PRINCESS Bukola Adeniran is the wife of Professor Tunde Adeniran, the political scientist and former Ambassador of Nigeria to Germany. Recently, she turned 50 and had a birthday party in Abuja. Looking stunning in her attire that evening, the ebony black celebrant who is a deputy director at the National Assembly, spoke with Sunday Sun at the event. Excerpts:
By Christy Anyanwu
How do you feel at 50?
I want to thank God for everything, His love and tender mercies. For everything he has done for me.
What has life taught you?
I have learnt both good and bad sides of life. God has seen me through a lot of things. Life has taught me to be patient, to be good, to be accommodating and that I don’t have to look down at everybody. When you are nice and good to everyone, you will enjoy life. You know what, the rate at which people are having hypertension these days is alarming.
But when you maintain a free mind with everybody, it helps your wellbeing. For me, I’m very friendly and at peace with everyone. When my staff come to my house to see me, they are amazed. They probably thought madam would just sit down at home and people serve me left and right. They are often surprised to see me in the kitchen when they visit my home and when they get to the office they gist among themselves that madam cooks and she was even the one serving them in her house. This life is very simple. What is it that we have that is not given to us by God?
Can we know you more?
I’m Princess Bukola Adeniran from the Olajobu royal family of Ikogosi in Ekiti State . My father was the king of Ikogosi town. I’m married to Professor Tunde Adeniran, the former minister of education and former Nigerian ambassador to Germany.
As a princess how was life growing up?
I think it’s quite an experience being a princess. We were given all the best, I mean all the best things of life. We are respected by everybody and they believe we must not go into the bush and that rain must not touch us. As a princess, I have maids and servants at my beck and call. It’s quite exciting.
Does that mean you were a spoilt brat?
No, not at all. I was spoilt but well-trained. I don’t even allow anybody to cook for my husband despite the fact that we have maids. I do the cooking myself.
My parents were strict disciplinarians. My mother was a head school teacher and my father was the territorial control manager of NITEL in the old Western Region. They didn’t allow us to go to parties and have fun like other young ladies. The first four of my father’s children are girls, so my father over-protected us. I didn’t go to parties or night clubs , I was always on my own and I’m the shy type too. All my friends knew me for that from childhood. I was always on my own and I haven’t changed much. I’m the stay-at-home type. It’s all from the house to the office, from the office to the church and I’m back home.
You look stylish, what do you like to wear?
Anything good on me. I don’t like iro and buba. I just don’t like them. I prefer western attire.
What’s your favourite food?
I like rice. It could be rice and stew, jollof rice or fried rice. Also, Ofada rice is delicious.
Where is your favourite holiday spot?
I visit the United States because my children are in the US, so I’m always in the United States on holidays.
So, how did you meet your husband, Professor Adeniran?
He was my lecturer at the University of Ibadan and I met him at the University of Ibadan. Today, we have three boys. One is here with us in Nigeria. He is Tunde Adeniran (jr) and he works at the Central Bank. The second one is a neurosurgeon and based in the United States of America and our last son read political science like his dad. He is also in the United States. My first son got married last year.
What do you think attracted you to a man like prof among other beautiful girls on campus?
I can tell you vividly that my beauty and my character was what attracted me to him as his student.
Were you not afraid when your lecturer approached you for courtship?
I wasn’t because I’ve loved him all along. I noticed he’s a quiet person, that he is caring and straightforward. He is a gentleman, he’s also the stay-at-home type like me. He’s very loving and he’s like a father, uncle and brother to me. He’s everything to me. We have this similarity of staying at home.
Were you in Germany with your husband on his diplomatic assignment?
Yes, we were there with him . Myself and the children. It was okay out there but life was very boring when you are in another country. The weather is not favourable. I don’t like cold weather. It’s very harsh on my skin. But the good thing about it all was that my husband served our country meritoriously in Germany and we did our best as a family to support him.
How do you relax?
I just stay at home, cook and eat with my husband. I don’t go out at all. I’m always at home except when I go to work and church. I don’t visit people except on special occasions and it’s once in a while. Maybe the person has been coming to see me for a while and I’ll just make out time to see the person too. That has been my lifestyle and I’m used to it.
How do you start your day?
When I wake up in the morning, I say my prayers, take my bath and get ready for the office. After work, I come back home to my owner’s corner. There’s a chair in my house that nobody sits on except me. All my friends call it owner’s corner. That’s where you will find me watching television until I start dozing and go off to bed.