The Nation Newspaper

Category: Celebrity

  • High society agog for Akinlade at 50

    On Saturday March 25, the entire Owode-Yewa community in Ogun State will stand still for the birthday celebration of one of their illustrious sons, Abiodun Isiaq Akinlade, as he clocks 50 years. In a double celebration, the three-time member of the House of Representatives will also be conferred with the coveted title of Baba Adinni of Yewaland.

    On hand to witness the history-making event will be prominent sons and daughters of Ogun State led by the governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. Lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly, speakers of state assemblies, traditional rulers, political and religious leaders and members of the organised private sector are expected to troop to the sleepy town for the momentous event.

    Akinlade has through the years forged a reputation as one of the most upstanding politicians from the Gateway State. Already touted as a contender for the governorship seat in 2019, he represented Yewa South/Ipokia federal constituency for 12 years and engaged in many laudable projects which have over the years won him the love and respect of his constituency and the state at large.

    As the date of his 50th birthday celebration draws near, the event is expected to triple as a rendezvous point for the biggest names in the state’s politics to put heads together over his rumoured candidacy.

  • New lease of life for Dayo Bush

    Flamboyant Lagos socialite, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, no longer bestrides the social scene like he used to. Since he rode to two terms in the House of Representatives on the back of his father’s formidable political structure, the fast-rising son of the Otunba Gbelegbuwa of Ijebuland has been one of the big players on the Lagos stage.

    But ever since his bid to return to the lower house for a third term was frustrated by the powers that be within his party, the ex-lawmaker representing Ikosi Federal Constituency has been keeping a low profile.

    The son of formidable politician, Alhaji Bushura Alebiosu, has however not completely disappeared from the scene. He still hangs around the lower house in consulting capacity, advising the leaders on sundry issues.

    Those who are close to the Otunba Fuwagbuyi of Ijebuland maintain that he is not someone who is easily daunted by the taste of defeat. He is said to be putting machinery in place for another shot at political office in the next election year.

  • Julius Rone strikes gold

    While Julius Rone’s exotic lifestyle continues to make eyelids flutter in amazement, the UTM boss keeps basking in luxury, having paid his dues to get to where he is now. Recognising that the great heights reached and sustained by the exemplars of success were not attained by sudden flight but by dint of hard work, blood, sweat and tears, Rone carefully plotted his way to the top of the pile, deftly avoiding pits and potholes like a skillful footballer dribbling his way round opposition players.

    The 42-year-old heads UTM Group with its many subsidiaries, including UTM Dredging Limited, a provider of logistic support in engineering, construction, equipment rental, leasing, procurement, supply and general labour service to the oil industry. He has etched his footprints on Nigeria’s economic sands and is a household name in connected circles.

    In the midst of unending showers of luxurious contracts that continue to rain on him, he maintains a lifestyle that matches his deep pocket. His garage features state of the art wonders on wheels, while the Abuja mansion where he relaxes is literally the second coming of Eden.

  • Bayo Adelabu under pressure

    No sooner had the “Ready… Set… Go!” thundered in the long distance race to become the next governor of Oyo State than a few big names immediately sped off into the distance, leaving the rest still bent down on the starting line and wondering what had happened.

    One of these names that are being bandied is Chief Adebayo Adelabu. The renowned banker is a deputy governor, Corporate Services Directorate at the Central Bank of Nigeria, and a chartered accountant to boot.

    Bayo Adelabu is a grandson of the late colourful First Republic politician, Chief Adegoke Adelabu, a.k.a. Penkelemes. Perhaps due to his celebrated heritage, the younger Adelabu has been under pressure to bring his successes in the corporate world to the political arena by contesting the Oyo governorship seat.

    Although he has been somewhat reluctant to abandon business for the rather perilous world of politics, the Ibadan ‘big boy’ is keeping his options open. In the meantime, he remains popular in the state through the businesses he has established in Ibadan, the state capital. He has also been careful to steer clear of controversies that could jeopardise his future political ambition.

  • Orode Uduaghan focuses on NGO

    Just a few months after the end of her marriage to Ryan Okpu, Orode Uduaghan has found a new love to lavish her attention on. But you are in for a rude shock if you think she has found solace in the arms of another man. The new or renewed love of Orode is her NGO, the Pink Pearl Foundation, which she actually established about eight years ago.

    Faced with a choice between moving on or wallowing in self-pity after her four-year-old marriage crashed on grounds of ‘irreconcilable differences’, the dark-skinned daughter of former Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, picked up the pieces of her life and threw herself into her pet project which aims to educate women about the dangers of breast and cervical cancer, two of the most common killers of women.

    The Psychology graduate of the prestigious University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, has been making waves in recent times with her pet project. The foundation, which was established in memory of her late aunt, has emerged as one of the most relevant anti-cancer organisations in the country.

  • Dotun Lobito out of his cocoon

    Talk about the Lagos ‘big boys’ of the 90s and one name that will never fail to be mentioned is Dotun Aderibigbe, popularly known as Dotun Lobito. Those who know what was up in those good old days will tell you that Dotun bestrode the Lagos social scene like a colossus, flying from one extravagant shindig to another.

    In his heydays, he was the toast of many musicians on the scene who enjoyed his deep pockets and deeper sense of magnanimity. As they sang his praises, so was he, in return raining Naira notes on them. He was even nicknamed Lobito Disco by Sir Shina Peters when the going was good.

