RAZAQ & SADE OKOYA 25 YEARS AFTER – THISDAY Style

When you probe beneath the surface and attempt to understand what keeps the engine of marriage of MFR, Aare Rasaq Akanni Okoya, to his beautiful wife Shade purring like a lion and how their love has endured, impacting positively on their finances and becoming the reference point for many, as though there is a Rasaq-Okoya love culture that is not properly spelled out, it becomes evident that the typical building blocks of a respect-worthy relationship have moulded their love to the state, which has visibly overwhelmed a lot and indeed branded them a wonder-couple.

And though the age gap between Chief Rasaq and Shade is very evident, it is admirable and moving to see the couple still so in love after 25 years of marriage, especially in this time when marriage vows and divorce papers seem increasingly based on the theme of easy come, easy go. Since the couple met, dated, and got married, their commitment to each other has been continually toasted with the respect that immense value attracts. They have impressed, they have shut critics up, and they have been successful guideposts for those looking at attaining a similar level of triumph. Together, they have forged ahead not only in love but in business, running a flourishing group of businesses that have made them a formidable team. 
In this interview with Funke Babs-Kufeji they talk about their journey of 25 years and more. 
 
 

25 years later, what valuable lesson have you learned from being married to an older, powerful man like your husband?

HER ANS: I have learned so many valuable lessons from my husband. The most valuable lesson I have learned from him is how to successfully run the business on a daily basis. My husband is an extraordinary leader; he is extremely motivating, charismatic, and has a very hands-on approach to everything. I always try to emulate and reach the standards he has set. These life lessons have been valuable to me because money cannot buy them, and they cannot be taught within the walls of any institution. I am constantly humbled by his wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom.

It is commendable to have stayed married this long in a time where separations and divorce are prevalent, as well as being in a polygamous household. What will you say has been the staying power of your marriage?

A marriage is a union that is meant to last a lifetime. One should understand that before they go into it. You must do your best to make it work. 

I give all the glory to Allah the Almighty for the grace to be married to my husband, and I’ve committed my marriage from the very beginning to His will. With God as the foundation, it has been good. The importance of compromise and, above all, patience cannot be understated; every single day, patience must be put into practice. 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.
 
You married your husband in his 50s; now he is a lot older. Can you tell us what about him still endears you to him?

I have always loved the fact that he is a very intentional, tenacious, mature, and generous man. Up until now, everyone who knows my husband has said these qualities are true about him, and they are still very much there. This is one of the major things I have loved and still love about him. He has also always been very caring and hardworking, always finding things to do to keep himself occupied.
 
For 25 years, you have watched your wife immerse herself to fit into your lifestyle and grow into the woman she is today. Tell us what you are most proud of about her having gone through all she did?

 Shade has made me incredibly proud. She is very intelligent and is always eager to learn; she constantly sets new goals for herself and keeps doing all she can to meet those goals. In this respect, she is very much like me. She reminds me of myself in my younger years, when I couldn’t stop moving. However, when you work together, plan together, and strive together, the work keeps you moving and keeps your love going.
 
If you could relive any moment from your relationship in the last 25 years, what would it be?
HIS ANS: I am exceedingly happy that there have never been any dull moments with us. We travel and go on cruises together, educating ourselves on the beauties of life, and we are still doing the same things up until now.

I am grateful to God for blessing me with such a wonderful husband and friend. Every moment spent with him is priceless.
 
With marriage, there has never been a one-size-fits-all approach to a successful marriage, but having been married this long, it is safe to say you have both done something right. What do you think is the foundation of a strong marriage?

Our marriage for one day has been difficult because we understand each other and love our children. This should be the foundation of any marriage. Respect, compromise, and mutual understanding are all also very important. My wife, Shade, is incredibly loyal, humble, and honest, so this allows for full transparency between us.

I don’t believe there is a particular formula for a successful marriage. It takes two hands to clap, so two people love each other enough to come together as husband and wife. I know love, trust, and respect are incredibly important as the foundation for any strong marriage. But in my case, I believe, apart from that, I have been able to add not just value to my husband but to the marriage by giving my very best. Being married to a man like him, I need God’s wisdom every day to hold the house and business together firmly.

