No woman needs to age and look it – Betty Irabor, Publisher, Philanthropist

Fondly known as Aunty Betty, Betty Irabor, Publisher, Genevieve Magazine has always been admired for her journalistic brilliance and her passion for style.  Irabor, an amiable writer and philanthropist, who recently turned 60, has mentored so many young women and is generally believed to have popularized awareness on breast cancer in Nigeria. Through her Genevieve Pink Ball Foundation, she began a massive advocacy programme on the terminal disease that kills women. The foundation donated a mammography machine valued at N9million to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for early diagnosis of breast cancer. The Genevieve Pink Ball Foundation is thriving. She was hosted by the media at Muson Centre during the week and it was an awesome experience as the talk of the day centered on media integrity. Thereafter, she spoke with Sunday Sun about her life at 60. Her heartthrob Soni Irabor and her style.

You look pretty younger, what’s the secret?
Actually, I’m passionate about wellbeing. I exercise and visit the SPA every Friday. I do facials and body scrubs. It’s very important.  My beauty regime is really strong. I detox once a month. I swim and I have finally found a beauty range that works for me. I do a lot. For instance, in my bathroom, I exfoliate every other day. It’s not about bleaching but removing the cells that are not necessary and using a serum. Otherwise, age cometh and believe me, you will age if you do not continuously take care of yourself. Also, I drink a lot of water.

Are you on special diet to stay this cute?
The thing is, I weigh 63 kilograms. If I weigh 65 kilograms tomorrow, I go back to 63. I do a detox and then I go to the gym. I won’t allow myself to get to 70 years and start panicking. No woman needs to age and look it.

You and your husband are like Siamese twins. What’s the secret?
When your values are right, when you marry for the right reasons and when you marry someone who adds value to your life; you will go through turbulent times but you will go through it together. Soni is my biggest confidant; he’s my biggest cheerleader.
One of the biggest decisions any woman would make in her life time is of a life partner, because it could kill you, it could make you fly, it could make you be the best you can be or it can reduce you to the least in self esteem. So, be mindful who your partner is going to be and why.

If there’s anything like reincarnation, would you choose him as a husband again?
Definitely.

Can you share some of your life experiences as a couple?
I remember on one of our trips to the UK and at Marks & Spencer, I saw a pair of shoes, which cost eight pounds, and I looked at it and Soni said no. The money he gave me was not that much to buy so many things and he said to me, very soon you will come back and buy and buy and you will not even be buying eight pounds shoes. That happened like two years later.

Were you courting then?
We were newly married, working on our budget.

Another experience?
In my entire antenatal in the hospital for nine months he was with me. Then on the day of delivery, he wasn’t allowed in. Come and see wildcat. When they called the owner of the hospital, he said they better let him in. During one of my pregnancies, he was happy to see me eat anything and I didn’t have a maid. One fateful day, he asked me what I would like to eat and I said pounded yam. He entered the kitchen and started pounding yam and his auntie walked in and asked “Betty, do you have a maid, who is pounding yam in the kitchen?” I said Soni. That day, I remember I was relaxing with my two legs up. She entered the kitchen and screamed “Aah, Soni, you are pounding yam?” After that, he brought the food.

What did his auntie say to you?
Not with Soni. With Soni, I’m untouchable.

You are really stylish; must it be a designer wear for you?
I’m never over the top when it comes to fashion. Never; just comfortable is the keyword for me. It’s not really about designer wears. I always mix and match. I ordered some things online and when them came, the bill was N7, 500.  When I wore them, people said it must D& G.
When I told them the price, they never believed. It’s how you carry yourself. It’s a total look; it’s a total package.  I don’t ape the Joneses or do the trend. I create my style and I don’t believe in the brand. I believe in looking good within reasonable budget. I spend on bags but I will never spend  $2,000 dollars on a dress.

But this is really shocking because people would think you spend fortune on dresses the way you dress…
It’s because all these designers are my friends, they are like my aburos and are excited when I patronize them. I’m very girly in my dress sense.

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