    The musicians were not the only beneficiaries of his generosity. He established Haridot Promotions somewhere in Surulere. In no time, he became the toast of boxers who came to him for help in furthering their careers. He ended up playing a role in the attainment of fame for many of the famous boxers of those times.

    He ruled the streets in Surulere until he suddenly went underground, perhaps because he could no longer keep up with the fast paced lifestyle. He has recently emerged from his anonymous shell and declared his intention to contest for the chairmanship of Surulere Local Government Area. Time will tell if the good old days would return for him.

  • About StillEarth boss Oyin Adeyemi

    Oyin Adeyemi bubbles with energy as she adds another year to her enchanting life. She is full of joy for being privileged to witness yet another glorious addition to her days.  Beautiful in an exotic, utterly understated way, Oyin exudes vigour, sexuality, drama, fortitude, and happiness. Very early in life, she attained entrepreneurial acclaim for her exploits in the business world.

    Oyin exemplifies a totally modern yet timeless construct of femininity that manifests as a blend of dashing individuality and noble pedigree. She worked hard to attain her current status and she is far removed from the contemporary alpha -female stereotype that glorifies flamboyance, self-aggrandisement and narcissism above substance. The self-driven entrepreneur and construction magnate comes across as an enviable amazon and achiever in an area and era where everyone seems to understate the role and worth of a driven woman.

    It is only fair then that she becomes a towering business magnate on the strength of her exploits in the business realm. Having started out as a banker, the boss of Still Earth Ltd. soon grew restless and bored with her job. She hated the monotony that it imposed on her,  hence she turned in her resignation letter and headed to Lagos with no clear-cut idea of what to do on arrival at the coastal city popularly known as Nigeria’s ‘Centre of Excellence.’

    Oyin, on arrival in Lagos, decided to go into business, fashion retailing to be precise. However, her inability to raise adequate funds to finance her business posed a serious threat to her entrepreneurial aspiration.  But she was not one to give up without putting up a fight and she did put up a very good fight.

    Being a highflyer in the Nigerian construction and engineering sector is no walk in the park for any man, let alone a woman. It could be daunting and quite difficult for a young woman to succeed in the sector given the fact that the industry is controlled by powerful men with intimidatingly deep pockets. Oyin, however, determinedly manoeuvered StillEarth Limited to the top.

  • Happy times for Margaret Alamieyeseigha

    After what seemed like an eternity spent groaning under the leaden weight of sorrow, the heavens are once again clear of malevolent storms, and Margaret Alamieyeseigha can look up into the sunny sky and smile again. The former first lady of Bayelsa State has gone through a lot. Due to her marital alliance, she was tossed to and fro by the tempest that landed her husband in prison. And no sooner had she prepared to settle down for a lifetime of peace after his release than disaster struck once again in the person of the grim reaper who pitilessly sent her husband into the great beyond.

    Since then, the matronly woman had gone low profile, to privately mourn her husband and her lot in life. Things are, however, beginning to look up for Margaret once again. Determined to banish the sorrowful memories of the past, she has been spotted at several outings in the capital city in recent times, looking splendorous, transformed from a grieving woman to a stunning lady.

  • Sally Mbanefo keeps low profile

    Since her removal from office late last year, former NTDC DG Sally Mbanefo, has been nowhere to be seen on the social scene, leaving many wondering what could have happened to the woman, whose beautiful face was a regular fixture at A-list events during her tenure as the head of the country’s apex tourism agency.

    Indeed, as the director of the Nigerian Tourism Development Board, Sally Mbanefo travelled the length and breadth of the country, looking for ways to profitably tap the nation’s abundant tourism potential. Though her tenure wasn’t free from controversies, one thing that couldn’t be denied was her passion for the job. She even made a statement by regularly turning out in stylish dresses and headwear designed with the national colours of green white green. But ever since she left office, the fair-skinned woman has withdrawn into her cocoon. The graduate of Law from the University of Lagos has had stints in the banking, manufacturing and oil and gas sectors. After her removal, indications are that she has since returned to the banking industry which was her last port of call before she was appointed to head the tourism board.

  • Aisha Babangida set to relaunch Better Life

    There are few better ways to pay tribute to the departed than by taking something they loved and grow it bigger than they left it. For Aisha Babangida, the daughter of IBB’s late wife Maryam, this is the rationale behind the plan to relaunch of the Better Life for Rural Women programme, a pet project of her late mother, which positively impacted the lives of hundreds of women living in the hinterlands of the country. Now, as she flies the flag of humanitarianism her mother left behind, Aisha is determined to take the programme to the next level. Come March 9, Aisha will reach another milestone on her journey towards accomplishing this lofty goal, as the Better Life NGO will be relaunched with a sparkling new logo and new initiatives that will expand on the programmes already on the table.

    The daughter of General Ibrahim Babangida is leaving no stone unturned to ensure a hitch-free occasion, especially as the matriachs of the high society have signified their readiness to grace the occasion in their droves in support of one of their own. And she is succeeding in her mission too. Under her stewardship, the Better Life for the Rural African Woman programme, founded by her mother, has expanded into a behemoth of an organisation catering to a large swath of needs and interests. From establishing a new microfinance bank, Egwafin Bank, catering to the needs of SMEs, establishing scholarships for indigent youths, empowering rural women, funding cooperative societies and supporting small scale agriculture with grants and lots of other life-changing initiatives, Better Life has become a buzz word for transformative humanitarianism.