Fu’ad Lawal Explains Why the First Two Years of Marriage Are the Hardest

Media executive Fu’ad Lawal has shared his perspective on why many marriages experience difficulties during their first two years, likening the period to the early stages of building a startup.

Speaking during a conversation, Lawal said the early phase of marriage often comes with disagreements as two individuals with different backgrounds, habits and expectations try to create a shared life. He argued that relationships are more likely to run into trouble when both partners are unwilling to compromise.

Drawing a comparison with startups, he suggested that marriages can falter if each person enters the union determined to hold on to their individual positions rather than adapt to life together.

Lawal also observed that many couples enter marriage with rigid expectations, focusing on what their spouse should or should not do rather than learning to adjust to each other.

Reflecting on marriages he has seen end within the first two years, he said a common pattern was an unwillingness to yield. According to him, successful relationships require flexibility from both partners, adding that compromise is inevitable because “someone is always folding.”

His remarks have sparked online conversations about the role of compromise, communication, and mutual understanding in helping couples navigate the challenges that often come with the early years of marriage.