Couples looking for a unique way to celebrate Lovers’ Day today in Lagos can look forward to ‘Spice It Up 2025,’ an exclusive event hosted by Olori Aderonke Erinle, the creative director of QR Luxury Events. The annual event offers couples a special evening today, Valentine’s Day, to reconnect and celebrate their love through fine dining, live music and other engaging activities. Married to Omo’ba Adeola Erinle, the vision, according to Aderonke, is to foster stronger bonds among couples, inspire the celebration of love, and create an annual tradition where relationships are rekindled and cherished across the country. She speaks to Lovehaven Magazine in this Valentine’s Day edition
Real Reasons QR Luxury Event Organises ‘Spice It Up’
First, let’s understand that love shouldn’t be celebrated only on Valentine’s Day but every minute, hour and everyday. Couples should make themselves feel loved and speak good words to each other. Love fails but a good relationship doesn’t fail because friendship is more than love.
‘Spice It Up’ is an event I’ve always had in my bucket-list among other events. I have a foundation for the aged and I’ve run it for almost 18 years. It is called the Olori Aderonke Omolola Erinle Foundation. It is for persons aged from 70 years and above. I chose that because most people in that age group aren’t well cared for. At that age, they are at home, bored and nobody around them. Often, their children living in the metropolis don’t really have time for them and could get minders to care for them. There are hardly activities for them.
What the foundation does is to enlighten them that being old isn’t a death sentence and there are lots of things to do to remain excited.
Mind you, I did all these with my personal funds, I had volunteers but nobody gave us money. So, I started doing things to raise money so as to run the foundation. That was when the idea of QR Signature came up and we started making Adire, shoe, bags, straw-hats and many local fabrics. We still needed funds and more people to come on board. That was when I came up with ‘Spice It Up’. It’s actually a fund-raising event to help with my foundation. It’s to bring families together and rejuvenate relationships among couples. Homes are small units of the society and if it augurs well at home, the society would be a better place.
Why We Chose February 14
The first edition was in 2023 but it was for a programme I supervised in church. I needed lots of money to cater for about 1,500 women. That was when I knew I needed a fundraiser. This edition is holding on Valentine’s Day because it’s a Friday and we also want to encourage togetherness in marriages, among couples and more. Our target audience includes both young and older married couples who find it challenging to pause and reconnect due to life’s daily demands. In the midst of responsibilities, we sometimes forget that nurturing relationships requires intentional effort. This special evening is dedicated to reigniting the spark in marriages, creating an atmosphere of love, intimacy and joy.
Why I Founded Olori Aderonke Omolola Erinle Foundation
I established it to support a charitable cause. I lived with my grandparents and I saw how my mum was helpful to them and ensured they were kept clean. I saw my mum doing this and I grew to love doing such too. I made up my mind that I would take care of her too when she grows old. Unfortunately, my mum died 18 years ago and I channeled the love to caring for other older people. Even before the foundation, I would give out food items and other stuffs to these old people during Christmas. There was a time we took all these ladies for a spa day. They were all happy and had a great time including talks on their health and much more. We decided to launch it officially some years ago. The event was at the Oriental Hotel and it was a nice one.
The proceeds from ‘Spice It Up’ will go towards the Olori Aderonke Omolola Erinle Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of the elderly in Nigeria. Giving back to the aged community is a priority for us. Through this event, we can celebrate love while also making a difference.
My Experience In Marriage
There are ups and downs in marriages and many factors affect marriages in this part of the world. You can actually keep your love going if you abide to some rules in marriage.
Some of the rules for a sustainable marriage is; respect, learn to say sorry and then dialogue. This simply means to discuss and never think some things are trivial. Discuss everything. In the course of talking, you also connect more. You also need a lot of wisdom to achieve success in marriage.
Don’t forget tolerance, forgiveness and speaking kind words to each other. Marriage is a flight and it must not crash.
How To Spice Up Your Marriage
This brings us to spicing up our relationship in marriage. How?
Go on a date together, gift your spouse something—a card, love letter etc. Make out time for each other, travel, don’t let the children come between you. So many factors have to come to play before you can have a successful marriage.
How I Met My Husband
I met him about two years before we got married. We have been married for 23 years now. Then, I prayed about my husband before we met. I told God that when the person comes, I want to know. I met him in church and the first day he came to me, he said he wanted to marry me. I had never set my eyes on him before he came. It was an affirmation that God heard me. You should know what you want in a man/woman and even if they don’t have all you wanted, they will still have some.
Why Marriage Crash
I don’t support violence in marriage and I always advise that couple should contact counselors to put them through during a turbulent time in marriage. The rate of divorce is alarming. But then, marriage needs a lot of tolerance and forgiveness. You need to make a balance sheet and see where things are going wrong.
You should be interested in your spouse’ s goals. Support his/her dream. Love his passions, love his/her hobbies. Discuss the children, discuss your work too and family goals. It gives your spouse that feeling that you care about his/her success. How to help your spouse get to the pinnacle of success in business/career should be your concern. Research on passions/hobbies etc and show interest so you can have conversations. Some couples don’t even have time to talk.