Love Made in Heaven… Akinwunmi Adesina Four Decades in Marriage

“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.” As William Shakespeare so eloquently put it, true love stands unwavering through time and change. This sentiment perfectly captures the enduring love story of Akinwunmi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank Group, and his wife, Grace (Yemisi), as they celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.

Adesina, often celebrated as “Africa’s Optimist-in-Chief,” has achieved remarkable milestones in his professional life. From his tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture to his leadership at the African Development Bank (AfDB), Adesina’s visionary work has transformed sectors and uplifted millions. Yet, through all these accomplishments, his devotion to his wife remains steadfast, a cornerstone of his personal and professional success.

On their special anniversary, Adesina took to social media to express his deep love and admiration for his wife. Sharing both nostalgic wedding photos and recent snapshots, he poignantly wrote, “40 years of loving and treasuring you, Grace (Yemisi), are the best years of my life. One love, one team, one goal. I love you, Honey.” In so few words, Adesina captured the unwavering commitment and unity that has defined his and his wife’s four decades together.

It has to be said that Adesina applies a similar level of dedication to his career, which is unsurprisingly marked by groundbreaking achievements. It is on record that he revolutionised Nigeria’s agriculture sector by eradicating corruption in the fertiliser industry and implementing an innovative electronic wallet system. As President of AfDB, he spearheaded the largest capital increase in the bank’s history and launched significant financial responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But in the face of all these achievements, Adesina’s love for his wife has never wavered. In fact, he often attributes his successes to her support and partnership. No wonder he dares to declare that he would marry her 40 times over. Any other man enjoying the same blessings would declare the same!