, like just there, that’s the same way some blind people are just there, that’s why I hope and I pray to work towards it. I work with one of the best producers around, best cinematographers around to do a proper movie, and portray blind people as great people.
“We have blind CEOs, there’s a guy who is blind who is an aeronautic engineer, we have blind doctors, so this needs to be portrayed. But unfortunately, they are not and that’s why before, I met the love of my life, there are people who felt like, I can’t date this guy because he’s super dependent. But that’s not the case, it’s a little challenge, but it’s not a major challenge, things can work out. I work basically, I do things, and I’m fine, I get some brands work with me.
“I’ve worked with lots and lots of big brands for their media stuff, media buy-in, media planning and every time it’s like, that’s one of the best works I’ve ever had, talking about strategy, I’m not opposed to it.
“It’s sad that we have a culture that portrays disability as a liability. I’m not saying it can’t be a liability, but it can also be a push for you to do something great. I hope we get to that point where I’ll be in the forefront of, quote and unquote, advocacy, movies and song videos, I’ll just portray disability in a different light from what people know it as.”
Ebun Tells Her Story
How easy is it for you to present him at home and the acceptance from your parents?
“I’ll just give some backstory. Trust and I met at the University of Lagos, and we’re both in the same department and during that time, my sister came around to visit me in school. So, she met him, because we’re just friends then, we’re not dating. But she knew he was my friend and somehow along the line, me and my sister started talking. Later on, when I reintroduced them and let them know that this he is the person I’m dating, to them he was a normal, regular person like everybody else.
“There was nothing particular about his condition. Even when he finally met my other siblings and my mum, you know, my mum used to say one thing, that if Jehovah God, the God we serve accepts him and people in society also accept him, then who is she not to accept him, so, my family never had any hesitation.
“They always supported my choice. They always just told me that as long as I’m very sure that this is what I want to do, they will fully support me. So, it has never been a concern.
“Even with my friends as well, or going out in public, because we go out in public a lot, it’s never an issue. I’m one person that does not really care about what people think, as long as it’s not something that is affecting anybody or harmful to anybody, I don’t care. So, it has not been an issue, and I hope it will not be an issue, of course, as we progress in our relationship.”
Is it because he’s a Witness? If he had been another person, will you still go ahead?
“We have a social media page, and maybe when we are done, I will send you to that page. First of all, yes, being a witness was a criteria for choosing him, but that was not even, maybe that was not the second criteria, maybe that was the first criteria. I’ve always wanted someone who is kind, who’s caring. Of course, I always said I didn’t want to date someone from my own tribe, I wanted to date someone else. He also fits those criteria. He’s tall, he’s light skinned, he’s an Edo boy, he’s a witness, he speaks very well, he’s a smart person, intelligent, and he cares for me.
“There are many checkers, of course, physical and non-physical as well, and I mean nobody is 100% perfect, but then he definitely checked at least 75% of them. So, it’s not just because of religion or faith, there were other things I was also looking at.
Tell us about yourself
“My name is Ebun Inonse, nee Bello. I come from a family of five. I have three younger siblings, two sisters and one brother, and of course my mum.
“My dad is late currently. I’m 28 years old. I’m from Ibadan, Oyo State.
“I’m a social media manager, content creator, and all the other things he said. I do skincare, I do T-shirts, so many other things that I combine together. I studied Mass Communication at the University of Lagos, and I’m currently doing Social Media management, digital marketing and all that.”
Are you of the same set with Trust?
No. Trust cuts-in: So, she doesn’t like me saying this first. But I will say it anyway.
Trust, what qualities can you just pinpoint, attracted you to Ebun?
“Ebun is actually one of the most industrious persons that I encounter. She does like 32 billion things together. So, Ebun is a content creator, social media specialty, she is a digital marketer. She also combines that with skincare consulting, she does skincare consultation for people and she makes T-shirts for people, so I was fascinated, like how do you combine all of these things together, from content creation, that she has like a full-time job on it, plus social media management, digital marketing, you combine that with making T-shirts, you combine that with being a skincare consultant, and you combine all of these things together, and also have time to be kind, she’s a kind fellow.
“I tell people every time that when you want to get married and you want to date people, or you want to be friends with people, it’s not just about how they treat you, you should also be concerned about how they treat others and because at the end of the day, I feel particularly, specifically, I get to the point where the love that people think you share, the feeling you guys think you share begins to wane, and you begin to see yourself as your sibling and that is why you need someone who is kind. Now, someone who is kind will continue to be kind no matter what it is.
“She probably might not have butterflies in her belly in the next two years, three years, but will she continue to be kind? Of course, because that’s her nature and how will I know if it’s her nature? Because she’s kind to other people, not just me. I think she’s caring, and she’s an individual who smells really good. I love smelling her, she smells really good, every time and that does it for me and she’s slim, she’s tall, she’s nice and awesome.
When did you take your marital vows, and where?
“That was on Friday, August 23rd. We took marital vows, and we did the traditional. On Saturday 28, here we are.”
Wedding website – bit.ly/LovinglyTrustingEbun
Couple’s Instagram –https://www.instagram.com/trustingebun?igsh=MW04dzRzeWhzcGRjdA==
Ebun’s skincare consultancy page – https://www.instagram.com/wanshygirl?igsh=cDhxbnBvYjVocGlo
Ebun’s slogan tees page – https://www.instagram.com/justinkittees?igsh=MTJ1aHlvZnA4NGx0cQ==
Ebun’s Twitter – www.twitter.com/wanshygirl
Trust’s Twitter – www.twitter.com/proudlytsi
