At just 21 years old, Sade walked down the aisle with Chief Razaq Okoya, who was then 59. He had proposed marriage to her on their second meeting, which was a corporate meeting. “His hard work and generosity attracted me to him,” she shared.
In a candid interview with Metro File, Dr Sade Okoya, the Managing Director of Eleganza Group and wife of Nigerian business mogul Razaq Okoya, opened up about the enduring strength of her marriage and the wisdom that shaped her choices.
SEE ALSO: How Razaq Okoya Went From Tailor to Industrial Giant 
As she reflected on their union in the 2016 interview, Sade revealed she has no regrets but only a deeper appreciation for how things had unfolded. She said if she could do it all over again, she would have chosen to marry even earlier.
“Because when I look at my children now growing as tall as me, the fun I have now as a mother, I would have loved to have my children like two years earlier than I started…because when you see me and my children, we are like friends,” she explained. “So if I had to do it all over again now, I would have loved to do it two years earlier than when I started.”
In this part of the world, a lady getting married to a man almost three times her age will normally stir up different conversations. However, Sade Okoya’s perspective on age gaps in marriage is interestingly pragmatic.
When asked about her then-17-year-old marriage (which has now reached 27 beautiful years), Sade was clear: she wouldn’t be bothered if her daughter chose a similar path.
“It’s her choice, I made my choice, and now I’m happy,” she said. “If I had married a younger man, sorry to say, but I wouldn’t have lasted in that relationship.”
Sade entered the marriage with an unwavering commitment and determination. She knew Razaq had previously been with several women (up to eight who had children for him), but many of those relationships had not endured. Still, she was determined to make hers different.
“I planned in my life that I’m not going to have a marriage and come out of it, so I was ready to give my all,” she affirmed.
Today, the couple has been married for 27 years and shares four children. Their first daughter, Olamide Rahidat, recently tied the knot with Imran Saro Gobir in April, marking another joyful milestone for the family.
SEE ALSO: Who is Imran Saro Gobir? Meet Olamide Okoya’s Husband and His Influential Family
The resurfacing of this old interview clip has sparked fresh conversations online, especially as the Okoya family celebrates new beginnings. Sade’s story stands as a powerful testament to intentional love, maturity, and resilience.
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