After celebrating her 20th wedding anniversary in grand style Top Nollywood actress Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde went on a second honeymoon with her pilot husband Captain Matthew Ekeinde and spoke to on the condition a woman should walk away from her marriage.
NAIJ.COM caught up with the mother of four, who has for three years running being the brand ambassador for a beauty product Ghandour Cosmetics, at the launch of the product in Nigeria where she talked about beauty and the state of the nation and marriage.
For how long have you been with Ghandour?
For three years. Though this is their first time in
Nigeria but they have been in Ghana for two years and I have been their ambassador since then and I am comfortable with it.
For me to be their brand ambassador for three years it must be comfortable.
You recently celebrated 20 years wedding anniversary, how does it feel being married for 20 years in the entertainment industry?
I am just thankful. I am married to my friend, my destiny supporter. There is no relationship without its challenges. 20 years and some people said OMG you guys must be without stress. I just want people to know that if you are determined to do it in life and you are determined to make it you will make it. You have troubles generally in life with your parents, with your siblings so it’s a normal thing. Don’t use every opportunity of a quarrel in a relationship or with your spouse to justify the fact that everybody says marriage is hard. It is not any harder I think than any other relationship we have in life with your business partners or with your siblings. I understand that there are some relationships that have more challenges. If there is any form of abuse involved I think they should find their way out quickly but if there is no abuse or any other thing you can hang in. Leaving that I have had good times with my spouse, just be friends that’s what matters must.
Do you have any future plans?
You know me very well I don’t talk about future plans because by God’s grace my life happens very quickly and sometimes I can’t even catch up with myself so it doesn’t make any sense talking about future plans but I guess we all want to be healthy and alive as well.
What is your definition of beauty and how does it reflect in a woman?
I think for women beauty is in confidence. If you are a confident woman and understand your self-worth I think you are beautiful. And that’s why sometimes you see some girls that you think visually they are not aesthetically beautiful but any time they walk into a room everybody turn it because of her confidence. So beauty to a woman and even men is knowing yourself well, understanding your body and working with what you have. Most women don’t have everything even I don’t have everything but there are some things that you have. Ghandour Cosmetics is all about hair and you now for a woman your face is the first thing someone sees. Your face is your introduction and your hair is the crown of the face.
Omotola seems to be aging gracefully; I can see strands of grey hair showing in your hair?
Am I aging? It’s makeup.
But you are not growing any younger?
Neither are you. Well I am 38 years old and I am not scared of growing old. But even if I was 51 that is not the point even small children now have grey hairs. The point is in life I think we should all embrace who we are. I think if people are sufficient in life they feel like you are achieving you won’t even be afraid of age. But when you look back in life and you think have not achieved anything you will feel like time is running by then you will be afraid of aging. But if you are contented in life and know that all fingers are not equal and you are where you are meant to be because you could actually be six feet below. That you are alive and healthy in itself is enough reason to celebrate.
You are a stylish woman, who make your dresses?
I make it a point of duty not to promote designers that are not Nigerians. Like this outfit is not designed by a Nigerian so I don’t need to hype it but I am styled by Moashi styling is my stylist and she dresses me. I only hype Nigerian designers.
As a Nigerian and a celebrity, how will you rate the state of the nation, the economy?
You know I am an activist I am not going to dwell much on that for now. But just lightly I am just going to say that I believe that the president, just the president, not until he beyond doubt convinces us that he is actually not for our interests, I think I for now chose to believe him based on his past history. I want to believe him as a man of honour, I want to believe that he knows what he wants to achieve and I wish everyone will support him for now until he shows us truly that he has ulterior motives. For now we should believe him and trust him.
