The couple got married, turning a new chapter in their beautiful love story, on Saturday at Dalemo community in Lagos State.

PREMIUM TIMES reporter Yakubu Mohammed has married Nafisat Brown Cisse, more than a decade after they first met on Facebook.

The couple got married, turning a new chapter in their beautiful love story, on Saturday at Dalemo community in Lagos State.

Mr Mohammed told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that he met Ms Cisse in 2014 and that their friendship grew over the years before they decided to get married.

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He was accompanied into the hall, the venue of the event, by a group of friends and, on arrival, knelt to greet the bride's parents, his own parents and Islamic clerics at the ceremony.

Mr Mohammed, who is a native of Niger State, said that their shared love for Prophet Muhammad was one of the things that brought them together.

"It was truly a beautiful and happy moment for me. Alhamdulillah! I thank God that we witnessed today alive and healthy," he said.

He described Ms Cisse as beautiful and noted that their long friendship gave them enough time to understand each other.

"We have been friends for more than a decade and a lot has changed in those years, defining and shaping our perceptions. But in those years, her personality continues to align with what I look forward to in a woman," he said.

Dressed in a white kaftan and turban, Mr Mohammed explained that he understood that marriage would come with both good and difficult moments.

He stressed that open communication and taking responsibility would be important in building their home.

"I look forward to a home where peace comes with nearly zero chaos," he said.

The bride, who hails from Ogun State, dressed in white and covered with a white veil, was accompanied into the hall by her friends, who danced as they led her in.

Ms Cisse, a Guidance and Counselling graduate from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, knelt to greet her parents and other family members before greeting the groom's parents and the Islamic clerics.

The clerics offered prayers and messages to the couple as they began their life together.

They spoke about the importance of marriage in Islam, thanksgiving and the responsibilities that come with being husband and wife.

The couple later exchanged rings, smiling as they celebrated the occasion with their families and friends.

For Ms Cisse, who is a business owner and a professional counsellor, becoming Mr Mohammed's wife was a moment of fulfilment.

"I finally feel complete; I feel like I'm able to complete a missing piece of me," she said.

She described Mr Mohammed as gentle and loving, saying that her impression of him had remained the same over the years.

Ms Cisse, 26, said she became certain that he was the person she wanted to spend her life with after they came back from a hiatus in their relationship journey.

"Yes, that was the moment we had a comeback. I just knew he was the one and I'm ready to give it my all," she said.

She said she hoped they would build a strong marriage and a family that would inspire others.

"I want to build an unbreakable bond with him and I want to build a lovely and lovable family that will serve as a role model to people," she said.

Ms Cisse loves listening to Diwani and she derives joy in travelling.

Mr Mohammed, 31, is a Nupe native from Niger State.

The young journalist specialises in conflict and accountability reporting, covering issues around banditry, terrorism, environment and corruption in the public sector.

Before joining PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Mohammed had worked with WikkiTimes as a news editor. He started his career with The Guardian newspaper in Lagos, before joining the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), from where he moved to WikkiTimes.

With more than six years of experience, Mr Mohammed has authored several investigations that sparked public discourse and had an impact on local communities.

Since joining PREMIUM TIMES, he has produced consequential reports on humanitarian crisis, terrorism financing, cross-border terrorism, illegal mining and accountability reporting that have held government parastatals, including security agencies, accountable.

He was among the 12 journalists across the world shortlisted for the 2025 Thomson Foundation Young Journalist Award.

He also emerged as runner-up in the prestigious Diamond Award for Media Excellence (DAME) in 2025. That same year, he won two fellowships, including the MFWA Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Fellowship and HumAngle Fellowship for Missing Persons in Conflict.

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