Olanrewaju Gentry, simply addressed as Larry Gentry is the CEO of La Veronique
Hotel, Oregun, Lagos and hubby of star actress, Mercy Aigbe. Larry who recently clocked 50 in a new interview, admitted that his only regret is marrying his first wife
despite his father’s warning.
Hotel, Oregun, Lagos and hubby of star actress, Mercy Aigbe. Larry who recently clocked 50 in a new interview, admitted that his only regret is marrying his first wife
despite his father’s warning.
See excerpts from his interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly.
On Wednesday, October 7, 2015, you turned 50, how does it feel joining the golden age?
It
feels great. I am happy about that. I give glory to Almighty God for
keeping me alive. But right inside me, I don’t feel 50. I still feel
like I am 20. I feel young and very agile. I don’t even feel 50 at
all. I am sincerely grateful to God about that. For everything we have
to be thanking God, especially for keeping us alive. I also thank Him
for His mercies on my family and my business.
feels great. I am happy about that. I give glory to Almighty God for
keeping me alive. But right inside me, I don’t feel 50. I still feel
like I am 20. I feel young and very agile. I don’t even feel 50 at
all. I am sincerely grateful to God about that. For everything we have
to be thanking God, especially for keeping us alive. I also thank Him
for His mercies on my family and my business.
50 is a milestone in one’s life, would you say you have achieved the targets you set for yourself before clocking 50?
One thing is that, God loves us to be thanking Him in whatever
circumstance we find ourselves, in whatever we might have accomplished. I
thank God for whatever I have been able to achieve and what I am still
going to achieve. Personally, as regards achievements, I will say there
is nothing a man of my age could have set to achieve that I have not
achieved. God has given me all I desired in life but I am still praying
for more from Him. I really thank God for everything He has been doing
in my life.
So, you admitted God has blessed you marvelously at 50?
Yes,
for keeping me alive. Also, for keeping my family and my business
alive and strong. At 50, I keep saying thank you God for what He has
done in my life. I really appreciate Him for giving me all he had given
me, including sound health. I still believe He will still do more.
for keeping me alive. Also, for keeping my family and my business
alive and strong. At 50, I keep saying thank you God for what He has
done in my life. I really appreciate Him for giving me all he had given
me, including sound health. I still believe He will still do more.
But what more do you still need from God after admitting being blessed wondrously at 50?
No
matter how blessed a man is by God, he will still ask God for more. To
me, I want God to give me more wisdom. I also ask for more of good
health, knowledge and other necessary ingredients to forge ahead in my
home and business. And I also desire more energy from God to perform as husband and father in my home. What’s the greatest thing that has happened to you since you’re born till you’re 50?
matter how blessed a man is by God, he will still ask God for more. To
me, I want God to give me more wisdom. I also ask for more of good
health, knowledge and other necessary ingredients to forge ahead in my
home and business. And I also desire more energy from God to perform as husband and father in my home. What’s the greatest thing that has happened to you since you’re born till you’re 50?
All
I can say is that everything about me has been going on smoothly and
greatly since I was born. But I think the first day of my joy was when I
graduated from the university. As a young graduate, that’s my greatest
joy. I was so happy. In all, I thank God for all He has done for me.
I can say is that everything about me has been going on smoothly and
greatly since I was born. But I think the first day of my joy was when I
graduated from the university. As a young graduate, that’s my greatest
joy. I was so happy. In all, I thank God for all He has done for me.
At 50, what were the things you were doing that perhaps you can’t do anymore?
Just
like I said, I don’t feel that age. I still feel very strong and
agile. Nothing has really changed in me. There’s nothing I was doing
before getting to 50 that I cannot do again. I still feel 25 or 30.
But in terms of maturity, when you attain 50, you realize you’re no
longer a small boy. Your approach to so many things must be different.
So, you have to slow down on so many things. You also need to control
yourself in so many situations. Age is no longer on your side the
moment you clock 50. Then you need to take everything you do very
seriously and be focused. For instance, I have found out I must be very
careful in most of the things I do now.
like I said, I don’t feel that age. I still feel very strong and
agile. Nothing has really changed in me. There’s nothing I was doing
before getting to 50 that I cannot do again. I still feel 25 or 30.
But in terms of maturity, when you attain 50, you realize you’re no
longer a small boy. Your approach to so many things must be different.
So, you have to slow down on so many things. You also need to control
yourself in so many situations. Age is no longer on your side the
moment you clock 50. Then you need to take everything you do very
seriously and be focused. For instance, I have found out I must be very
careful in most of the things I do now.
