After 27 years of marriage, Okoroafor urges couples to prioritise friendship and patience

Kehinde Okoroafor, the chief executive of NextLevel Hair Manufacturer, has advised couples to put friendship, communication and patience at the centre of marriage. Okoroafor, who is also founder of the MakeMee Elegant Foundation, has been married for 27 years. She told PUNCH that she met her husband while they were both working at Société Générale Bank Nigeria.

She said they began as colleagues and did not initially expect the relationship to lead to marriage. Their families came from different tribes, and she recalled that her husband’s mother had not wanted him to marry a Yoruba woman. His father accepted her, she said.

Okoroafor and her husband have three daughters, including twins. She identified having children together as among the best moments they have shared during their marriage. Her advice to younger couples was to place God first, remain friends, laugh and pray together, communicate and forgive quickly.

She also urged partners to avoid allowing anger and pride to damage their relationship. “Marriage is not 50/50,” she said. “Some days it’s 100/0.

Show up for each other.” Okoroafor said the increase in marriage breakups was concerning and attributed some separations to people entering marriage because of social media pressure, money or appearance rather than shared values and preparation. She recommended counselling before marriage and encouraged couples to seek help from elders, therapists and trusted mentors when difficulties arise. She said marriage required work beyond the wedding ceremony and that couples should understand each other’s values before committing.

Beyond her business, Okoroafor said her foundation focuses on women’s empowerment, community outreach and helping people gain skills and independence. She described her broader mission as restoring dignity and creating opportunities for women to thrive.