What is your advice for couples who are thinking of getting married?

My advice will be to fully understand that marriage is a commitment that you make to the other, for better or worse. People should think about it deeply and be ready to adjust to the home that they find themselves in. They must also be prepared to go the extra mile to be good and make compromises for the sake of their whole family structure. In life, there are trials and tribulations that one will go through with his or her partner, and one should be prepared for these challenging moments because they will come. Also remember, during those challenging times, the reasons you love your spouse and be actively committed to preserving the marriage.
HER ANS; Put God first in everything you do. Learn to pray together, because a couple that prays together stays together. They must be good friends and be able to sustain their marriage by enjoying being in each other’s company and loving each other sincerely. Considering that I married a much older man, I have had to remember to be respectful and loyal at all times without obviously losing my identity. I have to make sure he is assured that I am fully committed to him the way he is committed to me.
 
Now that your husband is a lot older, he seems to be taking the back burner in the affairs of Eleganza Industry, crediting the success of the newly reformed factory to you. Tell us about your journey into the manufacturing space and how you, as a woman, are able to cope with leading this predominantly male factory?

Having an industrialist as a husband has greatly inspired me to become not just a diligent wife but an astute businesswoman focused on making an impact in society. My journey into the manufacturing space has been carefully and diligently taught to me by my husband, and being married to him has commanded a lot of respect for me. It’s almost like they see him when they see me, so the respect is there. As an industrialist, when I see people using our products, it gladdens my heart to see how much impact we as manufacturers are making on households across our nation.
 
Tell us more about the newly reformed Eleganza Industry under your leadership. What changes or improvements have been made since you took over?

As Managing Director of Eleganza, I have done a lot in terms of restructuring and organising to ensure sustainable growth by saving costs in all that we do at the new Eleganza Industrial City. My long-term plan is to position Eleganza as the number one plastic manufacturing organisation in all of Africa. Since I assumed my position as the Managing Director (MD), Eleganza has grown into a much bigger and better structured factory with a new vision, mission, and culture for the work.

Eleganza Industrial City is a massive project on 40 hectares of land. It is called an industrial city not only because of the production of various household items being produced there but also because it is a step towards achieving my husband’s desire to establish cottage industries within Nigeria. The chairman, my husband, is very passionate about this project, and Allah has been so kind and good to him in terms of giving him the financial ability, strength, and health to realise his dreams and goals for the new Eleganza Extension site. He has solely financed this project, and we pray Allah will continue to bless him so that we can continue benefiting from his grace of wealth. 

I resume early at the factory every day from Monday to Friday, and sometimes on Saturdays if I have no social commitments. I work tenaciously to make sure everything runs smoothly, like my husband taught me. I’m grateful for the wealth of experience I have gained from him in the manufacturing and construction business, and I don’t take it for granted because it has helped to run not only the business but has also opened my eyes to new possibilities, which have led to the introduction of new products to the Eleganza Industry. 

Before now, Eleganza was best known for their durable coolers and biros, but more products are being manufactured now. Tell us what the factory now produces and where these items can be purchased for wholesale or retail?

We currently have over 20 products, with many more still in their development stages. Our present range of products includes plastic chairs, tables, school tables for all ages, iron beds (including baby cots), etc. We have cooling boxes, food warmers, and travel luggage of various sizes and designs. Baby diapers and female sanitary pads. We also manufacture soaps ranging from beauty to laundry to multipurpose use. We have pet caps, preform bottles, ladies shoes, men’s slippers, reusable plates and cups, casseroles of different sizes, plastic drums, crates, and plastic baskets.

Our products in the development stage include the new, improved, modernised version of the Eleganza biro and a few others, which will be announced when the time comes.
At Eleganza, we are committed to making sure the Eleganza name remains the guarantee of every customer. Today, I am proud to say that Eleganza is bigger, stronger, and better, prioritising high-quality products as always. 

