Renowned Ghanaian travel vlogger and YouTube sensation, Berthold Kobby Winkler Ackon (Wode Maya), has revealed the heartwarming and rather unconventional story of how he met his wife, a tale that began with an arrest and ended in love.

Speaking on PrimeTime with George Quaye on Joy Prime on Thursday, 10 October, Wode Maya took viewers through the surprising turn of events that led him from being detained in Kenya to eventually meeting the woman who would become his partner of six years.

“My first time in Kenya, I was arrested for filming,” he recalled. “So I didn’t want to get arrested again, so what I did was post online asking if there was anyone a filmmaker or YouTuber who could help me move around the country.”

Someone online recommended a fellow content creator, and Wode Maya reached out. However, his initial message went unanswered, and he soon returned to China, where he was based at the time.

“I was in China when she eventually replied to say she had just seen my message but she was no longer in Kenya. She said she was also in China, but would soon be heading back to Africa, specifically Ethiopia.”

Fate would have it that Wode Maya was also travelling to Ethiopia, and he invited her to meet. At first, she declined.

“She said she wasn’t coming, and I was like, suit yourself. Then all of a sudden she messaged saying, ‘Okay, I’m coming.’ But when I didn’t sound too excited, she asked why I wasn’t happy.”

“I told her where I was staying and said she could meet me there. But I changed my mind I decided to go to the airport and surprise her.”

It was at the airport that Wode Maya’s thoughtful gesture sealed their fate.

“I bought a flower… and I think the flower did the magic. And it’s been six years now.”

The Ghanaian content creator has reached a significant milestone on Facebook with approximately 3 million followers, while his YouTube channel now boasts close to 1.85 million subscribers.