After the Eclipse, Chris Okotie’s Ex-wife Stephanie Henshaw Reclaims her Shine

Like the first sunny spokes after a long forgettable night, Stephanie Henshaw, the estranged wife of Rev. Chris Okotie, some days ago, was at a dinner Richard Mofe-Damijo organised for the comedian, AY’s wife. That was several months after she consciously took a long break from the social scene. And like a queen of subterfuge and the black arts, she only staged a cameo.

Glowing in her silky, succulent skin, Stephanie arrived in a gait that bespoke an inviolate inner peace and contentment, which made her a sight for sore eyes in the midst of the banalities of every day social gathering. It is even more fascinating that she could get off looking like that despite the challenges of marital life. At the event, Stephanie flaunted gorgeous curves that women half her age would die to have. Since her ill-fated marriage to the controversial pastor crashed, she is yet to settle down with another man despite the long list of suitors seeking for her hand in marriage. Although she retreated into a shell in the wake of her separation from her husband, she has since discarded the aura of sadness that enveloped her to embrace more promising vistas.

FIVE YEARS AFTER, FAMILY AND FRIENDS MOURN GBEGI OJORA
The flowers blow coolly with the wind to assert his place above the earth although he lies six feet underground, where sand granules mingle with bones and rotted flesh of the interred. It’s the fifth year since corporate titan, Adegboyega Ishola Ojora departed mother earth and his family, friends and business associates are still grieving his untimely death. Recently, they hosted a prayer session in his honour.

Until his sad departure, Ojora lived to see the dawn and sunset glow richly amid life’s pressing concerns. He lived to give and feel love generously and without inhibitions. Gbegi, as he was fondly called, died at the First Consultant Hospital, Ikoyi Road, Obalende, Lagos. He was aged 50 years. It would be recalled that thousands of dignitaries comprising friends, family, politicians and business associates trooped to his funeral to mourn his sad exit from life. This no doubt attested to the worth of the man for whom every male and female acquaintance holds a blazing torch, even in death.

On the eve of his untimely death, Ojora performed his civic duty by casting his vote during the general elections that ushered in the seventh National Assembly of the country. The following day, he attended the morning Mass at the Catholic Church of Assumption, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, and later, the christening ceremony of a friend’s child. But death struck him a fatal blow as soon as he retired home. Ojora allegedly complained of a slight health disturbance and drove himself to First Consultant Hospital, Obalende, Lagos. He slumped and gave up the ghost while the clinic’s physicians examined him. Doctor’s diagnosis confirmed the cause of his death as heart attack. Toyin, the deceased’s younger sister and wife of embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki, was reportedly at the hospital for her routine medical check-up at the time of his death.

…AND THE TRAGEDIES THAT BROKE SOLVEIGH OJORA
She suffered a horror of sunsets at her prime; consequently, Solveigh Ojora is torn by grief too early in her life. In one year, the half-Norwegian, half-Nigerian lost two of the three most important men in her life. First was her father, Ahmed Onipede, a former Special Adviser on Mineral Resources to ex-Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, between 2001 and 2007. Onipede was found dead in his Badagry, Lagos residence. Onipede allegedly suffered a gruesome murder and the police are yet to apprehend his killers.

There is no gainsaying Solveigh was broken and devastated by her father’s death, but just when she was responding to the comfort and kind words offered to douse her pain by her husband, Gbegi Ojora, the latter died due to liver complications. The death of Solveigh’s husband, who was also the first son of millionaire mogul, Otunba Adekunle and his wife, Erelu Ojuolape Ojora, in 2011, shook the social firmament as he was one of the most popular socialites at the time. He left behind Solveigh and Tolu, their only child. Of course, Solveigh has been inconsolable since his death and has kept a wide berth from the social scene.

ERELU DOSUNMU FURIOUS OVER ESTRANGED HUBBY, DEINDE FERNANDEZ’S SHABBY BURIAL
If she had her way, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu would revoke the interment of her beloved but estranged husband, Ambassador Dehinde Fernandez. She would stifle smothering dreams she has of him and repeal the sad course of events that paced behind the wagon of his entombment.

