Many a woman would love to peel, and then crush the shell of her love like a garlic clove. That shell is her man. Some would love to grate off their high heels using their matrimony as a pumice stone, and then prance flat-footed on the smithereens of wedlock like an infant troll or the belle of an ape.
To these colourful characters, marriage manifests as a prison house from which they can hardly wait to break out; more often than not, they consider their husbands worst personification of the hateful jailer. But that is one class of women.
Through the maze and matrix of matrimony subsists a more pleasant class and breed of women characterized by dashing womanhood and legendary character reminiscent of the nurturer women of ancient Africa and Rome. These women like the medieval vestal virgins cater to the spiritual, emotional and mannish needs and insecurities of their men in deliberate bid to bring about the best fortune and chances for them.
And they never rest on their oars, inspiring, supporting and wishing the best chances on their husbands till the latter evolve fully into the best that they could ever become.
Every nation has its fair share of such women although they are a rarity to behold. Nigeria for instance, boasts of such womanhood in Titilola Adenuga, the wife of Dr.Mike Adenuga, Nana Otedola, wife of oil magnate, Femi Otedola; Kay Ovia, wife of Zenith Bank Chairman, Jim Ovia; Awele Elumelu, wife of UBA Chairman, Tony Elumelu; Chioma wife of Leo Stan-Ekeh, the ebullient chairman of Zinox.
These women by their amazing depth of character and womanhood manifest in their husband’s lives like a salt-cellar exposing a white skull of crystals. On their watch, each of their men has evolved into a very powerful factor in different fields of endeavour. It is even more fascinating to note that despite their husbands’ power and influence, they have managed to keep and sustain very low profiles unpretentiously and satisfactorily.
Where many a woman would aggressively stick out her neck for recognition, they exhibit flawless tact and modesty.
All too often, they gently nudge their men towards the fields and wild lands of ambition taking great care to serve as their conscience and protection against the raging inferno of aspiration. The selfless nurturers and intelligent spouses that they are help refine and focus that burning incense and drive that lures their men on to innumerable pursuits and wilderness of dreams.
They are incredibly candid and charming while carrying out their roles as mothers, best friends and wives to their husbands, forever appearing the loyal, proud wife, even during periods of turbulence or what may be referred to as the stages of extreme grief.
Minute by minute, day by day, they remind once again how important a supportive, confident and decent wife is to the success of a powerful man. While it’s certainly not a requirement for career success, a supportive life partner can propel you professionally and make life richer and more meaningful.
If you are not sure about this, ask the fortunate circuit of Nigeria’s most powerful businessmen; they would gladly tell you what priceless gifts repose in their wives. The latter include:
Mrs Kay Ovia
Kay is the beautiful wife of Billionaire banker, Jim Ovia, Chairman Zenith Bank Plc and founder Visafone Communications Limited. The powerful Kay is the Ceo of Quantum Markets and initiator of the Star Rising Talent Hunt for children and young people. Kay loves kids and she is doing everything within and outside her power to give hopes, to give a bright future to disadvantaged kids through her talent hunt project. The amiable woman said she embarked on the project to help Nigerian children who are creative and talented but don’t know how to explore their God- given talents.
NaNa Otedola
it’s no longer news that Nana is the pretty wife to Billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola, CEO Forte Oil Plc. The news now is how powerful and influential Nana is in her husband’s empire. Sources say, Nana has her husband’s ears in key business decisions. She’s one personality you don’t get to see at just any social circles, the soft-spoken but very stylish Nana, steps out when necessary and when she does, it has to be in a grand style. She also runs the biggest laundry business in Nigeria, Garment Care, a company she started in 1999.
Toyin Saraki
Toyin is the wife of Nigeria’s Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the 3rd most powerful man in Nigeria today. Regarded as a role model per excellence and epitome of womanhood. Apart from her role as a mother, she also runs Wellbeing foundation that caters for the less privileged in the society. Toyin is a very supportive wife and prayer warrior. If you have been wondering why her husband has been winning his political battles, the answer is not far fetch because Toyin provides that pillar of support he needs to succeed.
