Flashback: Peter, Lola Okoye’s amazing love story as she turns 50

Lola is nine years older than her husband. Peter and his twin, Paul, turned 40 in November 2021.

On Friday, Lola, the beautiful wife of Peter Okoye of Psquare fame, turned 50.

In celebration of her day, she posted several pictures of herself in a black feathered dress on Instagram.

She captioned it; “50 Shades of Lollipop. I am 50 and proud!”

A landmark celebration, her husband, took to social media to eulogise her.

In celebrating his wife of nine years, Peter, who adopted the name Mr P when he chose to pursue a solo career, described her as the wine in his life.

He also said that she is maturing into a more beautiful person year after year.

He wrote, “As wine ages, it matures into a drink that even the heavens crave. You are the wine in my life.

“You are my sweet intoxication. She is maturing into a more beautiful person year after year.

“Wishing you a very Happy 50th and fabulous Birthday, my dear wife!”

Lola Okoye
True to his words, what the couple’s fans found more striking was that Lola didn’t look a day older than her age.

More astonishing was that she is nine years older than her husband. Peter and his twin, Paul, turned 40 in November 2021.

On 6 August 6, 2013, Peter took everybody unawares, including Lola, when he drove a brand new Range Rover SUV worth N15 million into her Lekki, Lagos residence.

There, he popped the big question.

Lola and Peter Okoye
Peter and Lola married in 2013. They have two children, a son, Cameron and a daughter named Aliona.

Theirs is one of the scandal-free Nigerian celebrity marriages.

Before getting married, the couple dated for about eight years.

Peter and Lola’s love story
The couple met when P. Square was taking shape, and Lola worked with a firm which handled the “Benson and Hedges”.

Lola was a Business Development Director at FK:G2 (a top marketing outfit).

Lola and Peter Okoye
Her agency handled some British American Tobacco brands, and P-Square was billed to perform at a show organised by one of the brands in Enugu.

She recalled: “Though I had met Peter a couple of times before then, at the front, there was some chemistry. He asked for my number, and I refused to give it to him.

“I told him if he wanted to know me, you have to find my number. So he took it as a task and found my number, and the rest is history.”

Lola Okoye
Lola, who was 35 and a famous singer in his 20s, was not disturbed by the age difference.

Her defence?
“As I said, Peter is an old soul who always tells me I’m like a 23-year-old. Age is just a number,” she said in one of her old interviews.

Despite their different cultural backgrounds and career paths, the famous artiste’s love for Lola did not wane.

Lola and Peter Okoye
Even when she became pregnant with their first child, Cameron, Peter didn’t relinquish his responsibility.

Love at first sight
In a past interview, she recalls that at the show, there was some chemistry between them, even before they started dating.

Lola and Peter Okoye
Their son, Cameron, was born in 2008, five years before they married.

The Lola effect
A few years ago on Instagram, Peter revealed that Lola bought him his first car when they began dating.

He said Lola gave him her official car a few weeks after they (Peter and Paul) moved into Lagos and started dating.

He said: “That was the first time in my life experiencing a car with an air conditioner, and every night, I would sleep inside the vehicle.

Lola, Peter Okoye and kids
“You made me a better man, Lola, and I owe you nothing but love and loyalty.”

In an interview with UK-based Nigerian media personality Adesope Olajide in April 2021, Peter said Lola facilitated Psquare’s first gig in Lagos.

He said PSquare’s former manager gave Lola their CD, and she fell in love with their songs.

He also disclosed that Lola ensured that PSquare always performed at every function the agency she worked with organised.

Peter said they had to find a way to establish a new relationship with the agency Lola worked for.

Background
Although she was born in Nigeria, Lola holds dual nationality; Nigerian and Russian.

This is because her mother is from Russia.

She was initially admitted into the University of Ife to study Psychology in 1990 but left for San Francisco University, USA, where she studied Theater Arts.

She has worked with some media firms and as a Business Development Director.

She now sits as one of the executives in her late father’s company.

Lola, Peter Okoye and kids
She was named as one of the causes of the rifts that led to the break up of Psquare, though her husband, Mr P, fiercely defended her.

Other male celebs with older spouses
When it comes to finding love among Nigerian celebrities, the mantra, ‘age is nothing but a number, rings true’.

Mr P is not the first and the only celeb to marry someone older than him.

Famous RnB singer Dare Art-Alade has been married to his older wife, Deola, for 15 years.

Also in that league is former Big Brother Naija contestant, Mike Edwards, who is married to Perri Shakes-Drayton.

In that list would be Kaffy and Joseph Ameh, a drummer for Psquare, except they are now separated.

The same goes for singers Queen Ure Okezie and Soul E. The couple are, however, divorced