The experts onMarried At First Sightare the main reason so many relationships on the show fail, andtheir inability to help Ikechi Ojoré is a perfect example. After several attempts to join, Ikechi was finally selected forMarried At First Sightseason 18. Because he had auditioned for two previous seasons before securing a spot, producers should have questioned whether Ikechi’s interest in the show was driven more by a desire for fame as a reality star, but they still decided to cast him.

Ikechi was paired with Emem Obot, who seemed like a good match for him based on their profiles, but that was far from the truth. Though the couple appeared to get along during the early stages of theMarried At First Sightprocess, it quickly became evidentthat Ikechi and Emem had different expectations of a relationship. Emem wanted a partner who could support her as she navigated life, while Ikechi seemed to be looking for someone he could control, an obvious mismatch the experts should have noticed early on.

jasmine alan cumming

Ikechi Isn’t Perfect But He Was Paired With The Wrong Person

He Was Set Up For Failure

From the moment Ikechi met hiswife Emem, he has been struggling to connect with her on physical and emotional levels. Rather than trying to engage with Emem in a productive way when he’s uncertain or feels boundaries have been crossed,Ikechi’s attitude has pushed him to be non-responsive, dismissive, and ignore Emem’s feelings.

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Ikechi’s actions onMAFSseason 18 have shown that he struggles with being in a relationship with a woman who is successful in her own right and doesn’t rely on him to feel fulfilled. While Emem is seeking a life partner, she leads a high-achieving life and doesn’t base her worth solely on her romantic relationships. Ikechi initially claimed he wanted a spouse who shared his values, buthe didn’t want an independent woman, which is who the experts paired him up with.

Married at First Sight Emem Obot in side by side images smiling

Emem Just Isn’t Ikechi’s Type

The Experts Should Have Known This

The lack of attraction between Ikechi and Emem seems to be at the heart of the problem.There’s no real chemistry or romantic sparkbetween them, and while they seem to be making an effort, it just isn’t enough. If there was any real romantic connection, Ikechi wouldn’t have told his wife that he prefers women with “softer” personalities, which scarred their marriage.

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It’s hard to recover from comments like that, and to make matters worse, Ikechi ignored Emem’s messages as a power move. Since they’re on a reality show, they have to reconnect eventually, but this power dynamic provestheir relationship would never make it in the real world. So many miscommunications there are between these two, along with a clear lack of attraction,proves theMAFSexpertshad no idea what they were doing when they matched Ikechi with Emem.

montage of Ikechi and Emem from married at first sight season 18 looking upset

Are The MAFS Experts Playing With Fire?

They Need To Change Their Ways

While the experts onMAFSoften emphasize their ability to create successful matches, it’s become clear in recent seasons that they’re not always pairing the right people together. This season’s couples are a mixed bag, but most of the pairings made by the experts don’t seem to be working, and it’s unlikely these relationships will improve. In addition to Ikechi and Emem, Michelle and David and Madison and Allen have also faced significant dramadue to how mismatched they are.

The dynamics in each couple have been shifted by the “villains” of the relationship, and while the experts aren’t expected to create perfect matches every time, it’s been obvious from the startthat some couples weren’t a good fit. The season 18 pairings are struggling because they don’t have the right connection, something the experts should address. Ultimately, it seems theMarried At First Sightexperts have dropped the ball this season, and the couples aren’t working out as they might have if more thoughtful matches had been made.

Married at First Sight Season 17 poster

Married At First Sightairs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Lifetime.

Married At First Sight

Cast

Based on the Danish version of the series, Married at First Sight is a reality show/social experiment that gives singles a chance to find a lifelong partnership with one particular caveat: they must agree to marry a stranger arranged the moment they meet. Experts provide counseling and guidance as they help couples navigate their new marriage with their unknown partner and highlight the journey of the newlyweds from wedding to honeymoon to beginning their new lives together. At the end of eight weeks, couples will decide to stay married or divorce.