We are currently establishing and enhancing more of our showrooms. The showrooms are very elegant; you can find most of our products there. We also look forward to bringing on board as many distributors as possible in each of the 36 states of the federation.
 
As a leading player in the production of plastic products, which we all know contribute to environmental pollution and consume energy, which leads to high carbon emissions, which also contribute to climate change. What sustainable measures as a manufacturing company are you taking or have in place?

A lot of our products are produced using a high percentage of recycled materials and are modified to ensure we have the highest quality of products. As a company, we do not produce single-use plastics, and we strive to maintain a zero-waste policy.

The manufacturing industry in Nigeria is one of the most difficult to sustain due to a lack of power, unstable FX rates, a shortage of skilled labour, and the likes. How have you been able to navigate these challenges to make sure Eleganza Factory stays afloat and runs at its optimum?

Power is very crucial in manufacturing; a stable exchange rate is also essential, amongst other things. The authorities know all the burdens and challenges of manufacturers; we have shared this with them on many occasions. They need to bring lasting solutions to the power and FX issues in the country. We predominantly run on diesel generators and thus have had to come up with creative ways to reduce our profit margins in order to stay in business. Logistics is another major factor that has to be looked into critically, as it plays a major role in the price of goods. Because we don’t have good transport and distribution channels, this makes things a lot more expensive than they should be.

I have been trained in this industry right from my youth, and as a result, I’m extremely aware of how necessary it is to engage our youths while they are young and train them in cottage industries. This will make them extremely familiar with the terrain and difficulties involved in the industry. It will also make them highly capable and skilled in this area. If we use this approach to train our youths, manufacturing will become a part of their daily lives, and they will not only be happy but satisfied doing it because they will be able to apply the creativity of their youth to develop competitive advantages for themselves. This way, they will also be interested in manufacturing and will find themselves constantly thinking about what and how to produce.

Manufacturing is a major driving force for any country’s economy, but in Nigeria, the manufacturing industry is almost nonexistent due to the factors mentioned above. We have more industries shutting down and investors leaving. What, in your expert opinion, should the government do to revive this sector?

My daily prayer is for our government to introduce cottage industries in all the states of the federation and incorporate them into the school syllabus with apprenticeship preprograms. Educating our youths on the resources we have been blessed with as a country and how they can use them to solve problems or be useful for Nigeria’s daily needs should also be prioritized. Take, for example, the food shortage in Nigeria. A lot of people are currently interested in fish farming, but most of the feed for the fish is imported, which makes fish farming extremely expensive. Our universities should be able to conduct research on what is available locally that can be used or turned into fish feed. Fish can’t eat eba or other local processed foods, but with serious research, Nigerians can tailor their strengths to bring lasting solutions. The utilisation of our various local agricultural products and raw materials should be primarily and practically taught. It should be instilled in our youth and prioritised as a subject on the school syllabus. All these natural resources and opportunities specific to Nigeria should not be left untaught. It will help our youths to be industrious, leading them to a better life with jobs.
HER ANS There is hope for Nigeria. We are still a developing nation, and our prayer is that whatever policies the government puts in place will have a positive effect on the wider economy and manufacturers like us. The exchange rate is coming down gradually, and we hope and pray it comes down even more.

Now that your wife is the MD of Eleganza, as chairman, what are your plans for the factory to exceed you?

Shade is incredibly capable. She is a good manager in every sense of the word and is capable of appropriately allocating the factory resources to ensure sustainability for Eleganza in the long term. Our children are also keen to help her ensure that the Eleganza of today and tomorrow will be capable of fulfilling its corporate social responsibility.
 
Lastly, what is your advice for women who want to go into manufacturing, especially in Nigeria?

Don’t let gender be an issue. The truth is, if you can get on with work and excel at dealing with the challenges that come with it, there will be no room or reason for anyone to bring up your gender. Always focus on maximising your available resources to deliver first-class quality products at the most affordable rate to meet the demands of customers. Everyone wants to work with the best person for the job; the best person for the job is the best, regardless of their gender. Women who want to go into manufacturing must also be extremely hardworking, they must have a passion for it and be determined to succeed.