The Nation Newspaper

Category: Celebrity

  • Dapo Lam-Adesina celebrates

    The belief in transmogrification of souls is an age-long one, particularly in the African setting. That sometimes reflects in the names that parents give a new child they see as the reincarnation of a dead father or mother or some other departed loved ones. It is therefore easy to understand Dapo Lam-Adesina’s pride and joy as he continues to celebrate the birth of his baby boy last weekend. Dapo must be seeing the arrival of the bouncing baby boy as the return of his late politician father and former Oyo State governor, Lam Adesina.

    Dapo, who could barely conceal his joy on the baby’s arrival, took to Instagram to announce its birth with the following caption: “And the king come. The return of great Lam….welcome Mr. Mickey Mouse. Daddy loves you.”

    He must be seeing the soul of his late father in his new son. Although the House of Reps member representing Ibadan North East/South East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly and his wife, Osewe, are yet to announce a name for the baby, there are speculations already that the child will be named Babatunde or Onaolapo in honour of his grandfather.

  • Good times for Betty Akeredolu

    Betty Akeredolu’s story is like that of the poor orphan girl nobody wanted to associate with but magically transformed into a ravishing beauty whom kings and princes travel long distances just to catch a glimpse of the unassuming wife of Ondo governor-elect Rotimi Akeredolu has drawn a lot of attention since her husband won the governorship race in Ondo State.

    Her newfound fame is not unconnected with the thinking that as the wife of the governor, she would have the power to influence political appointments and contract awards to those who are smart enough to become her friends and associates. Her new status also means an automatic upgrade to what she eats, drinks, wears and uses, hence top designers and jewellers have been falling over themselves to get noticed by the pretty Igbo woman with the hope of securing juicy supply contracts.

    If the premiere was a spectacular affair, it was nothing in comparison to the after-party at the famed Honeymoon Bay where guests jiggled and swayed graceful hips well into the night.

  • Blue blood kids set to walk the aisle

    Children of three influential families are set to walk the aisle with their beaux before the year winds to a close.  First up to rock the celebrity scene with a stupendous wedding ceremony is the royal family of Oke-Ona. Oba Adedapo Tejuosho Karounwi, the Osile of Oke-Ona in Egbaland will be giving his daughter’s hand in marriage today.

    The daughter in question is Princess Layebi Tolulope Tejuosho, the second-to-the-last-born of the monarch’s first queen consort Olori Omolara. Warwick-educated Layebi and her heartthrob, Olalekan Oluwadamilare Aluko, will take the sacred vows at The Cathedral of Saint James, Idi Ape, Ago Oko, Abeokuta, before entertaining guests at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Marquee, Green Legacy Resort, Abeokuta.

    This joyous occasion will be followed the next day with the commencement of nuptial rites for the son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the daughter of Premier Lotto boss, Chief Kessington Adebutu.

    Ex-president Obasanjo and his family will be storming the palatial residence of the Ijebu moneybag tomorrow to ask for Temitope’s hands in marriage as culture dictates. It was gathered that this introduction ceremony will be followed by the grand wedding early next year.

    The wedding train will then move to the Emir of Kano’s royal house. One of Emir Sanusi and his first wife Sadiya Bayero’s daughters, Princess Fulani Siddika Sanusi, will wave goodbye to the single life on December 23. She and her beau, Malam Abubakar Umar Kurfi, will get married at the Emir’s palace.

  • Julius Rone plans surprise package for Xmas

    Popular billionaire, Julius Rone, has a surprise up his sleeve for the Yuletide. At a time that men and women of affluence are putting finishing touches to grand Christmas parties or big trips to exotic locations abroad with their coterie of friends and hangers on, supposedly in the spirit of the festive season, Julius has decided to do something different.

