It took many by surprise penultimate weekend when the scion of the Folawiyo Dynasty, Tunde Folawiyo and his pretty wife, Reni celebrated 28 years in marriage because they always love to keep a private life, most especially their marital life.The couple could not but celebrate this feat because coincidentally it was the same day, Saturday, 11th March that Tunde Folawiyo’s younger sister,Olabisi got married in a royal wedding to her beau. Aderemi Sijuwade and Tunde Folawiyo stood in for his late father as the brides father.It was a spectacular day and different from all kinds of celebrity kids wedding,the couple opted for a dinner reception.It has been a long while since Tunde and Reni stepped out for weddings except for classy and sophisticated outings but last two weekends puts the couple in the public glare. Not too many people know that Tunde and Reni’s marriage is of 28 years except those who are privy to such information. They got married in 1989 in a spectacular high octane wedding when Tunde was in his 30s and Reni in her late 20s.Theirs was a marriage that has waxed stronger and still waxing stronger.They could be termed celebrity couple for they are both from a rich pedigree, schooled in Ivy League schools,travel at will to choice destination all around the world.They control large scale and money raking businesses which further puts them on a high pedestral amongst great business men and women.They had a beautiful wedding anniversary and celebrated it during the dinner reception of Olabisi and Aderemi Sijuwade. Tunde and Reni Folawiyo looked so regal and dashing in their choice of outfits, Tunde who shops in top fashion houses in the high streets of London, Swiss, Paris etc wore an expensive tuxedo black suit and his wife,Reni looked stunning in a tiered pink and green Gucci dress straight off the runway from Gucci Fall 2016 ready-to-wear collection. Reni sure knows what is good for her as a stylish designer,the dress cost nothing less than 16 thousand dollars approximately 5million naira. The dress features an embroidered bride detail on the chest which so conveniently complimented her delightful flower multicolor fascinators alongside a nice stiletto sandal.The anniversary was one of the highlights of the dinner in a special way as the couple came out to dance closely and raise a toast to a blissful 28 years of marriage.The beautiful marriage has produced lovely children.
Tijani Babatunde Folawiyo popularly called Tunde Folawiyo is a core businessman and the managing director of Yinka Folawiyo Group According to Forbes, he has an estimated net worth of $650 million.He sits atop an organisation with interests in energy, agriculture, shipping, and real estate, serves as Director of MTN Nigeria Ltd and also founded Folawiyo Energy Ltd, a subsidiary of the Yinka Folawiyo Group of Companies.
Tunde was previously a Non-Executive Director of Access Bank Plc and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in 1985, where he started his law practice in Nigeria with the firm Ogunsanya, but resigned from law in 1989.Since 1996, Tunde has also served as the Vice President of Nigeria Association of Indigenous Petroleum Explorers & Productions (NAIPEC).
He was educated at the London School of Economics, where he obtained a B.Sc degree in Economics in 1980, and an LL.B in 1984. He obtained an LL.M degree from the University College London in June 1985 and in 2010, Tunde was the recipient of the African Leadership Award. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate in business administration from Crescent University in Abeokuta, Nigeria.He serves as a Goodwill Ambassador, Honorary Citizen of the city of Houston and Honorary Consul of Barbados. A constant source of advocacy for the exploration of Nigeria’s lucrative energy sector, Tunde Folawiyo has long held significant roles in strengthening this area of business for the country and Africa as a whole. As CEO and Group Managing Director of the Yinka Folawiyo Group of Companies, a vibrant conglomerate with global business interests spanning various industries, Tunde Folawiyo continues to contribute a unique business perspective toward the advancement of Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Tunde Folawiyo’s education has undoubtedly paved the way for his work as an entrepreneur and his commitment to encouraging education in today’s youth. Tunde Folawiyo currently sits on the board of various educational institutions, providing a unique perspective toward improving conditions for students both in Africa and abroad. With his membership of the esteemed Global Advisory Board of the African Leadership Academy, Tunde Folawiyo further demonstrates a passion for fostering our next generation of leaders. Tunde Folawiyo is also a fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh’s World Fellowship, a global network of philanthropists dedicated to inspiring youth development. As a graduate of the London School of Economics and the 2010 recipient of the African Leadership Award, Tunde Folawiyo continues to make an impact in various collegiate institutions. In 2001, he was appointed a member of the Governing Council of the Lagos State University, and by the Lagos State Government, a role he still holds today. Tunde Folawiyo also sits on the Board of Trustees of the Crescent University in Abeokuta, a university from which he was awarded an honourary doctorate degree in Business Administration in 2010.
Tunde Folawiyo displays a motivation to further Africa’s ongoing relations with other countries by serving as a Goodwill Ambassador, Honourary Citizen of the city of Houston and Honourary Consul of Barbados, all key roles of great significance in strengthening Africa’s ties with other thriving global networks. Tunde Folawiyo often refers to London as his second home, so it’s no surprise that the art collector and board member of the African Leadership Academy often pays a visit to London’s National Gallery when he travels to England’s capital. His pretty wife,Reni is the pretty daughter of Top Islamic and influential Cleric,Alhaji Adegbite.She is a businesswoman and the founder of ‘Alara’, a concept store in the heart of Victoria Island, Lagos that seeks to redefine luxury fashion for Nigerians. Meaning ‘wondrous performer’ in Yoruba, Alara is rapidly becoming a fashion destination for Nigerians and westerners alike. It offers a mix of fashion, art and design in a similar style to famous concept stores like Paris’ Colette, London’s Dover Street Market and Milan’s 10 Corso Como. It stocks a range of western designers including Stella McCartney , Dries Van Noten , Marni and Valentino. Alongside this, Folawiyo looks to champion Nigerian design, stocking the work of Maki Oh, Lanre de Silva Ajayi and Tiffany Amber. Alara has the potential to be a beacon for other fashion retailers and a centre for gravity for global luxury brands already beginning to cluster around a nascent fashion district in Lagos.
Prior to the store opening Nigerians had tended to shop abroad for luxury purchases,Folawiyo sees the ‘Alara Woman’ as someone who is a high-powered global citizen. With the store, she aims to establish a contemporary visual language for African luxury.
The store was designed and built by the internationally renowned Ghanian-British architect David Adjaye, whose design for the National Museum of African American History broke ground in 2012.Reni Folawiyo was Born in London, schooled at the University of Warwick and raised in Western Nigeria, she initially studied law, returning to Lagos to work for her father’s law firm. Alongside this, she opened an interior design business producing custom furniture.
–TAYO FAJORIN OYEDIJI
Send Us News, Gist, more... to citypeopleng@gmail.com | Twitter: @CitypeopleMagz