“I Have Been Married To King Sunny Ade For 47 Years – Princess Bolakale Adegeye

• KSA’s 1st Wife, Princess Bolakale Adegeye On How She Met Him At 19

Princess (Mrs.) Bolakale Adeniyi Adegeye, who was born more than 60 years ago to the famous Awosika family in Ondo town, is the first wife of the King of African Music and the founder of M&C 106.5FM Radio Station in Ondo, King Ishola Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday. They have been married for more than 47 years.

In a chat with City People’s Ondo/Ekiti Correspondent, Adeola Shittu, during her husband’s  birthday party at his country home, this successful business woman,  who is  based in Ondo, opened up on her marriage to King Sunny Ade and other issues.

Let me start by congratulating you on  your husband’s 70th birthday celebration. Can you tell us about yourself?

Thank you. I am Mrs. Bolakale Adeniyi Adegeye, a native of Ondo,  from the popular Awosika family,  I am the first wife of the Juju legend, King Sunny Ade, whose birthday we are all celebrating today. I’m a business woman based in Ondo town.

As the first wife, can you share with us, how you met your husband and what attracted you to him?

Well, I will say that destiny brought us together, I met KSA at the age of 19  and we were both young then. Though he was older than me.  We met through King Sunny Ade’s aunty, who told my aunty that she wanted me to marry him.

It was after their discussion that my aunty informed me about their decision and plan. She told that her friend would want me to marry her brother. I didn’t know much about him, but he was very popular then.

 I did not object to  my sister’s  decision because I believed she wanted the best for me.   When we finally met, I liked him and when he asked me to marry him, I agreed and today, the rest is history. One thing is that I’m alive to witness my husband’s  70th birthday and this same year, our marriage clocked 47years. And our union is blessed with successful children, who have given us grandchildren.

What is the secret of your 47 years of marriage?

Hmmm, I can’t even say there is a secret, but I will attribute my blissful marriage success to God Almighty, who had made it possible despite all odds. You see, marrying a celebrity like my husband is not an easy thing. It requires much endurance, but I thank God for where we are and the journey so far.  I pray we live long to celebrate more years together.

How have you been coping with the challenges, coupled with the fact that you are married to a music Icon?

Hmmm, is there any institution without its challenges? But what makes ours different is that our husband is a celebrity, who everyone wants to be with, but I want to appreciate God for the wisdom He has given me to relate with all his wives. Though we have many challenges,  my husband is an understanding person, we are  able to resolve them.

And don’t forget that with God, one will always overcome  challenges. As I said, we have our challenges, and once I wronged him, I would go on my knees to beg and seek  his pardon and if it is KSA who is wrong, he has a way of begging us,  his wives.

Was it after you met your husband that he started his music career or he had started before you met him?

I met my husband as a singer, I mean a promising Juju artiste then and I married him for who he was and not because of his fame.

So, how did you cope with him not sleeping at home, owing to the demands of his job and did you attend parties with him then as a young couple?

You see, once you know the kind of person you are married to, you don’t need to go about with him. Right from when we got married,  I never followed him to parties because I have no business there. My duty as a wife is to take care of the home front, but the only thing that got me worried then was if he didn’t return home on time, and he didn’t inform me that he would not be coming home. Don’t forget, we  didn’t  have mobile phone then, so I used to go  and look for him to ensure nothing had gone wrong.

The belief is that many women are  married to your husband because he is a music icon, are you also in that category of women?

As I said, it was King Sunny Ade’s aunty who insisted then that I must marry him  (she wanted me to marry her brother). At the time, I knew nothing about music or drums, so I didn’t marry him because he was a celebrity, rather, I accepted his aunty’s request and I believe it was destiny that brought us together.

How do you feel when addressed as King Sunny Ade’s wife?

(Laughs). You see, I’m happy I married my brother, I don’t call him my husband, rather, I call him Egbon mi (meaning my brother), I thank God and his aunty, who took that decision for me then.  He is a nice and understanding husband and the dream of all women. Is there any woman, who wouldn’t be happy to be associated with such a successful  man? He is the dream of all women as I said.

As the first wife of King Sunny Ade, I must say that you are very accommodating, to have welcomed many beautiful sisters to your palace. How do you feel when your husband brings in a new wife?

You see, King Sunny Ade’s empire is a home full of love and understanding and we are very accommodating.  Another thing is that the man in the middle of it all has planted love and understanding, while laying his foundation. As wives, we don’t see ourselves as rivals, rather, we see ourselves as blood sisters.  Another thing is that we speak with one voice no matter the distance between us.

We have never for one day exchanged abusive words or fought.  So, it’s a big family.  And don’t forget that we all don’t live together, as most of the wives are based in Lagos and other states, while some are based outside the country, but I am based in Ondo town.

Then how cordial is your relationship with them?

Very cordial, thanks to our level of communication. We are  able to communicate with one another, no matter the distance. To tell you the level of our cordiality, I do travel to Lagos sometimes to visit them, while they also come to Ondo town when our husband is in town. So, we use such opportunity to see one another. And for those who are far away, we always talk on phone. It’s a big and interesting family as I said.   Don’t forget that we are not from the same ethinic group, but King Sunny Ade brought all of us together, so we understand and appreciate one another.

Do you have any regrets getting married to King Sunny Ade?

God forbid, I have no regrets marrying my husband, Ishola Sunday AdeniyiAdegeye. I don’t know if we would be given an opportunity to return to this world, but if I’m given the opportunity 100 times, I will marry Ishola Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, fondly called King Sunny Ade, 100 times.

In one sentence, how will you describe your husband?

Can one sentence tell who my husband, Ishola Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye is? Well, he is a charming, caring father and husband. He is very understanding and he treats all of us equally. With him, there is no dull moment.