“I Didn’t Miss Out on Anything”: Shade Okoya Opens Up About Marrying Razak Okoya at 21

Shade Okoya was just 21 years old when she made a life-changing decision that would raise eyebrows across Nigeria: marrying billionaire industrialist Razak Okoya, who was 59 at the time.

Today, more than two decades later, Shade has no regrets. In a heartfelt interview with BBC Yoruba, the businesswoman and mother of four spoke openly about her marriage, her happiness, and how love sometimes writes its own rules — no matter what society expects.

“I’m very happy in my marriage,” Shade said with a smile. “He’s far older than me, but I don’t feel like I missed out on anything because I didn’t marry a younger man.”

Shade’s journey to becoming Mrs. Okoya wasn’t one she walked alone. Although her father had passed away by then, she said the two most important women in her life — her mother and grandmother — fully supported her decision.

Their blessings gave her the confidence to follow her heart.

Talking about how their love story began, Shade Okoya recalled how direct her husband was from the very beginning.

“We met, he liked me, and he didn’t waste time. He made his intentions clear and did everything properly,” she said. There were no games, no long guessing period — just certainty and commitment.

Despite being surrounded by wealth, Shade remains deeply grounded in her role as a wife. She shared that although their home is filled with staff, she personally takes care of her husband. It’s a duty she embraces wholeheartedly.

“Even before we got married, he made it clear — I would work. I wasn’t going to just be at home doing nothing,” she laughed.

And true to her word, Shade has built a respected name for herself as a businesswoman, balancing family life and enterprise with grace.

For Shade, her marriage has never been about age. It’s about the kindness, respect, and partnership they built together. “God said this is where I will be,” she reflected. “And I am grateful every day.”