Although she parted with him many years before his death in a bitter separation, Erelu Dosunmu is dissatisfied with the manner in which her estranged husband was buried. Recently, she broke her silence on the issue and condemned the way the deceased’s funeral was bungled. According to her, late Fernandez deserved a better and more befitting burial. She wondered why he was buried on foreign soil, arguing that the late ambassador would have loved to be buried at home. Erelu Dosunmu also chastised the deceased’s friends and beneficiaries for abandoning him in death. She argued that they ought to have learnt their support in making sure that his corpse was brought back to Nigeria for a befitting funeral. A man of his stature shouldn’t suffer such a shabby burial, she said.

LIKE A CELLO STRING, GOV. AMINU TAMBUWAL TUNES TO LOVE
Yes, Tambuwal is quiet these days. Not much on him politically. Tambuwal is in love. He held her with his eyes and dreamed of cuddling her in a warm embrace. Then he won her heart and her love burned in his heart with sweet, passionate intensity, like a bonfire of the vanities in a hall of fame. As you read, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state has found his trophy of undying love in his new bride.

The former lawmaker and number one citizen of Sokoto, has discovered his symbol of strength and bastion of passion in Maryam Mairo, his second wife. Undoubtedly, Tambuwal is head over heels in love with his new bride. He got married to the popular the Lagos big girl and IT expert in a grand wedding ceremony that attracted the crème of Nigeria’s high society. Few months after their marriage, Mairo is everywhere. She cuts an inspiring portrait doing charity work. As a result, she is constantly in the news, particularly on the social media.

BAD NEWS FOR NIGERIA’S SCARLET WOMEN AS HARD TIMES HIT THE OTC
The hard times are here. As the days squeeze harder, poets bleed ink and prominent magnates count their losses under a dark pall of austerity and sorrow. Stealthily, every human constituent await the proverbial moment when the clouds would part to bathe their darkest hour in eternal sunshine. In this atmosphere of loss and cheerlessness, the world gets set once again for the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in the United States of America.

As preparations for the conference intensify, women of shady reputation and character get set for their usual exploits in the business fair. Like vain, silly, transparent coxcombs without either solid talents or estimable nature, ladies of various vanities and character throng the OTC in desperate quest for the ever elusive deep-pocket. Findings revealed that many of the pretty ladies prowling the halls of the event like predators in search of prey actually know nothing about the philosophy behind the conference. As usual, they would be attending the conference to fish for rich and powerful men.

These ladies are guided by the reasoning that no matter how upright or dignified a rich man is, there is a tendency to ‘misbehave’ when he is not within his wife’s reach and when seminars are far in between. This ‘trade’ has been so mastered by many of the ladies that they don’t have to fix a date or venue for their much sought trysts to take place, they come fully kitted and prepared to engage in various kinds of romantic and sexual escapades. To ensnare their prey, these women appear in very seductive outfits and pose to taunt and entrap the richest of men.

But not this year again. The prohibitive dollar exchange rate and President Muhammadu Buhari’s gospel of change has imposed severe austerity on the country’s magnates and participants at the OTC thus making it impossible for women of easy virtues to cash in on fun-seeking participants at the global conference. Apart from the Americans that will feel the low patronage at the clubs and shopping malls during this year’s event, the conference’s organisers will host actual oil and energy magnates and not the charlatans that frequented the event’s past editions.

JUMOKE OKOYA-THOMAS BURIES STEPMOTHER IN STYLE
•WHY NOBODY KNEW LATE OLIVET ABOSEDE WASN’T HER ACTUAL BIRTH MOTHER
A wind chime carefully spread its stillness over her and she collapsed into the mythical canopy of eternal sleep. By the time Chief Olivet Abosede Okoya Thomas breathed her last, her friends and family were caught unawares. But prodded by hazy and clear remembrance of her humaneness and civility, Hon. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas gave her all in giving the deceased a befitting burial. She really played her role very well at the event thus eliciting applause and commendation from folks that know that the deceased wasn’t her actual birth mother.