    Perhaps finally struck by the true essence of the season, which is giving, the billionaire boss of UTM, an oil and gas company, has concluded plans to do a ‘Special Xmas’ with the poor and the downtrodden. Those who should know have said that Julius will organise the programme in Abuja, his base, and his home state, Delta. It is another evidence of the milk of human kindness that flows in the veins of Rone whose foundation has given scholarships to scores of indigent youths from the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

    Having waded through the murky waters of poverty himself, he is determined to help others do the same by giving back to the community.

    Besides his sense of empathy with the less privileged, Rone is a visionary and man of impeccable business pedigree who in a short time has transformed his energy company, UTM, from a small business to one of the biggest players in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

  • Betty Esse crowned Miss Goodwill Ambassador Nigeria

    Betty Esse crowned Miss Goodwill Ambassador Nigeria

    Aigbirior Betty Esse was crowned a Queen in the contest Miss Goodwill Ambassador Nigeria (MGAN ) held at Sheraton Hotel Abuja, Nigeria.

    The 26-year-old was among 36 other contestants who represented various states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the humanitarian pageant where 10 crowns were handed out to deserving winners’.

    Surprisingly, the beautiful ebony skinned graduate of University of Ibadan (DLC) with a gorgeous smile was contesting for her first major pageant and represented Taraba without any hopes of winning.

    But like a beautiful flute in the ears of a music loving King, her name filtered out of the MC’s microphone and filled the room like snow taking over the rain from winter. Her smile glowed as she walked onto the podium to receive her crown.

    Speaking with the Nation Entertainment after receiving her crown, she said: “I wanted to quit at the inceptions because pageantry as said by some friends is not always free and fair.

    “As a first timer in a contest those words wanted to discourage me but I summoned courage to give it a shot as life itself is sometimes a win or lose affair. But the Almighty God took the wheels and I emerged a winner amidst other Queens.

    “I’m super proud that am now referred to as Queen Aigbirior Betty Esse, MGAN Peace Advocacy Ambassador and I give all glory to God.”

    Her pet project is campaign for peace, shunning violence at all levels. She is expected to will work both locally and internationally on peace advocacy campaigns.

     

  • As Ooni, Olugbo feud over Moremi

    As Ooni, Olugbo feud over Moremi

    When two of the most revered custodians of the Yoruba heritage engage in a public spat reminiscent of vengeful tribal wars of bygone eras, whose side is one to take? This is the question on the lips of social observers in the South West as the Ooni of Ife and Olugbo of Ugbo engage in a bitter media fight.

    The two respected Yoruba monarchs appear to be engaged in a verbal war over the status of Moremi Ajasoro, one of the most revered female figures in Yoruba history. While the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, regards Moremi is a heroine who deserves to be revered for saving her people, the Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan, believes that she was a traitor who betrayed her people.

    While the two monarchs appear poised to go for each other’s jugular, influential men and women are trying to settle the dispute before it escalates. But immediate reconciliation does not look likely as the two monarchs’ positions are based on differing interpretations of history.

    Historically, the Ooni and the Olugbos are known to always be at loggerheads over who between them has the rightful claim to Ile-Ife, among other matters. The current disagreement began when the Ooni built a 42-foot statue in Moremi’s honour; a development that saw the Olugbo accusing him of misrepresenting on history.

    Expectedly, however, Oba Ogunwusi received the backing of two highly respected Yoruba leaders, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka. Speaking on Wednesday at a book launch, one of the activities lined up to mark the Ooni’s first coronation anniversary, both leaders believed the place of Moremi in Yoruba history was not in doubt and advised Oba Ogunwusi to ignore any disparaging remarks against her from any quarters.

  • Eulogies for deceased boardroom amazon Kuforiji-Olubi

    When a tall oak is felled by the axe of time, other trees in the forest cannot help but quiver. So has Nigeria’s high society been thrown into mourning with news of the passing on of renowned female business mogul and boardroom guru, Otunba Bola Kuforiji-Olubi, in the morning of last Saturday.

