Shade Okoya: How I resolve conflicts with my husband of 25 years

Shade Okoya, the wife of Rasaq Okoya, the Nigerian billionaire industrialist, has revealed how she resolves conflicts with her husband.

Rasaq and Shade celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at their residence in Lagos on April 25.

In a recent interview with ThisDay Style Magazine, Shade said she is “never in a hurry to respond” during a misunderstanding with her husband.

She said instead of arguing with her husband, she “listens carefully” to him and tries to “understand his point”.

The 47-year-old entrepreneur also emphasised the importance of patience and compromise for a long-lasting marriage.

She described the 84-year-old billionaire as 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 is the owner and founder of Eleganza Group, a leading conglomerate in the manufacturing industry.

Shade, on the other hand, is the managing director and chief executive officer of the company.

The couple has four children together — namely Olamide, Subomi, Oyinlola, and Wahab.