On the 29th of July, the pretty and ever young Lagos society matriarch, HRH Princess Yewande Onileere turned 80. This milestone is such a huge one that she celebrated it big. For many who are just seeing Princess Yewande Onileere for the first time, they never believe she is 80! Why, because she looks so young. She can pass for a 60 year old. God has blessed her with a beautiful stature and beauty to go with. You can not mention society women in Lagos and she will not be on the list. She has rocked the social scene for over 40 years and she has not retired. She is one of the celebrity women who attend A-List parties. She is one of the most invited celebrities that graces major events in Lagos. She has also been able to keep a wide range of celebrity women who are her friends and who are also very prominent.
One thing you can not take away from her when you sight her at parties is what she is wearing. She has a style that is peculiar to her and this she has kept for many years, how? She took after fashion from her mum and has been running a fashion house since when she was young. At 80, she still wears high heels, and she still cuts her clothes by herself.
City People Society Editor, TAYO OYEDIJI spent an afternoon at her Lagos home few days back where she granted an exclusive interview on her life at 80. Read on.
You just turned 80 and this is such a milestone, how do you feel turning 80?
I am so excited and so happy. I am actually looking forward to it in few days.
How prepared are you towards your birthday and how much preparation has gone into it?
Not very much though. My siblings and my children are the ones that want to celebrate me. I can’t refuse them so I just went along with what they are planning. They are the ones handling everything about the party. In fact, seeing me like this, it does not look as if anything is going to happen but they are on the preparation and we pray the day comes and all that we want to do will be a success.
80 is such a good place to be, what can you say in all your 80 years?
To be 80 is a very big privilege, I have gone through many things in life. I have gone through many ups and downs, the good and the ugly. Sometimes things work as you plan them and sometimes, it will not go well but I am thanking my God that I am still alive, feeling good, looking well, not sick, in fact, I don’t even feel like I am 80. Noo, if not that we are looking at the calendar and counting the days, I really don’t feel I am 80.
I still feel the same. Old age is old age, and it is also a grace from the almighty God to grow old and well, but occasionally when I want to just get up at a go, I will have to slow down a bit to get up at this stage now. And it is not all that bad, so far, so good, I am enjoying it, I am really happy because it is a great privilege. I am good and I feel good at 80.
You really don’t look 80 though as you have said, what has really kept you up with this youthful look of yours over the years?
The grace of God is most of all. That is one thing I am grateful for. I want to thank almighty God for keeping me in good health. It is someone who is healthy that can celebrate and I am grateful for that. Another thing that has kept me going is my social life. I like to socialize with people maybe because I am a business person. I am such a person who can’t sit in a place doing nothing. I always like to do one thing or the other. For instance, in the last 3 years I have not opened my shop because of this covid then, I don’t really like to sit at home, I don’t like it much because it made me look as if I am retiring but I am not tired.
So socially it keeps me moving, so far I am enjoying my life, I still go out very well. I have not had any major illness apart from the small, small headaches, so I am happy I am doing what I like to do. I like to put my mind at rest. No matter how it is, you know, one must have little bit of ups and down moments so that is just it, life goes on and we move on with it.
If you look back on all your years, can you say there are any fulfillments or regrets in life that you will like to mention?
Hmmm, let us start from regret, but really I will not say it is a regret because sometimes what you want is not what you get. like I had wanted to have 4 children, I only have 2 but I thank God for that. But for now, I am ok, I am happy with the two I have. They are doing very well. But in terms of fulfillment, there are so many of them. One is being alive to witness my 80th. I am very grateful to God. It is really uncountable oo, I cant just thank God enough. Like when I was young I used to think that there is a limit for a woman to go but now the sky is the limit. I am doing well with what I do, my business is going on smoothly, I am living my life in fulfilment, happy with my children. So lets say I am contented with what I have, where I am. I am satisfied with all that God has blessed me with. I don’t go beyond my reach.
What has life taught you at 80?
At 80, I have learnt that it is good to be nice because when you are good, good things will come to you. There is a big advantage when you are good, everything goes as planned, it is good for one to be very good most especially to others. You must be free in giving, I have also learnt that to forgive is divine. you have to forgive the people that offend you.