I
have always told my younger brother that age moves faster, and it’s no
longer on my side anymore. So, I need to take it easy with myself. And
I thank God, I have a very understanding wife that really takes good
care of me, that makes me feel very happy always. I believe that at
this age, one must be very careful in doing things not only in one’s
business but also at home and with other people around you. If you’re
not very careful in handling things, before you realize, all the small
boys around you will be mocking you. So, everything has to be done
moderately and carefully.
have always told my younger brother that age moves faster, and it’s no
longer on my side anymore. So, I need to take it easy with myself. And
I thank God, I have a very understanding wife that really takes good
care of me, that makes me feel very happy always. I believe that at
this age, one must be very careful in doing things not only in one’s
business but also at home and with other people around you. If you’re
not very careful in handling things, before you realize, all the small
boys around you will be mocking you. So, everything has to be done
moderately and carefully.
Was there any step you took in the past that perhaps called for regret
The only regret I had was my first marriage. I regretted my
first marriage because, when I wanted to marry, my father told me the
lady I brought home wasn’t okay. He said I shouldn’t go on with the
marriage. But as a young man, I went contrary to my dad’s wish. And
the whole thing ended in a deep regret. But to God be the glory, my
father will always say there is no regret in any marriage that has
produced children.
first marriage because, when I wanted to marry, my father told me the
lady I brought home wasn’t okay. He said I shouldn’t go on with the
marriage. But as a young man, I went contrary to my dad’s wish. And
the whole thing ended in a deep regret. But to God be the glory, my
father will always say there is no regret in any marriage that has
produced children.
Initially,
I had it in my plan that two women would not have children for me. But
man proposes, God disposes. So, that’s the only regret I have in my
life. But as God would have it, I have been rewarded with another
fantastic woman. As of today, I am very happy with what God has done for
me in that aspect.
I had it in my plan that two women would not have children for me. But
man proposes, God disposes. So, that’s the only regret I have in my
life. But as God would have it, I have been rewarded with another
fantastic woman. As of today, I am very happy with what God has done for
me in that aspect.
That means getting married to Mercy Aigbe is a blessing to you?
My
wife is a serious blessing to me. We have been together for 12 years.
So, I don’t regret having her as my wife. Mercy is a kind of person
that really wants her home to work. She wants her marriage to stay. No
matter any obstacle, my wife will say, “Lanre, this is my home, and I
am not ready to leave. Nobody can pursue me out of my marriage to
you.” And my daddy loves her. Everybody in my family loves her. She
is also a lovely human being. She is not what many people think of
actresses because she always stands by me. She is very homely. She is
not wayward and she takes really good care of me. That’s what I can say
about her.
wife is a serious blessing to me. We have been together for 12 years.
So, I don’t regret having her as my wife. Mercy is a kind of person
that really wants her home to work. She wants her marriage to stay. No
matter any obstacle, my wife will say, “Lanre, this is my home, and I
am not ready to leave. Nobody can pursue me out of my marriage to
you.” And my daddy loves her. Everybody in my family loves her. She
is also a lovely human being. She is not what many people think of
actresses because she always stands by me. She is very homely. She is
not wayward and she takes really good care of me. That’s what I can say
about her.
At 50, what’s the greatest lesson life has taught you?
There
are so many lessons life has taught me at 50. But I may not say
everything because I don’t want those that have not clocked that age to
be scared sort of. I don’t want them to be afraid of that age. And I
still have some people that are looking up to me. I really thank God for
that. It’s not by my making but God. The fact that I am prosperous in
my business is a lesson on its own that goes beyond my knowledge. The
fact that everything is working fine for me doesn’t mean I am perfect
before God. If you say you know how to do it and God doesn’t want it to
work, there is no way it can work. But if God says anything you lay
your hands on will work, no matter what anybody may do, it must surely
work. So, God has always been number one in my agenda.
are so many lessons life has taught me at 50. But I may not say
everything because I don’t want those that have not clocked that age to
be scared sort of. I don’t want them to be afraid of that age. And I
still have some people that are looking up to me. I really thank God for
that. It’s not by my making but God. The fact that I am prosperous in
my business is a lesson on its own that goes beyond my knowledge. The
fact that everything is working fine for me doesn’t mean I am perfect
before God. If you say you know how to do it and God doesn’t want it to
work, there is no way it can work. But if God says anything you lay
your hands on will work, no matter what anybody may do, it must surely
work. So, God has always been number one in my agenda.
