February 25, (THEWILL) – Last weekend, Siju Iluyomade, wife of Idowu Iluyomade, the pastor in charge of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, City of David parish and also the provincial pastor of Lagos Province 4 threw herself a lavish 60th birthday party. The day was however not the day she officially clocked 60. She reached the landmark age on January 8th, but chose to host a workout session at Onikan stadium, Lagos and thereafter jetted out with her husband to North America for an intimate celebration, thus disappointing many of her adherents who expected her to roll out the drums to celebrate.
Unknown to them, she was planning the mother of all parties which would keep Victoria Island, Lagos on lock down. Well Siju who is a partner in the law firm of Iluyomade and Iluyomade and Co succeeded in not only keeping Victoria Island on lock down, the party is still being talked about almost a week after the grand celebration.
The party, which had all the trappings of class and luxury, had in attendance people from all walks of life. Some of those present were industrialists, Samuel Adedoyin and wife; Razak Okoya and wife; chairperson Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM; Abike Dabiri; former minister for industry, Nike Akande; All Progressives Congress, APC, women leader, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; former deputy governors of Lagos State, Sarah Sosan and Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Ekua Abudu; Bola Shagaya; Bola Awolowo; Ituah Ighodalo; Ify Nwakwesi; former first lady of Ekiti State, Bisi Fayemi; wife of the deputy governor of Lagos State, Oluremi Hamzat; Bisi Olatilo; Kenny St Brown; former Imo State first lasy, Nkechi Okocha; Erelu Abiola Dosunmu; Elizabeth Ebi; Onari Duke; Stella Okolie; Ronke Sokefun; former MD First Bank of Nigeria, Bisi Onasanya; Bintu Tinubu etc.
The trio of Tony Elumelu, chairman of UBA; Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, Fidelity Bank MD and Bola Adesola, senior vice-chairman Standard Chartered Bank Group were the only bank chiefs in attendance.
Similarly, Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomoso and Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II, the Oniru of Iruland were the only traditional rulers in attendance. Oba Olaoye’s presence may not be unconnected to his being a former pastor in RCCG.
Also, Governor Babjide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, chose to stay away for obvious reasons. However, his wife ably represented him at both the church service and reception.
There were two dress codes for the party. One was the exclusive green and pink lace and another green and pink ankara fabric with headgear to match. The day started out with a thanksgiving service at the Trinity Tower in Victoria Island. Tony Rapu, a former pastor in RCCG, now general overseer of This Present House gave the sermon. This was followed by a grand reception party at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites. Over eight humongous cakes were on display. Some were placed in the main halls of the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites where the party took place and a few others on display at the entrance of the hall where there was a photo booth manned by celebrity photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi.
Four masters of ceremony took turns to steer proceedings at the party including comedian, Atunyota Aleluya Akpobome aka Alibaba and ARISE TV anchor, Ayo Mairo Ese. There were also several musicians contracted to keep guests on their feet. Many have expressed mixed feelings about the party. While some believe there is nothing wrong with throwing a party to celebrate a landmark age, others believe there is everything wrong with the timing of the party. And their reason is not farfetched.
A very important and influential member of the parish pastored by the Iluyomades, Herbert Wigwe, the Group CEO of Access Holdings had died a most horrible death alongside his wife and first son. The trio alongside Bimbo Ogunbanjo, the Group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, died in a helicopter crash that caught fire on impact in the United States, meaning they were burnt to death.
A week after their death, Pastor Iluyomade was on the pulpit, close to tears as he eulogised the late Wigwe while reeling out how he was a major financier of the church and the crucial roles he played before, during and after the building of the church’s 12 floor Trinity Town which cost billions of naira. He ended his eulogy by saying that Wigwe’s life challenged him as a pastor. The tears had hardly dried up when barely a week after, they decided to throw away decency and hold a hedonistic birthday party.
The party, as earlier stated, didn’t take place on the day Siju clocked 60 but over a month after. Critics believe that if she could wait five weeks to celebrate after clocking the landmark age, surely, she could have waited another month at least, to celebrate rather than portray herself as unfeeling. They are also of the opinion that if she was so pressed to do the party, then she could have had the decency to at least tone down the line up of activities. To them, throwing the party was nothing short of callous, the height of insensitivity. This is also not considering the current state of the nation.
Then there was the choice of musicians. Many didn’t fail to criticize the presence of highlife singer, Chinedu Okoli aka Flavour n’Abania, wondering why she preferred a raunchy artist over gospel musicians. And Flavour who was bare chested did what he knows how to do best. He invited the celebrant to the dance floor, calling her ‘Siju baby’ while rolling his waist.
As the wife of a gospel minister, many were of the opinion that in exercising her prerogatives she could have been mindful of the position she occupies and the unintended and collateral impacts of her choices. Ordinary church members can get away with such revelry but the ‘mother’ of a parish as big as City of David and overseeing other parishes cannot. They expected her to have embodied and espoused the best values and not inadvertently become a promoter of youthful adventurousness in an already lascivious Christian community. Some others also quarreled with her choice of dress, accessories and makeup. Although she was fully covered, they were of the opinion that she looked like an overly dressed futuristic mannequin and all that she had on was nothing but sheer vanity.
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