    Otunba Ayora Bolajoko Aduke Dorcas Kuforiji-Olubi was a corporate amazon who duly paid her dues and excelled in different fields. She turned 80 in September and not a few people felt she had an inkling that death was near as she seized the occasion to spend valuable time with loved ones, leaving them with vivid memories. Since the news of her death broke on Saturday, condolence messages have been pouring in from different parts of the country, eulogising her contributions to the socio-economic advancement of the nation.

    Her legacy is no doubt set in stone; for, during her lifetime, she scored many firsts for the Nigerian woman. The late Kuforiji-Olubi was the first woman to join the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) as a graduate member. She was elected the first female ICAN President and its 25th president overall, in 1989.

    She was a foundation member and Grand Matron of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) and the first Nigerian woman to become the Managing Director of an international company, VYB (Nigeria) Ltd, in 1977. She was also the first female chairman of a company quoted on the stock exchange-BEWAC Plc., the holding company for VYB and its subsidiaries.

    Besides serving as the country’s Minister of Commerce, she was also the first female chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

  • Bola Atobatele immortalises son with foundation

    Socialite extraordinaire, Prince Bola Atobatele, and his wife, Toyin, will soon launch a foundation in honour of their third child, Michael Babatunde Atobatele, who passed on in September. Like the statue of liberty which stands as an enduring symbol of American ideals, the foundation will immortalise Michael and carry on his hopes and desires for the society.

    The Prince Michael Babatunde Atobatele Foundation (PMBAF) was born out of the charity foundation the late Michael had planned to establish before the tides of eternity carried him away beyond the horizon. The departed Michael was a young man just setting out in life after completing a degree in Business and Human Resources Management from the University of Hertfordshire, UK.

    He had already started making inroads into the business world through Severe Nature, a printing and logo embroidery company he co-floated with a group of like-minds. This was besides his other interests in fashion designing and business ideas development.

    The foundation will be launched tomorrow at the Renaissance Hotel, Awolowo Way, Ikeja Lagos.

  • Miss Nigeria pageant comes to town

    Come December 19, the 40th edition of one of the most exciting annual social events in the country, the Miss Nigeria pageant, will greet television stations across the country. Already, the organisers of the event are putting finishing touches to what is certain to be a memorable night of spellbinding displays of feminine beauty.

    The EKO Hotels and Suites Convention Centre venue of the event is expected to be taken over by celebrities from 5 pm when the red carpet begins. The pageant itself is billed to commence at 7:30 pm. Former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, has already been tapped up to serve as the chairman of the occasion, while the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, will be one of the special guests.

    Besides the thrilling spectacle of young and intelligent ladies trying to outwit one another in wit and beauty, designers, Adebayo Jones, Kosibah, Lanre da Silva and Eyiola, will entertain guests with a fashion show. Indeed, if the promises of the organisers are anything to go by, there will not be a dull moment whatsoever.

    With a brand new car, travel opportunities, N3 million cash prize and appointment as one of the country’s ceremonial ambassadors on offer for the winner, it is sure to be a fierce contest between the ladies, starting from the camp where they will get lessons in etiquette and participate in fun games, mentorships and choreography sessions, among other activities.

    The current Miss Nigeria is Leesi Peter-Vigboro.

  • Orji Kalu’s daughter finally set to wed

    This year promises to be an extra-festive affair in the family of ex-Abia State governor, Orji Kalu. Besides the usual glitz associated with Christmas in his kind of household, the family is also preparing for the wedding of their beloved daughter, Neya Kalu, who got engaged in August.

    The big event is set for Boxing Day at Kalu’s country home in Abia.

    Neya, Kalu’s daughter, has had to overcome several hurdles, some self-made, to come this far. Perhaps it was her desire to escape the unending recriminations from her failed marriage to Igbo big boy, Chima Anyaso, that took her to the University of Buckingham where fate had a gift in store for her in the person of her groom-to-be. It was while pursuing her master’s degree that she met her soon-to-be-husband, Lawrence Iyere, who runs a thriving business. The two fell in love and the rest is about to become history on December 26.