By OpeOluwani Akintayo
Lara George is one of the inspirational crooners that have caved out a niche for herself in the Nigerian music industry. Since launching herself into the mainstream music world, Lara has enlarged her profile as an accomplished gospel artiste.

Rewarded in the past with a bagful of awards, she recently added the Gospel Artiste of the Year

In this chat with Weekend Groove, she relives memories of her childhood romance, marriage and how she was once tempted to run away with her ex-lover and more . . .
Enjoy

Have you ever fallen in love?

Ah ah! Of course. I’m in love right now. So, the answer is a yes.

Is your husband your first love?

Yes. He’s my first true love and that’s why we’re married. I see all other affairs I had before I met my husband as mere waste of time.

Tell us about those affairs you had before you met your husband…

There were one or two affairs before I met my husband, but like I said, it’s obvious that none of them worked out. I had many male admirers who wrote love letters to me, bought gifts to entice me, but the only man who happened to win my heart and crossed all the hurdles is my husband.

What was your definition of  love as a single lady?

I never saw love as a situation where one is involved with a rich guy. There are certain attributes in man that one needed to cross check before getting involved with a guy.

For example, I consider a guy’s relationship with God, how he treats me as an individual and how much he’s  always there for me. I want a guy who loves me to really prove that he truly cares for me.

Lara George

Love isn’t the same as sex. So many ladies have been put in the family way, only for the guys to reject the paternity. I also look out for  a guy who is focused ad understanding.

That was one thing that attracted me to my husband. I just knew he’ll be a great man one day.

Back to our earlier poser, tell us more about the relationship you established while you were growing up?

While I was growing up as a young  lady, I almost  made a costly mistake because I’m the kind of person that trusts people easily.

But because I had some adults like my elder sister and her husband around me, I was quick to realise my mistake and make a u-turn.

How?

When I was in the university, there was this guy I was in a relationship with him. He asked me to run away and marry him secretly in Ibadan.

He was extremely persuasive in his argument and I almost succumbed to his tricks. But I thank God that I didn’t.

And how did you escape his deceit?

Actually, at that time my elder sister was about to get married. After I watched the traditional process of her man and his relatives coming to ask for my sister’s hand in marriage, how the husband to be, prostrated before my parents to ask for  their blessings to marry my sister, I said to myself “this is exactly what I wanted too”.

After that incident, I wondered why my man would want me to marry him secretly.
I looked at myself and concluded that I would not subject myself to that kind of secret marriage all in the name of love.

Was the man in the same university with you?

Yes,  he was. I found out later that he wanted a visa to travel out of the country and needed a marriage certificate.

So, as a woman, it’s important you have an elderly person who would be there to guide you through your journey to life.

At times there are mistake one makes that cannot be corrected, especially something that has to do with emotion.

I thank God that I was able to escape his deceit otherwise, I’d have been hurt for life.

So, how would you describe  your marriage?

It’s memorable and a beautiful thing to be married. But the only aspect of married that I don’t like is where people automatically change from addressing you as  a ‘Sissy’ to Madam.

I don’t like it. Being married is fantastic. I love my husband and my handsome my son. There was a day he came back from school and said to me

‘Mummy, you know how to buy nice things.’ I said ‘really!’ And he said ‘ah, and you put popcorn in my basket, thank you mummy”.

He loves popcorn. So, these are some of the experiences that gives me joy, especially when he walks up to me and gives me a hug, or when he calls me mummy with his tiny innocent voice. So, it’s a beautiful thing to be married.

How does your husband cope with you and your career?

Fortunately for me, my husband and I run a media distribution company called So Forte Entertainment. So, he knows my schedules and what I do at every given  time. And together, we’re able to move forward.

He’s understanding  makes things easier for me.