050: A Domestic Partnership From Hell -W/ Shella Ngum (Part 1)

According to Wikipedia, a Domestic Partnership is a legal relationship between two individuals who live together and share a common domestic life but are not married (to each other or to anyone else). There is still some confusion with this definition because it is recognized as a “legal” union only in a few countries, especially in Africa.    We have heard of so many horror stories in our community, of couples living and procreating together for decades, but never make it a priority to legalize their union. Then when one person dies or if they separate one person - usually the woman - is not recognized as the spouse and is treated very badly by the breadwinner’s family. Usually, the law cannot intervene in most cases because the union wasn’t considered legal and spousal recognition cannot be claimed. Though strides have been made in some countries like South Africa, much more work needs to be done.   Domestic partnerships are not as common in this generation (Millennials, Gen Z, Gen Alpha) as it is in the prior generations, especially for those residing in the diaspora. Shella’s story, though, is one for the books as she found herself in an 11-year old domestic partnership from hell. Her story isn’t only chilling but can be used as a lesson for so many people looking to get into relationships. In this last episode of Season 1, it is our greatest hope that you can learn at least one lesson or more from Shella’s experience.    Meet Our Guest: Shella Ngum is an entrepreneur, Woman in Tech, and a mom. Guest Contact: [email protected] or IG: @ambitious_shella Things You Will Learn in This Episode:  [00:01 – 03:00] Introduction Introducing our guest - Shella Ngum [03:00 – 55:00] Shella Shares Her Story Her upbringing in Cameroon Coming to America Experiencing a new culture in America Meeting her partner and starting a partnership with him Ignoring the red flags I saw daily [55:00 – 1:12:44] Shella Shares Her Story Meeting his family The fathers' obsession with me Agreeing to marry my partner The ten years of hell I went through No collection of memories during our relationship The story continues in Episode 51 LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you! Connect with Living African Podcast You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, or send us an email at [email protected]. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).