Shade Okoya, the wife of Rasaq Okoya, the Nigerian billionaire industrialist, has shared how she handles problems with him.
Rasaq and Shade celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary on April 25 at their home in Lagos.
In a recent interview with ThisDay Style Magazine, Shade revealed that she is “never in a hurry to respond” amid a misunderstanding with her husband.
She stated that instead of disputing with her spouse, she “listens carefully” to him and tries to “understand his point”.
The 47-year-old entrepreneur also stressed the value of patience and compromise in a long-term marriage.
She called the 84-year-old billionaire a “tenacious, mature, intentional, and generous man”.
“The importance of compromise and, above all, patience cannot be understated; every single day, patience must be put into practice,” she said.
“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 recognising 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.
“I see my husband not just as my lover but as a friend and role model. I believe his love for me and his protection of me have also really helped our marriage.”
Rasaq owns and founded Eleganza Group, a renowned manufacturing company.
In contrast, Shade serves as the company’s managing director and CEO.
The couple has four children together: Olamide, Subomi, Oyinlola, and Wahab.
