Read the Inspirational Words of Advice from one of Africa’s Richest Women, Folorunsho Alakija on balancing Business, Marriage and Family.

“There is no amount of money that can change me, my husband and my children. That is the way we have lived our lives, we will continue being who we are as a family”.

(This is just one of the highlights of Mrs. Alakija’s Interview with the Punch Newspaper).

It’s always very encouraging to read the inspirational stories of people who have achieved so much, hence the reason I love to share these stories on the blog to motivate me and you. My last post was about the lessons to be learnt from the Commencement Speech of American  First  black First lady, Michelle Obama.  I hope you were moved by the speech and the way she delivered it. It made my head swell.

First of all, to most Nigerian folks, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija needs no introduction. She is a Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Philanthropist, Business Woman par excellence  and according to Forbes, she’s the second richest woman in Africa after Isabel Dos Santos (Angolan Investor, Daughter of the President of Angola). 

Mrs. Alakija has granted several interviews and she always have a word or two for the younger generation, she recently granted an interview with the Punch Newspapers and revealed how she has been able to balance her business, family and marriage of almost 40 years. Now, that’s the part that concerns me and I believe should concern every family enthusiast and homemaker; be Man or Woman.

Mrs. Alakija and her Husband

Mrs. Alakija and her Family

Image Credit: FolrunsoAlakija.com

My Best Highlights from the Interview are:

When asked if she is still in love with her husband of about 40 years the same way as when they met. She says “If anyone of us is abroad, for instance, the two of us would make sure that we call each other a minimum of twice a day. We have spoken three times already today. If it wasn’t that I was running late for the interview, I would have picked up the phone again to ask him to buy me three brushes but I had to give the job to my assistant to do. So every little thing, we are talking throughout the day.

“We are still very much friends. We are lovers, friends, brother and sister”.

When asked about her thoughts on why marriages fail and the secret that has sustained her marriage.
Marriage no be easy thing o, she had so much to say but I highlighted some “Must hear messages” from this admirable woman who has seen it all.

“What I have noticed over the years is that a marriage doesn’t break suddenly in a day; it is a gradual process. And the earlier you nip it in the bud, the better”.

“And it is always better to know what the dos and don’ts of marriage are before you get into it so that you don’t get your fingers burnt and so that you can enjoy rather than endure your marriage”.

“One of the tenements of marriage is that you must communicate with one another. If you do not talk to one another regularly enough, your love can begin to grow cold”.

“I counsel partners and one of the things I tell them is never to make the mistake of having separate bedrooms from the very start. Make sure you share one bedroom even if you have 10 bedrooms”.

“You are bound to quarrel because you are two human beings. If anyone tells you they have a perfect marriage, it is a lie”. 

“Make sure that you set up the values that you will use to run your home and bring up your children. I greet my husband good morning with a kiss”. 

“There are different ways of showing submission. It is not that we are asking you to put your head on the floor so that he can trample on it. No! We are saying show your husband respect. It is the will of God. Speak to him nicely”. 

“Likewise, a man should love his wife; that is what the Bible says. He should honour and respect his wife and not bring a girlfriend into the matrimonial home and say what can she do”?

Once it (Marriage) starts degenerating and you don’t quickly nip it in the bud, it may lead to separation and then divorce.

She has business ventures in areas such as Oil, Fashion, and Printing and at 65, she still manages her businesses tirelessly. When asked how she still copes, she said “ I appreciate every new day and take it as it comes. I tackle everything I need to tackle. I don’t feel tired easily. I feel as young as I was many years back”.

Credit - The Interview with NONYE BEN-NWANKWO and GBENRO ADEOYE of the widely read Punch Newspaper.

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