Daisy Ehanire Danjuma
She is the wife of billionaire retired General T Y Danjuma, one of the most influential Nigerians today. The radiant Queen is well respected in the political, social and business circles. She is a former Senator and Executive vice chairman of South Atlantic Petroleum. Daisy is very powerful that her husband involves her in his key business decisions.
Senator Oluremi Tinubu
She is the wife of All Progressive Congress, APC, National leader and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Her husband was instrumental in his party’s victory in the last election and can be regarded as one of the power brokers in Nigerian politics today. The former First Lady of Lagos State is a Senator representing Lagos Central in the National Assembly. Regarded as an amazon, Oluremi has been able to balance her home front and political career.
Dr. Myma Belo-Osagie
Dr. Myma is a Managing Partner with Udo Udomo & Belo-Osagie, a firm that specializes in energy, natural resources and the environment, telecommunications, corporate advisory including foreign investments, corporate restructuring including mergers and acquisitions. Married to Billionaire businessman, Hakeem Belo-Osagie, her husband is the Chairman Nigerian arm of UAE telecommunications provider Etisalat. He controls 12% stake in Etisalat Nigeria through his holding company, Premium Telecommunications Holdings. Dr. Myma Belo-Osagie is a Law graduate and ranked as one of the “World’s leading Lawyers” in the Corporate/M&A section of the Chambers’ Global Directory.
Titi Adenuga
Ebony skinned and profoundly pretty Titi is the wife of Dr. Mike Ishola Adenuga, GCON, the billionaire businessman who owns GLOBACOM, Con Oil, and other big investments. The Adenugas are very conservative when it comes to their private lives. Titi attributes her quintessential style to her late mother, Mama Susannah Okome (fondly called ‘Sister’). Her close friends and family members fondly address her as The Tizzle Girl. Her path and that of Adenuga, crossed at the defunct Devcom Merchant Bank while she was job-hunting. Mesmerized and perplexed by her stunning beauty and brains, the stupendously wealthy businessman who rules and glows on all fronts decided to have her for keeps. Rarely sighted together in public, they are nonetheless very much in love with each other.
Mrs Chioma Stan Ekeh
The beautiful and extravagantly intelligent Chioma is married to business mogul, Dr. Leo Stan Ekeh, Chairman Zinox Technologies Limited. She is hardly seen in social circles but very influential when it comes to business. Chioma is a graduate of accountancy and she runs the biggest company in her husband’s group of companies, Technology Distributions Limited, a multimillion Naira company that generates Millions of naira daily for the group. Stan Ekeh believes so much in Chioma that he allows her make key business decision for the group.
Dr Awele Vivien Elumelu
Married to visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist Tony Elumelu. Chairman of Heirs Holdings, UBA, Transcorp and founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation. She’s very powerful and influential in her husband’s billion dollar empire as Chief Executive Officer of Avon Medical Services Limited and oversees the healthcare investments of the group. She holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Benin. Her experience as a medical doctor includes medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and emergency medicine.
Hajara Adeola
She is married to billionaire businessman Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola, former Managing Director Guaranty Trust Bank and Chairman of the FATE Foundation. Hajara is one powerful personality that heads Lotus Capital Limited, a Nigerian pioneer in Shari’ah compliant Asset Management, Private Wealth Management Advisory Services and Financial Advisory Service. She began her career as a consultant at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture). From there she joined ARM Investment Managers as a pioneer staff and rose to Vice-President and Head of the Research and Financial Advisory Units. In all, she has over 20 years of international experience in research and analysis, investment management and corporate finance. Mrs. Adeola is the former President of the Fund Manager’s Association of Nigeria and a West African Fellow of the Aspen Leadership Initiative. She is also the Chairperson of the Securities & Exchange Commission’s non-interest capital market 10 year master plan committee and a Director of the Aliko Dangote Foundation. She is married to Adeola and blessed with six children.
