2023 has been a very busy year in the calendar of the Ibadan social establishment. Between January and October this year, there were many high society events in the ancient city. Though all of the social events were unique and important but very significant of them all were the birthday celebrations of 10 notable celebrities. The 10 celebrations were noteworthy because the personalities involved all clocked 60 years of age and celebrated it in their own different ways.
The 10 parties were not just ordinary parties but ones with class and style. they were colourful and glamorous parties with powerful celebrities in attendance. So hot were these parties that any celebrity worth his or her salt would have attended one or even more.
To open the 60th birthday celebrations was the former Captain of the Tiger Golf Club Ibadan, Muyiwa Laniyan (Araba). The real estate expert was first celebrated with a golf kitty at the lush green 18-hole golf course inside Adekunle Fajuyi Military Cantonment, Odogbo Barracks, Ojoo, Ibadan. The golf kitty preceded a mega 60th birthday celebration that later came and attended by top dignitaries.
Thursday 20 April, 2023, Barr. Sarafadeen Alli, the Senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District, clocked 60. But instead of throwing mega party, he decided to make it a low key celebration. Alli, who was in Saudi Arabia for Umrah on his birthday, celebrated his 60th birthday with the motherless. His wife, Alhaja Tawakalt Sharafadeen Alli, on his behalf, visited two motherless homes with foodstuffs and other goodies.
After Alli’s birthday, the trio of the popular businessman Asiwaju Demola Alimi aka Demola Olokuta and two Ibadan born Fuji musicians Wasiu Ayinla Olayori Karashi and Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde Merenge celebrated their 60th birthdays in July 7, 26 and 27 respectively.
While Demola Olokuta’s party took place inside his palatial Agodi GRA mansion and had in attendance the movers and shakers from both business and social circles. Karashi had his own party at the BCOS centre, Ile Akede Basorun, Ibadan. The party was attended by a good number of music icons such as Aare Sir Shina Akanni Aroworeyin (Scorpido), FUMAN led by SK Sensation, Sulaiman Adio Atawewe, Alhaji Musiliu Haruna Ishola, Wasiu Haruna Ishola and others. Jogor Events Centre, Off Obafemi Awolowo Road (formerly Liberty Road) was the venue of Alhaji Rasheed Ayinde Merenge. The Olori Omo Oba of Ijebuland and Mayegun of Yorubaland, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, K1 De Ultimate was on band stand for Merenge.
Just as the July’s experience of 3 mega parties was yet to go away, another set of events came in. It was the 60th birthday parties of the former Oyo Transport Company boss, Hon. Dare Adeleke; Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye and the Jogor Events Centre boss, Engr. Femi Babalola. The 3 parties can’t be forgotten in a hurry in Ibadan social establishment. Ibadan was practically short down for the 3 parties. The parties are still being talked about till today. Dare Adeleke’s 60th birthday party was at the Word Lillies Events Place on the 29 of September, 2023. The party had in attendance the governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke; former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; almost all the state functionaries from Oyo State Government and many others.
Just like Dare Adeleke’s party, Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye’s birthday party on Sunday October 1st was also a celebrity-studded event. In fact, it was a movie. As expected, Oduyoye, the former Special Adviser to Governor Makinde on Political Matters and now a member of the Oyo State Advisory Council, pulled all the who-is-who from across different sectors to the party. Some of the top dignitaries who stormed Jogor Events Centre venue of the birthday party include Oyo State Governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji and former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, among many others.
Meanwhile, Engr Femi Babalola aka Jogor’s own 60th birthday celebration came with a special theme. It was a 2-in-1 party; the birthday and official opening of his mega hotel. The birthday was also celebrated in two phases; the birthday ball which held on Thursday 19th October and the main party on Saturday 21st. Both events took place at the Hall of Grace of Jogor Events Centre.
The former Senate Leader and former guber candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, Teslim Kolawole Folarin clocked 60 on the 30th of October. However, there was no much noise about the celebration except for the birthday wishes from his family, friends and political associates.
Folarin, the Ikolaba Olubadan of Ibadanland and former Oyo Central Senator, lost his wife Angela Folarin to the cold hands of death over a year ago.
-Dare Adeniran
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