Prominent Nigerian businesswoman Shade Okoya has candidly addressed her unconventional marriage to billionaire industrialist Razaq Okoya, revealing she has no regrets about marrying a man 38 years her senior. The 47-year-old mother of four, who wed the Eleganza founder in 1999 when she was just 21 and he was 59, shared intimate details of their union in a recent interview.
Defying societal expectations about age-gap relationships, Shade insisted: “I’m happy in my marriage. My husband has been extraordinarily generous and protective. This is where God destined me to be.” She dismissed suggestions that she missed out by not marrying a younger man, emphasizing her complete satisfaction with their life together.
The business magnate recounted how their romance began, noting her late husband’s decisive approach: “He didn’t waste time – made his intentions clear and fulfilled all necessary traditions.” Her mother and grandmother fully supported the union, despite the significant age difference.
Now overseeing business operations while maintaining their home, Shade revealed she personally attends to her husband despite having domestic staff. “He told me from the beginning I wouldn’t be just a housewife,” she said, highlighting how they balanced business partnership with marital roles.
The interview has sparked mixed reactions across social media, with some praising their enduring love story while others continue questioning large age-gap relationships. However, Shade’s unapologetic testimony offers a rare glimpse into one of Nigeria’s most prominent May-December marriages that has weathered decades of public scrutiny.
As she approaches 26 years of marriage, Shade’s revelations challenge conventional notions about age and compatibility in relationships, presenting an alternative narrative of marital fulfillment that defies societal expectations. Her story continues to provoke discussions about love, generational differences, and personal choice in modern Nigerian society.
