How long have you been married?
We had our 14th marriage anniversary on December 26, 2023. So, we have been married for over 14 years now, by the grace of God.
Where and how did you meet your wife?
I met my wife at the Living Faith Church. I was in 300-level at medical school at that time and my wife was just about to take the West African Senior School Certificate Examination. She was in SS 3, but I knew that she was my wife. So, I told my pastor since we (my wife and I) were both in the church choir and he gave me his go-ahead. I told my mum and also got a go-ahead.
So, after one of the church services in 2002, I approached her and told her that I had a conviction that she would be my wife because I was not interested in dating. She is the first and only woman I have known since I was born. I have not met another. She said she would think about it and that was how we got married.
I absolutely knew I would get married to her. I have not had any breakup experience in my life. I don’t know what it feels like.
What is the most remarkable thing you love about your wedding day?
My wife had completed her National Youth Service Corps programme before we got married, but for some reason, I was doing mine after medical school. Just before I went to camp in August, my father-in-law asked to see me. When I got there, he asked for a calendar and picked a wedding date for that same year.
The remarkable thing about it was seeing my wife walk down the aisle after seven years of courtship.
Where did you spend your honeymoon?
We went to a nice hotel in Offa, Kwara State. It was beautiful.
What is the most beautiful virtue you love about your wife?
Wow! My wife has a lot of virtues. My wife completes me. She understands me. I feel safe with her. She is my best friend, and it is understandable because we grew up together and I spent seven years courting before the marriage. She does not lie at all. She is open and transparent. She takes care of me. I am lucky to marry the bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh, as the Bible puts it.
How has marriage impacted your career as a politician?
I am a professional but I have had political assignments. So, my involvement in politics is more of an assignment, and there is nothing I would do except God wants me to do it. There is no me without my wife. She holds the home front very well when I am away, and we keep pushing together. So, my marriage has aided my career, and it does not affect my career. I have the freedom to do what I am doing because my wife supports me.
What noticeable changes have you seen since you got married?
I am not sure if there are any changes. When we began making kids, there was a shared responsibility. We keep trusting, loving, and consulting one another.
As a professional with a tight schedule, how do you balance your career, work, and home?
Having a supportive wife is everything; it is an added advantage. It is what God wants us to do. She has made it easier for me. She supports me completely. She understands when I have to travel and she covers for me effectively. Where she needs to be on the field, she does so very well.
Do you share the opinion that one’s marriage should be away from the public eye?
I don’t keep my marriage from the public eye. Whatever I am doing, I make sure to let people know that it is not just me doing it, but that I have a supportive partner with me. So, there is nothing. People feel that when you hide your marriage, there is a low chance of it crashing. But, I don’t think so. It is when any of the spouses are doing wrong things, that is when the marriage begins to have cracks. My wife and I live a transparent life so there is no need to hide her from the eyes of the public. My wife is even there in the public.
