Nigerian entrepreneur, businesswoman, and fashionista Dr Shade Noimat Okoya recently shared the captivating story of how she met her husband, Chief Rasaq Okoya.
In an interview anchored by Anne Nwaghodoh Nonye aired on Channels Television on the occasion of her 25th wedding anniversary, Shade Okoya, 47, shared that she met Chief Okoya, 84, in a professional setting where they were both focused on their work.
However, she noted that her husband, Chief Okoya, was particularly eager to reconnect after their first encounter, demonstrating a strong interest in getting to know her better. This desire to rekindle their connection set the stage for their blossoming relationship.
Okoya noted that her husband’s direct approach to their relationship was completely understandable, especially considering his strong desire for immediate marriage. His straightforwardness reflected his commitment and intentions, setting a clear path for their future together.
She said,
“When I met my husband, it was not a typical kind of meeting. I met him for a different purpose entirely, it was more work related. Looking back now, I know that my husband had his own mission and purpose then. We met casually, he saw me and he was just all about ‘I will like to see you again’ and I saw him the next time and it was just straight to the point then. He said ‘I would like to marry you’ which to me was too soon and too sudden because I wasn’t expecting anything like that. It was later on I got to know that he actually wanted a wife immediately.”
“I didn’t tell any of my family members, my husband actually made that move himself. When he met me the first time, I knew he liked me but I wasn’t too sure. When I saw him the second time and he dropped the question that he wanted to marry me, he doesn’t want to waste my time, he’s not into all those long kind of thing. You can understand from his own point of view that he has to be plain and honest, he doesn’t want to play around. I didn’t even know what to say, I didn’t even reply him but right there, I knew I wasn’t going to see him again. During that same visit, he was with his friends, they usually hang out together and one of them just took an interest and said he knows me very well, and along the line, he realised he knew my mum and my grandmother so later, I got to know that the man in question was an uncle”.
Shade tied the knot with Chief Rasaq Okoya in 1999 when she was just 21 years old. They have four children- Olamide, Subomi, Oyinlola and Wahab.
Before Shade became a significant part of his life, Chief Rasaq Okoya was already married to Alhaja Kuburat Okoya, his first wife. The couple shares a long history together and are blessed with seven children.
Despite his existing family commitments, Chief Okoya’s meeting with Shade marked a new chapter in his personal life, further expanding his family dynamics.
Shade Okoya is the CEO of Eleganza Group, a leading manufacturing company in Nigeria. The company, founded by her husband, Chief Rasaq Okoya, in 1976, is known for producing a wide range of household items, coolers, and furniture, contributing significantly to Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
Interview source: Shade Okoya (Instagram)
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