Fresh from her 47th and 25th anniversaries celebration where movers and shakers from Captains of Industry, politicians, society women and men from all walks of life converged on her sprawling Oluwanishola Estate to honour this woman of substance who has become the darling of all because of her humility, courteous and sterling qualities as a mother, wife and soulmate to her billionaire husband and Aare of Lagos, Alhaji Rasaki Akanni Okoya of the famous Eleganza Industry, the beautiful Bewaji of Lagos, Chief Mrs. Shade Okoya, MON, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director is being honored again. According to a letter sighted by Society Watch and addressed to the business magnate she is selected among 20 Outstanding Women in Nigeria in a special publication by Sun Newspaper slated for June 3, 2024
It says: ” ln Nigeria’s socio-Economic and political development, women have played key roles and firmly stand to be counted. Indeed, many women have broken the glass ceiling and proven to be a force to be reckoned.
In recognition of the sterling performance of women and their contributions in Nigeria, our medium is doing a special publication on 20 Outstanding Women in Nigeria.
“In consideration of your contribution to Nigeria’s development, we have chosen you as one of the Outstanding one.”
One is not surprised at this newest honour as ‘Mama Lamide’ as she is fondly called within the Okoya household has made a remarkable progress within the Eleganza Industry, turning it’s fortune around.
Since she plunged herself into the many areas of business holding various positions as Managing Director of Eleganza Fashion Products Limited, Eleganza Cruise and Travels Limited, as well as a member Board of the Directors of Eleganza Group and RAO Investment Property Company Limited. Okoya’s steps to becoming a top grade business executive has been a classic example of a brain meeting opportunity. Her talent endowments have been activated to peak performance by her responsibilities at Eleganza Groups. She set a record in the company by producing over 300,000 cartons of the company’s flagship product in a month and consistently achieving over 100 percent of monthly production target for over five years , reducing the production of waste level and losses from over 2.5 per cent to less than 0.5% without compromising Quality standards and GMP practices, reducing overall factory running and plant maintenance expenses by over 45% and at the same time maintaining high efficiency through strategic optimization.
Today, Eleganza industries is one of em the employers of labor with over 5,000 employees under its umbrella.
Born in Lagos on April 25, 1977 into the family of the late Alhaji Taju and Alhaja Nimota Adeleye from ljebu Ode in Ogun State, the business magnate began her early education at St. Bernadette Nursery and Primary School Lagos after which she proceeded to Awori Comprehensive High School graduating in 1991. A well-grounded woman of substance proceeded to Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo where she studied Banking and Finance. She capped it with a BSc in Sociology from University of Lagos, graduating in 2004. In 2014, she was honoured with Doctor of Science (honoris course) in Business Management and Corporate Leadership by the Senate of European American University. The same year, she bagged the Most Valuable Business Executive of the year from the board of trustees and advisory council of International Centre for Corporate Leadership for African and Blacks in Diaspora and Accolade International Marketing Limited.
At various times, she has been bestowed with various awards and chieftaincy titles amongst are the Bewaji of Lagos, Otun Aare lyalaje of Ajiranland, Yeye Oge of Epe Land, Ajisewa of Oke-Ona Egba and Patron of Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN). In October 2022, he was conferred with National Honours Award of MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) by the former President, Muhammadu Buhari.
This latest honour is a stamp of seal of approval that indeed, the Ijebu Ode Ogun State born business genius is an accompanied entrepreneur whose ingenuity, dedication and commitment to her callings will continue to be the talk of the town. .her humility, she still attributes her business acumen to her husband under whose wings she has continued to fly. In a recent interview she said. ‘I have learnt so many valuable lessons from my husband.
The most valuable lessons, I try to emulate and reach on a daily basis in running the business. My husband is a phenomenal leader, he is extremely motivating, charismatic and has a very hands-on approach to everything. I am always trying to emulate and reach the standards he has set. These life lessons are so valuable because money cannot buy them, and they will seldom be taught within the walls of any institution. I am consistently humbled by his wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom every day.”
