Nigerian singer Johnny Drille has revealed that he met his wife, Rima Tahini, while signed to Don Jazzy’s Mavin Records and secretly dated her for about five years before their relationship became public in 2023.
The singer said his relationship with Tahini began in late 2018 and that they had already married by the time fans and the wider public learnt about their romance.
Drille made the disclosure during a recent interview while reflecting on his relationship and how he managed to keep such a significant part of his personal life away from public attention.
He credited Mavin Records and its founder, music executive Don Jazzy, with playing a role in bringing him and his wife together.
“We started dating in November/December 2018, and the rest of the world got to know in July 2023. And that’s probably five years after, and by then, we had already gotten married. It wasn’t easy keeping it under wraps, but I am grateful,” he said.
Drille specifically acknowledged Don Jazzy’s role in the relationship, saying the music executive introduced him to the woman who became his wife.
“Don Jazzy gave me my wife. We were dating lowkey for five years at Mavin Records, and nobody knew,” the singer said.
The couple later welcomed their first child, a daughter, in December 2023. Following the birth, Drille expressed his commitment to protecting and nurturing their child while also praising his wife for her strength and resilience.
Before Drille’s marriage became public, some fans had speculated that the singer was romantically involved with actress Tomi Ojo, who played Rahila in the Netflix series ‘Far From Home’. The speculation was fuelled partly by Drille’s decision to feature Ojo in one of his music videos, where the two portrayed a romantic relationship.
An exchange between Drille and Ojo on social media in 2019 also attracted attention from fans. Drille had shared a photograph of himself with the caption “Future Dad!”, to which Ojo responded with a reference to being the mother of his children. Drille’s response further fuelled speculation at the time.
