L.A.X and wife Ella hold Nikkah ceremony after Malta civil wedding

Nigerian singer Damilola Afolabi, known to fans as L.A.X, and his wife Ella have held a Nikkah ceremony, formalising their marriage under Islamic law.

The ceremony took place on Thursday night, according to Punch. It comes weeks after the couple's civil wedding in Malta in September.

The programme, as reported, included an opening prayer, introduction of guests, a Qur'an recitation, thanksgiving, a naming ceremony, the Nikkah itself, blessings and a closing prayer, with donations made to the mosque.

The presence of a naming ceremony on the programme drew questions online about its purpose, including whether it pointed to a religious conversion. There is no confirmation in the available reports that Ella converted to Islam, and the couple have not said so publicly.

From Malta to the mosque

The Malta wedding was announced by the couple on Instagram in September. L.A.X wrote that he was "legally hitched to the love of my life, in the most beautiful city, Malta."

The singer proposed to Ella on January 16, 2026.

For many Nigerian fans, the sequence is familiar: a court or civil wedding abroad, then a religious ceremony at home. Holding the Nikkah after the civil wedding means the union now carries both legal and religious recognition for the couple and their families.

L.A.X, born Damilola Afolabi, started out as a rapper in secondary school, where he formed a group called Flyboiz before going solo. He broke through in 2013 with Caro, a collaboration with Wizkid released under Starboy Entertainment. The two later worked together again on Ginger.

The Nikkah is the latest in a run of high-profile Nigerian celebrity weddings this year, and photos from the ceremony have been circulating widely on social media.

The couple have not announced further plans publicly.