•How They Have Been Friends For 40 Years
On Sunday, 19th February, 2 Lagos society women, Yeye Mopelola Adefuye and Yeye Esther Ogundele dazzled in Abeokuta at their installation ceremony as Yeye Bibi-Ire of Oke Ona and Yeye Bajela of Oke Ona , Egba Land respectively. The honour was given to them by Oba Adedayo Tejuosho, the Osile of Oke Ona, Egbaland was a very colourful event where many dignatries, most especially from Lagos stormed the rock city to celebrate with this 2 celebrity women. These 2 celebrity women are not just together due to their titles but they have been friends for close to 4 decades. Yeye Mopelola Adefuye is fondly called Beere of the Universe while Yeye Esther Ogundele is popularly known as Iyalaje or Ambassador.
There were over 10 people who got Chieftaincy titles but their own arrangement for the ceremony was very different. From their invitation cards, to event programme and other promotional materials, it is simply about both of them. Infact they both had a special photo shoot for the ceremony which they used for their programme, and decoration backdrops at the venue.. They did almost everything together at the party. They both got their titles at the same time, same type of beaded crown and all. This must tell you that their friendship does not just start today, it has been for years. They practically do things together, no wonder they were the cynosure of all eyes at the installation ceremony.how did their friendship started? Let’s take you through how their path crossed over 3 decades ago and up till now, their friendship is still rock solid. We spoke to them to talk about how their friendship started and Yeye Mopelola Adefuye took us back memory lane.
“We commenced our friendship in the year 1985, when we both met in the house of our initial building vendor at Alakuko, Lagos. Myself and my husband went to pay the balance of our land charge fee on the three plots of lands we purchased at Unity Avenue in Alakuko, Lagos while Ambassador Esther Ogundele came newly to purchase a plot of land from the same vendors. She was highly delighted to see us there and she inquired from us how authentic the source was. We answered her in affirmative; she paid and that marked the beginning of our journey as friends. Alhough Ambassador E.B is older, she is not a loud nor authoritative person; she relates with me as though we are age mates. We opened our own TWELVE FLATS in the year 1995. She opened her own MANSION in the year 1990. We celebrate each other, even in 1992 when she had her last child Yetunde Aderanti; Waka Queen, Salawa Abeni entertained us. Unfortunately my parents and her own dad are resting in the bossom of the Lord now but Thank God Ambassador’s mother Alhaja Olorunkemi ‘mama pupa’; a very generous, kind and thoughtful mother is still very much alive; hale and hearty. She lives in one of the flats in one of Ambassador’s mansions; I call her Maami. During all Ileya festivals, mama still sends food to our house that is popularly known and called Tokotaya House in Alakuko axis, because the house is still in her register. She was very happy to receive me again when I went to visit her early this month..We lost contact because of my busy schedule when I was flying with the defunct Nigeria Airways.
As fate will play, we met in her house again, recently in January 2023 for a meeting organized by the NEW Chieftancy Title Holders Of Oke-ona Egba Land. Ever since then, we started easily from where we paused in the 90s, doing things in common. We thank the Almighty God we are both achievers in our different fields.
All glory to God for the success of our event and a special gratitude to our friends and relatives, who made it a memorable one; we appreciate every one of them”.. Ambassador Rotn. Chief Mrs Abike Ogundele is a successful business woman with over 40 years of experience, she graduated from Royal Polythechnic College, a private owned College in Yaba. She also attended Mount Camel Covent Catholic School in Ebute Metta Lagos.she is the CEO of EB and Sons Nig Ltd. (Mansion Cute). she started her career in business at an early age in Ebute Metta helping her father who was then a newspaper Agent in Ebute Metta with the distribution of news paper at Ebute Metta train station every morning before going to school.
In 1979, she started a small scale business under the name Bose Commercial Stores as a distributor to Wilmer Industries Limited (manufacturers of melanin kitchen products) located at Isheri. In the year 1980, Madam EB business grew so well that she saw the need to move to Holloway market in Oke Arin for expansion and wider coverage which gave birth to the business name, EB and SONS Nig Ltd. In the year 1982, Union products (the first stainless steel manufacturer company in Nigeria located at Ibadan) appointed her as their distributor making her the first person to sell and distribute stainless and unbreakable wares in Lagos. She was the first woman at Oke Arin market to attend Lagos International Trade Fair in the year 1985. She has also travelled across all states in Nigeria for trade exhibitions and many countries to import household utensils. She is no doubt an entrepreneur who loves to see people around her. In her quest and thirst for humanity and love for God’s work, she proceeded to a bible school, Faith Theology college at Sango where she obtained a diploma in theology in the year 1995. She is also an American chaplain with 3 stars. In 2017, she was ordained as the Iya Ijo Beautiful Gate International Gospel Church. She performed her pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the year 2017. Madam EB is the founder of an NGO named Esther Cares Widows Foundation which was founded in the year 2018 to cater for widows. In recognition to her zeal and enthusiasm in Business , she was crowned as the Iyalaje of Holloway Market, Oke Arin, Lagos in the year 2019. Madam EB ,as fondly called is the club matron of the prestigious Agege Club of Nigeria and a proud member of the Rotary Club of Gbagada. She is also a Paul Harris fellow of the Rotary foundation of Rotary international . On the 3rd of a February, 2023. Rotarian. Chief Mrs Esther Abike Abioye Ogundele Aro was awarded and appointed as the Special Planet Earth Ambassador. Madam EB is blessed with seven children ,adopted children and surrounded with several grand children.
Mrs Mopelola Adefuye aka Beere of the Universe hails from Abeokuta in Ago-Ododo, Abeokuta North Local Government , Ogun State.. she is married to Prince Abiola Adefuye , a gentle man from Ogbere Ijebu, Ogun State. She was born into a Muslim family on Tuesday, 26th April 1960 but converted to Christianity by status of her marriage , they are blessed with beautiful children and precious grandchildren. Beere began her educational pursuit at Salvation Army Primary School, Freeman Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos. She proceeded to Lagos City College Sabo Yaba Lagos for her Secondary Education. Afterwards, she worked as a fight announcer with the defunct Nigeria Airport authority , Now FAAN between 1977-1979. She proceeded to the Aviation School in 1989 and became an Air Hostess with the defunct Nigeria Airways where she flew local flights and international flights for a decade. She started her own business in 2004 when Cheratin Guest House, Ogbere, Ijebu was established. Beere Mopelola Adefuye is a fashionista and a role model of distinct.
She has been honoured by many traditional rulers in her native Yoruba Land and also in Eastern Nigeria as Eze Nwayin of Igbo Community in Lagos State for her outstanding contribution to the development of the community . She has earned notable awards from Nigeria. Some of the outstanding merits awards from Nigeria include the Gold Merit Award for Excellence from West African College of Nursing in recognition of her commitment to quality health care of the people in 2015 and also from Christian Association of Nigeria CAN as Yeye Balogun Onigbagbo on the 1st of December 2007. While overseas ,she bagged Doctor of Divinity Awards (DD) from the Christian University, South Carolina, USA for her contribution to spiritual growth in Nigeria. Her endearing ,moral, amiable and philanthropist gestures have attracted many to her. Beere loves to make people happy. Her hobbies include praying, partying, dancing, watching reality TV Series, travelling, listening to good music and spending quality time with her husband and grandchildren.
-TAYO OYEDIJI
(08111811219)
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