You have to let many things go and forgive. Because like someone said, the journey is so short, you don’t keep malice, you don’t keep anyone in mind, have a free mind with almost everybody. Keeping malice means you are hurting your heart and keeping it in your brain and thereby disturbing yourself, so once you forgive and forget about it, then your mind is free. You can move on with your own life, instead of wasting time on other peoples issues. So I keep my few friends. I always put my mind at rest. To finalize that, one has to be very good.
Lets talk about your style. You have been stylish for over 50 years, what does style really mean to you?
To me, style is comfort. I don’t wear what does not suit me. I like to be comfortable in whatever I put on. Style to me is being unique. I got my fashion sense from my mother. My mother was very stylish in her time. When I was very young, my mother used to sew her dress to go to church, she sews all her dresses by herself. So from there I picked it up, and I have been sewing dresses from when I was in Methodist Girls High School, I can sew a wedding dress. I have been making clothes since then. I made money. When I started working, if I want to wear a cloth tomorrow, I will sew it the day before I sleep, so that has been my routine for many years. I am always conscious about what I wear when I am going out. I am always conscious about my looks when I go out up till now, I can still sew. Up till now, if you want to sew for me, I have to cut for you to sew for me. If not if I give you a cloth to go and sew for me and you bring it to me, there will be too much complaints on it.
So you still go to your shop till now?
Yes I still go to my shop. My shop is on Bode Thomas. Now I don’t sew anymore but my fashion shop is still running. I still cut my own clothes then they sew it for me in the shop. When my friends come around to sew, I cut the style they want myself then they sew it in my shop. Because since covid, I have not been regular in the shop. My shop is still intact.
Lets talk about your circle of friends, you have been able to keep a particular set of friends for many decades, how have you been able to still hold on to many of them?
I have been able to achieve that with tolerance. You have to tolerate people and know your friends. If you know what your friends like then you won’t offend each other. I don’t keep malice with anyone of them unless there is a third party that is trying to come in between us. Apart from that. I was not brought up to keep malice, because I am from a good Christian background, we were not taught to keep malice, so if you can tolerate each other, it will strengthen the friendship. I can tolerate anybody, if you do something to me, I will just look at you and move on. I will just say that is your own life oo but me this is what I want. So exactly the type of friends you have shows the type of person that you are too. So my friends have all been good to me. They are precious to me and I cherish their friendship.
Can you share with us your background, growing up days?
My mother was a staff nurse and got to a nursing sister before she died. My father was an educationist, a teacher, then Headmaster. He taught at Baptist Academy and later became a king.
I grew up as a Christian girl, I went to Ereko Methodist School from there to Methodist Girls High School. I always go to Methodist Church up till now. So my youth has been going to the church and a little bit of socials like going to church harvests, Sunday School, Bible Class, I was once a chorister in the church when my voice was still very much active. My youth was within this Christian circle.
How did your fashion business started?
Like I said, I took that from my mother. I went into fashion since when I was very young at High School. Since then I have not left it. My fashion house was called Grand Pasaj Fashion House at Adeniran Ogunsanya Surulere, from that I changed it to Olori Fabrics which is still on at Bode Thomas.
In between, I was once a distributor with Guinness , maltex and one other. In between that I got to travel to many Asian countries, I have been to far east, about 6 to 10 places in Asia, I have been to Europe, been to America, doing buying and selling. When I was young, I could not sit in one place, I was doing one business or the other, moving around. I thank God.
When you are seen at parties, you are always on high heel shoes? How comfortable is this for you at this age?
Yes, up till now I still wear my high heels. I am more comfortable on high heels than low heel shoes. I have been wearing it for decades.
Is there any of your children doing fashion as well?
No, they didn’t follow my line at all but like my daughter, she took part of it from me. She can stay on the table for hours cutting materials. She can cut and sew but she is not doing it as a profession.
To round up your 80th birthday interview, what are your final words?
Firstly I want to thank God almighty for this grace and privilege to attain 80. I want to also say that free mind brings longetivity. Keep your mind free. If your mind is free, you can get on with anything or anybody. If your mind is not free, you will spend too much time on other people than facing your own stuff. Make it easy for yourself. Be focused, be yourself , that has been my secret. I am content with all that I have.
