Billionaire Couples Razak Okoya and Shade Okoya shared with THISDAY Style the secrets behind their marriage which has thrived for 25 years.Â
The billionaire industrialist and the Aare of Lagos who is also the owner and founder of Eleganza Group and the RAO Property Investment Company married Shade Okoya in 1999 when she was 21 and he was 59.Â
Over time, the couple has grown from just being married partners to business partners with Shade Okoya commenting: “I have learned so many valuable lessons from my husband. The most valuable lesson I have learned from him is how to successfully run the business on a daily basis.”
According to Razak, marriage is meant to last a lifetime and one has to understand that before they go into it. “You must do your best to make it work,” he said.
Shade who revealed that she loved that her husband was very intentional, tenacious, mature, and generous, shared that compromise was necessary and patience was something to be practiced every day.
“My husband has a broad range of experience, and in respect to this, I have learned not to be in a hurry to respond during any disagreements we have; rather, I listen carefully to be sure I properly understand his point. This way, I find myself learning from him while recognizing my own mistakes. A strong determination to succeed in my marriage has always been a priority for me, and patience and humility have seen me through to date,” she stated.
The couple gave a piece of final advice to the young couple. It reads:
“My advice will be to fully understand that marriage is a commitment that you make to the other, for better or worse. People should think about it deeply and be ready to adjust to the home that they find themselves in. They must also be prepared to go the extra mile to be good and make compromises for the sake of their whole family structure. In life, there are trials and tribulations that one will go through with his or her partner, and one should be prepared for these challenging moments because they will come. Also remember, during those challenging times, the reasons you love your spouse and be actively committed to preserving the marriage.”
“Put God first in everything you do. Learn to pray together, because a couple that prays together stays together. They must be good friends and be able to sustain their marriage by enjoying being in each other’s company and loving each other sincerely. Considering that I married a much older man, I have had to remember to be respectful and loyal at all times without obviously losing my identity. I have to make sure he is assured that I am fully committed to him the way he is committed to me.”