Yes, Chief Olivet was Jumoke’s step-mother but very few people were aware of this fact. Jumoke lost her own mother many years ago and it was her grandmother who effectively and efficiently filled the void left in her life. All the deceased’s children were in attendance at the funeral. They cut an inspiring portrait to all and sundry as they filed out in dazzling colours and aura of daintiness, success and acclaim. Most of them are highly successful in their different careers.

While some possess impressive stakes in their father’s businesses, others are also playing big in their chosen fields. They married into successful families as well. Late Olivet Abosede is survived by her children, Yinka Taiwo, Deji Okoya-Thomas and Tosin Bakare. She died on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 in Lagos and she was interred at the prestigious Vault and Gardens, Lagos. The service of songs was held on March 5 at the Trinity House Church while the Wake-keep took place on March 7 at the Dorchester Event Centre. The grand funeral service took place at the Holy Cross Cathedral Church, Lagos Island with a reception at the Harbour Point event centre, Victoria Island. The party was attended by dignitaries from far and wide.

DAKOVA LOSES HOME AND FASHION EMPIRE TO WILD FIRE
The flames flared wildly to burn and destroy, iconic fashion designer, Dakova’s house and factory. The popular designer watched helplessly as his business complex got burnt to the ground. But from the ashes of his personal disaster, a new edifice will be built. According to very close sources to the designer, Dakova will rise again from the ashes. The sad incident happened around 8pm at his 82, Brickfield road, off Apapa Road, Ebute Metta home/factory in Lagos. The fire which reportedly erupted at night lasted till midnight and razed the building which housed Dakova’s home (in front) and factory (at the back), to the ground. Fortunately no one was injured but he allegedly lost his machines and clothes worth over $300k.

Having failed at his senatorial ambition, Dakova enjoyed a soft-landing and a buffer for the losses he incurred campaigning by his appointment as a Special Adviser to the former Minister of Works, Adeseye Ogunlewe. His foray into politics hurt his fashion business hence his decision to quit politics to resuscitate his business. Alas! He could no longer command the attention and patronage of fashion buffs as younger creative designers had emerged in his absence to take his place. He later relocated to Abuja where he floated a night club. The night club eventually closed shop due to managerial and cash flow issues.

AS HER SECOND MARRIAGE CRASHES, REMI ADIUKWU REVERTS TO FIRST HUSBAND’S NAME
Like a moth attracted to a flame, love for Chief Bakare Oluwalogbon drew Remi Adiukwu, closer to his bosom and his home. Caught in their passion, the flame fanned by his breath shone through his soul and that of his beloved bride. Then they got married in a fit of love. But suddenly, their love, like the moth, simply died. In the wake of their estrangement, Remi, a perennial gubernatorial aspirant in Lagos, packed out of her matrimonial home, leaving Bakare, the founder of Oluwalogbon motors, with a broken heart. As she clocks 60, Remi has reverted to the name of her ex-husband. Now, she simply bears, Remi Adiukwu instead of Remi Adiukwu-Bakare.

After her second marriage to Chief Bakare hit an iceberg, Remi packed her belongings and relocated to Abuja, the nation’s capital, to pick the shattered pieces of her heart. So desperate is she to keep a low profile that the popular female politician had a low-key celebration of her 60th anniversary at her church in Abuja. No doubt, Remi has had her fair share of disappointments on the nation’s political turf. But let rumour mongers not forget that after her failed gubernatorial bid in Lagos, Remi counted her losses and established a flourishing fabric shop. The establishment stocks high quality fabrics comprising lace and ankara materials. Recently, she confirmed her failed marriage to a popular society magazine. According to her, her 20-year marriage crashed because she was too unhappy and disillusioned to continue with it.