My Husband Has To Keep Toasting Me; I Am A Babe For Life –Olanlesi Mamora
Olorunimbe Mamora is the former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and a one time Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He has been married to Olanlesi for the past 29 years. The couple opens up on their love life and plans for the Valentine’s Day
First meeting
Senator: I sighted her at a party for fresh students in my University. She was beautiful, we got talking and soon, a relationship started.
Olanlesi: At the time I accepted to date him, I didn’t think he was the one I wanted to settle down with but after proving that he is a nice man, I chose to date him. With his apparent good looks coupled with his genial nature, I just thought that he is the kind of man I would want to spend the rest of my life with. The foundation of any good relationship is friendship. So we were first and foremost friends, in the real sense of the word. We could sit together and talk about things, send cards to each other and express our feelings. The friendship blossomed into love and then marriage.
Rekindling and keeping the love aglow
Olanlesi: Even with his hectic schedule and the current jet age, we still spend time in each other’s company, chatting about different issues. We still send cards to each other on festive occasions. Although I must admit that these days we do more of SMS and blackberry messaging.
Senator: It was imperative that I create time for us to bond especially while I was in office. But now that I am out of office, we spend a bit more time together. We also bond by going on regular vacations together. We watch African Magic together, sometimes till about 1.am to 2.am.
Coping with feminine attention
Olanlesi: I am very much aware that with his good looks and former positions, women will always seek his attention but I rarely ever feel intimidated. But the possibility that he might step out of line is there and since we are friends, we talk about these things and try to set boundaries and give each other limitations. I absolutely trust my husband and never in our 29 years together has my trust in him waned.
Senator: I have enjoyed my marital life all these years so far and I hold my marriage very sacred; I love my wife and three children and I am very proud of them. For this reason, I avoid anything that would make me feel uncomfortable. Of course there would be admirers; both male and female, but what is important is for us to set a boundary we dare not cross. Besides, I am very conscious of my public image and to the glory of God, I have never experienced anything that will bring shame to my family.
Settling fights
Senator: We talk things over. The more we talk, the better the understanding. We courted for six years before we got married so I know my wife and know what would make her snap and even if she snaps, I know how to react myself. There is a thin line between wedding and marriage; wedding is a one day affair while marriage is a lifelong affair so marriage is a voyage of discovery. What is also important is for us to accept ourselves for who we are. We are from two different backgrounds and in various ways too but over the years, we have blended together as one.
Olanlesi: I try to assuage his feelings after offending him by talking things over and apologizing. Once I take responsibility for any wrong action and I display humility with an apology, he accepts it and we both move on. I have the positive attitude of wanting to improve on my relationship with him all the time. I don’t ever think that I will get to a stage in life when I will consider that it can never get better. I expect that it will always get better and that is what we both strive to do.
Meaning of Valentine
Senator: Valentine’s Day is lover’s day but more importantly, it is a day to share love, affection and gifts with the person you love. It is also a day to renew your love with your spouse or lover, a day to reflect on how far you have come as a couple or lovers – looking back to how it all started and make projections for the future and how to strive at having greater bonding. Now, it would appear that Valentine’s Day has taken on another meaning these days.
Olanlesi: I totally agree with him
Plans for Valentine’s Day
Olanlesi: I have my own plans which I intend to keep secret but I don’t know the plans he has for me. He is the man in the relationship and should continue toasting me for life especially for such an important day. I am a babe for life.
Senator: Maybe we would go out for a lunch or dinner date. My wife is quite loving and passionate about things like these; she takes anniversary dates seriously.
Leisure time
Senator: I watch football, visit friends, play chess and watch Nollywood movies
Olanlesi: I also love watching movies and reading religious books.
Now out of office
Senator: I have a medical practice that I established as far back as 1987, Nimbus medical centre which is still on and all the years I was in office, the clinic was running. So I am back to running the practice, not full time though. Alongside that, I have invitations here and there to present papers as a guest speaker and other engagements both locally and internationally.
Olanlesi: I am a housewife by choice even though he prefers to call me a home maker and his economist having read economics at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife. However, I pop in and out of the hospital to oversee what is going on there. I am also his personal secretary as I type all his speeches.
source: punchng
