Quincy: A woman must be submissive to her husband

Love is in the air, as Valentine’s Day is a few days away, defined by the colour of passion in all shades of red. And with many relationships hitting the rocks and marriages crashing shortly after take-off nowadays, The Guardian went in search of two women who have had enduring marriages to tell us what it takes to keep the flame of love burning even after decades of tying the nuptial knots…. We can take a cue from them.

From her three-seater sofa at the entrance of her seating room, Quincy Olasumbo Ayodele, Chief Executive Officer of Quincy Herbal Slimmer, was full of thanks to God as she narrated the story of her life at 60 and 36 years of marriage to John Ayodele, an engineer.Wearing her usual smile as she painted the picture of how she made it to the top through dint of hardwork and trust in God, Quincy recounted her life and love experiences, the secret of looking younger and how she made it from grassroots to the top in herbal medicine despite all odds.For her, moving from being a banker to selling puff-puff and then herbal medicine practice in Nigeria and abroad was not a big deal, ascribing her success in convincing the World Health Organisation (WHO) to separate being fetish from herbal medicine practice in Africa and Nigeria to God, who ordered her step into the field she attested to be witnessing growth in Nigeria and Africa.
 
How do you feel at 60?
I feel happy, healthy and great and give God the glory for the grace to clock 60. I still feel the same way I felt at 21 and I really don’t feel differently, because God has been my source of strength. Though people say I really don’t look my age, but I don’t know how to feel 60 and I’m grateful to God. May be somebody can come and teach me how to look 60… (laughs)

What is the secret of your youthful look even at 60?
I am a herbal healthcare practitioner and there is this general saying, ‘physicians, heal yourself.’ I am a slimmer and skincare health practitioner and so I have to look like what I preach. Looking good is my business and if I say people must slim down, I cannot afford to be fat.  If I say people’s skin must look glow, I cannot afford to look rough.  

I don’t use other people’s products; I use the products made and formulated by Quincy Herbal Slimmer. I don’t eat anyhow; I live on vegetables and fruits majorly, because what you eat is what you are. I drink a lot of water and I don’t drink cold water, because it slows down digestion and sometimes freezes the fatty content in the system. Water aids digestion. I do exercise, but not the hard one that could affect my knees.

I also don’t eat late into the night, because that was how we were brought up. Anything after 7:00pm ends my dinner. My grandmother’s meal ended by 6:00pm and after that, it was tales by moonlight. Some people eat dinner by 10pm and 11pm and expect it to digest. Attempting to eat dinner by 10:00pm is tantamount to you trying to kill yourself. I can understand that people have busy work schedule in Lagos, for example, but we are only killing ourselves when we eat anything after 7:00pm, because metabolism stops working by 7:00pm. The food will only remain in the system till 6:00am the following morning before digestion can take place.

Those who want to look like me should emulate me by disciplining their stomachs, taking care of their skin, not keeping malice and doing more exercise that is suitable for their bodies.I have kept what I wore on my 60th birthday and wishes to wear them again when I clock 70, by God’s grace. I believe God will keep me alive. I won’t add extra boobs and figure as some people are doing now. I am waiting to see what becomes of those adding boobs and hips in the next five years.

What would you regard as the peak of your achievement in life?
I thank God for the wonderful children and husband He has given me. I thank God and I appreciate Him for more to come. My greatest achievement is that God has arrested my soul and I am heavenly-inclined now. I thank God for ordering my step towards the right business that I delved into and the feat that I have attained today.
 
I am an expert committee member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the development of African traditional medicine. All the capsules and liquid forms of traditional medicine out there are the result of the battle we fought at WHO. We submitted our medicinal plants for research and, on completion, WHO issued a communiqué that separated fetish from traditional medicine practice in Africa and Nigeria.

God used me in the development of African traditional medicine and it is a huge achievement for me, because it is not a hidden thing to be a herbal medicine practitioner in Nigeria today.

At 60, are there things you would do differently given another chance?
I don’t think so, because I enjoy what I’m doing and I will still continue in this way.

What were the challenges along the way?
Challenges were at the beginning of my business, because people found it difficult to accept the efficacy of herbal medicine. I was called all sorts of names, but my persistence on what I believe in saw me through. I overcame by educating many people via the media that there is no incantation in medicinal plants apart from the medicinal property. Now, many people in Nigeria and Africa know the efficacy of traditional medicine.

Any regret in life?
As a Christian, I have no regret, because God has ordered my steps from childhood. Even how I met my husband was Divine and I have no regrets till date, even though some people who said I shouldn’t marry him cannot remember again, because the journey has been so smooth.

Love is in the air, how would you describe your love life?
My love life has been a very smooth one and I am very happy about that. Loving relationship is more than cordial. My husband has been a companion, my adviser, helper, comforter, lover and my everything. He feels the same way with me.There must be an agreement between two lovers. A woman must be submissive to the husband and he must love her as well. My husband is showering me with love, because I have been submissive to him.

Men are not crazy. “As Christ is the head of the church, so the man is the head of the house.” I call my husband Oluwami.  All these women liberation is not biblical. Any woman who wants to enjoy love must be submissive. My marriage would be 37 by December.

What do you share in common with your husband?
We eat the same thing and he also loves eating vegetables. We fast and pray together. We have common interest in raising our grandchildren.

How are you going to celebrate Valentine’s Day on Thursday?
My husband always takes me out for dinner. Wherever he is, he will take me out on Valentine’s Day, because I am 60 already.

In what ways have you impacted lives at 60?
I encourage young ladies and men to get married. I love to feed people and I do that regularly. I am known in some areas for doing that.My husband and I have sponsored so many people to school to the level of higher institutions. We are philanthropists and we are not used to having huge money in the account. At 60, I have been able to give to society and I will continue with the charity works.

What would be your request if you were to meet God?
I will appeal to Him to please help me so that I make heaven.

What is your advice to young ones and young couples?
Young couples should listen to God and carry God along with them in