The Married At First Sight Experts Are Failing This Season 18 Couple (Their Clashing Personalities Are Tearing Them Apart)
Married At First Sight season 18 has been criticized for its abysmal pairings, with nearly all five couples hanging by a thread. After MAFS’s declining success in recent seasons, the relationship experts are shouldering much of the blame for their matchmaking. The blatant mismatches have triggered accusations of producer interference that sabotaged the couples before their marriages began. A recent clash between Ikechi Ojoré and Emem Obot exemplifies just how poorly the experts’ matches have turned out.
Ikechi and Emem initially seemed to be the silver lining of MAFS season 18. They are both passionate and driven, Emem in her medical profession and Ikechi as an artist. Ikechi and Emem had immediate chemistry and seemed very comfortable with each other. However, their first major argument was catastrophic, proving just how incompatible they really are. A preview of upcoming episodes suggests their marriage will only worsen.
Ikechi Offended Emem By Calling Her Aggressive
Ikechi and Emem’s hot romance started to cool down when they returned from their honeymoon. As they settled into their everyday lives, the differences in their personalities began to emerge. Ikechi is calm and thoughtful, while Emem is more assertive and goes after what she wants. This led to the couple’s first major disagreement after Ikechi was asked to describe Emem. He called her “aggressive,” which immediately struck a negative chord.
Emem was offended by the label, especially as a Black woman. Ikechi didn’t seem to understand the term’s negative connotation and instead insisted he meant Emem was persistent. It’s possible the pair were matched because their differences complimented each other. However, their miscommunication showed how such differences can be disastrous in a marriage.
Ikechi turned Emem’s strongest trait into something shameful. He then didn’t understand why she was upset, and her strong reaction only bolstered his claim. Emem likes to work through conflict until there’s a resolution, while Ikechi becomes defensive and shuts down. The result is small arguments that quickly become serious.
Ikechi And Emem’s Explosive Argument Proves Opposites Don’t Always Attract
After the couple’s first rough patch, an even bigger storm was on the horizon. Emem arrived alone for a meeting with relationship expert Dr. Pia Holec and revealed that she and Ikechi were no longer communicating after a major argument. Emem was confused, while Ikechi arrived already guarded and discouraged.
The couple explained they had a disagreement over their physical boundaries, with Ikechi feeling that Emem had pushed beyond his comfort zone. He again called her “aggressive,” despite knowing the connotation. Pia asked if Emem had “violated” his consent, to which Ikechi agreed. Emem argued that she was receiving “mixed signals.” Ikechi then backed down from his claims, admitting Emem had always respected his boundaries. It was simply her personality that made him uncomfortable.
Ikechi was exhausted from Emem’s constant questions about where their relationship was going. She wanted to connect on a deeper physical level, but Ikechi, who felt their relationship wasn’t at the appropriate place, pushed her away. He felt Emem’s questions were preventing them from getting to know each other organically. It became obvious that Emem and Ikechi have two vastly different approaches to building a relationship. Their inability to resolve the conflict, resorting instead to silent treatment, showed the impossibility of bridging the gap between their personalities.
Ikechi’s MAFS History Suggests His Marriage Was The Result Of Producer Interference
While Ikechi didn’t join the Married At First Sight cast until season 18, it wasn’t for lack of trying. He had applied to be on two prior seasons but claimed the experts were unable to match him. This admission, combined with his tumultuous marriage to Emem, suggests the experts intentionally paired Ikechi with somebody whose personality was incompatible with his. After turning him down twice, it’s incomprehensible that they finally chose somebody like Emem, whose core characteristics are offensive to Ikechi.
Ikechi seems to view Emem’s straightforward nature as threatening. He’s quick to label her and, after deciding she’s aggressive, views her efforts to further their relationship as a violation. This puts Emem in an impossible situation, where she can’t work on her marriage without being viewed in a negative light.
The Married At First Sight experts knew what they were doing when they paired Ikechi and Emem. They purposely matched two conflicting personalities with the knowledge that the ensuing drama would make for good television. The experts deprived both Ikechi and Emem of the opportunity to find a compatible spouse, instead pushing them into a doomed relationship that can only end badly.
