Reverend Edith Okubanjo
Reverend Edith Okubanjo, is the wife of late business mogul, Oloye Olanrewaju Oladotun Okubanjo, a former director on the board of Ecobank Nigeria Plc. In this interview with OUR REPORTER, she talks about life after her husband’s death, business, marriage and more.
It is two years since you lost your husband, how has life been?
It has not been easy, but with the grace of God I have been coping very well.
How did you celebrate his two years remenbrance?
We lost him on of August 22, 2012 and on that day it was a quiet day to reflect on his absence because we are still mourning him. There was no fun fare to mark the day, we just upheld his virtues.
Have you been able to let go?
I can’t just forget and let go like that because he will forever remain irrepressible in my heart.
It’s not easy for a woman who has been married all this while to be alone, what do you miss about him?
First, you need to understand that he was my friend and we did a lot of things together. He was also my mentor, my adviser and counsellor. He also brought me into business. You don’t just forget a man whom you spent 40 years together with.
How do you celebrate his memories?
I have done a lot and I’m still going to do more to keep his memory alive. I believe that wherever he is now, he will know that I have done more than enough to remember him and I will not relent in keeping his memory alive.
It is the norm in Africa to find family members trying to takeover properties when a woman’s husband passes on, did you experience this?
No. I did not encounter any pressure from my late husband’s family because they are all wonderful people. My husband also did what was necessary to keep us together as a unit before he passed on.
He didn’t die a young man, how old was he really?
He was 84 years old when he died.
How did he die?
He was sick briefly and died in America.
Are your husband’s friends still keeping in touch with you?
Many of them have deserted us. They stopped contacting us after his demise. You can imagine, when he was alive people were always coming around to see him for one thing or another but all that is no more. We now exist based on God’s directions.
It is not easy to be alone especially having experienced the warmth of a man before, do you have any plan to remarry?
No, I am married to Jesus Christ.
How old are you now?
I’m 61 now.
Are you turning down the chance of marriage due to your age?
No. There are other things to focus on now; besides I am still relishing the memory of my husband.
At 61 do you have any regret?
It’s quite unfortunate that my husband is no more because he had promised to give me a befitting 60th birthday but all the same, we thank God.
How did you celebrate your 61st birthday?
When I clocked 61, my children had a surprise birthday for me in the United Kingdom and it was interesting having all of them together to celebrate the day.
How do you manage running a school, your church and at the same time over seeing what your husband left behind in terms of business?
What my husband taught me is still in me till date. He actually taught me hard work. I no longer do much. Aside running my school, I have capable pastors and church elders who run the church while few of the children run the family business so I just over see it.
Was your marriage a perfect one?
There is no perfect marriage, but I can tell you that I had a fulfilled marriage with Oloye Okubanjo. I am so emotional about him because he was a loving man that nobody can take away from my heart. After God it was my husband and I gave my all to him when he was alive.
Which of your children do you foresee taking after your late husband in terms of his business acumen?
I’m still watching them but they are all good children.
Are you still enjoying life after his death?
I never had a extravagant lifestyle right from the beginning so I still live a normal life. I’m more of a reserved person. I’m not a party freak that is why I have few friends around me.
Given the chance would you marry your husband again?
Yes of course. If it’s possible I will marry him because he was a kind, caring and loving husband. He was also a father.
Tell us about your calling, how did you hear it?
I heard my calling in 1982 during my university days in the United States of America. At first when I heard it, I didn’t take it seriously because I felt I was young to do that so l later went to my pastor, Pastor Carter, to explain the revelation and he told me then that I might end up becoming a pastor. However, on my return to Nigeria, the spirit grew stronger in me that whenever I pray for the sick, they get healed, whatever I prophecy into to their lives through God, it always come to pass so that was how I discovered the potential in me. And that was how Church Of Evangelism, Awoyaya, Ajah, Lagos came into being and we thank God He has been using us as a vessel for people.
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