By Adeola Agoro
King David the beloved of God had a young woman given to him in his old age. Her name was Abishag the Shunammite. She was chosen for her youth and beauty to keep the king warm and attend to his needs.
The Bible records that although she lay beside him, David had no intimate relations with her. Her presence was simply to bring comfort, care and companionship to a man whose body could no longer generate warmth. No kayanmata would have worked at that stage.
As ancient as that story is, it gives a glimpse into what companionship between an older man and a younger woman could mean when handled with wisdom and mutual respect.
Now, let’s move to modern days.
Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya and
Princess Sade Okoya:
The Power of Grooming and Grace
When Chief Rasaq Akanni Okoya, the billionaire industrialist and founder of Eleganza Group married Folashade, tongues wagged. She was then a young undergraduate at the University of Lagos, barely in her twenties, while the Chief was already a well-established man in his sixties.
The backlash was immediate. Critics questioned her intentions and accused the Chief of marrying for vanity. But time, as always tells the real story.
Today, Chief Okoya and Princess Sade Okoya have one of the most admired marriages in Nigeria’s high society.
Sade has not only matured gracefully; she has become the pillar of Eleganza Industries, serving as its Managing Director. She is refined, articulate, disciplined and carries herself with the quiet dignity befitting her position.
More than that, she is her husband’s confidant, caregiver and companion. She’s the very image of what Abishag was to King David, but in a modern, empowered sense.
She takes care of Chief Okoya like a friend, honors him like a father and stands by him like a loyal partner. In her, he didn’t just find beauty, he found peace, order and continuity.
The Ojukwu-Bianca Story:
Beauty, Brains and Loyalty
Before Okoya and Sade, another love story shook Nigeria.
When General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the war hero and former Biafran leader married Bianca Onoh, the daughter of his close associate and former Anambra State Governor, the nation buzzed.
She was just 22 and he was in his mid-fifties. Many called it a mismatch. Some labeled her naive. Others thought it would crash in months.
But history had other plans.
Bianca turned out to be a jewel of uncommon value. From beauty queen (Miss Intercontinental 1989) to lawyer, diplomat and political figure, she evolved into a woman of substance and pride. She stood by Ojukwu till his last breath and has since carried his legacy with dignity.
Today, Bianca Ojukwu is a respected stateswoman, a diplomat and the embodiment of loyalty and maturity. She has proved that a young wife can indeed rise to become a matriarch when her husband invests in her growth instead of treating her as a trophy.
When Age Difference Fails to Produce Wisdom
Sadly, not all such unions end with grace. Too often, older men marry younger women for vanity or sensual pleasure. The marriages lack depth and purpose.
What can a woman barely out of school offer a man in his sixties if not well-groomed? Many such men end up spending their last years chasing toddlers around instead of enjoying retirement with grown, responsible children and grandchildren.
The unfortunate case of Regina Daniels and Ned Nwoko paints this picture vividly.
We’ve heard too many stories about family interference, immaturity and chaos that has now gone public.
It feels like a marry-one-get-ten-free situation with in-laws, gossip and entitlement crowding what should have been a quiet, noble union.
Why Bianca and Sade Succeeded
Where Others Failed
The difference is clear.
Chief Okoya and Ojukwu didn’t marry to flaunt wealth or youth. They didn’t boast about conquering virgins. They invested in those women mentally, emotionally and socially to make them better versions of themselves.
They didn’t pick tattooed, attention-seeking women obsessed with social media. They chose women of grace, intelligence and humility who could learn, grow and represent them with pride.
Today, Bianca still carries Ojukwu’s name with honor and Sade wears the Eleganza crown like royalty. Their husbands live on in their glory.
The Regina Daniels Lesson
Regina’s story should be a wake-up call. Instead of flaunting luxury cars and wealth online, she should seek direction and healing. It’s not too late. With counseling and the right mentors, she can reinvent herself.
Let her study Sade Okoya. Let her learn from Bianca Ojukwu.
As for Sen. Ned, biko, enough of telling the world you’re marrying virgins and marrying more virgins. This should have taught you a lesson. You already have enough women to satisfy you. Keep your home(s) and be the father your children wouldn’t have to be defending up and down.
The world is waiting for a new Regina who is wiser, humbler and more purposeful.
