It was a marriage of royalty and clergy when Oluwole Sosanya and Ifedapo Akanbi-Oluwa tied the nuptial knot amid pomp and ceremony in Lagos. In this report, EVELYN OSAGIE captures the sights and sounds of the event.
As the saying goes, sometimes you fall in love with the most unexpected person at the most unexpected time. This certainly holds true for Oluwole Sosanya and his beau, Ifedapo Akanbi-Oluwa, who both signed the dotted lines at a high-profile wedding in Lagos.
Oluwole, suave and gentlemanly, is a scion of Omooba Olumuyiwa Abayomi Sosanya of the Isara Remo ruling house in Ogun State. Ifedapo, on the other hand, is a stunning beauty from Iseyin town of Oyo State, whose parents have a long history of service in the Lord’s vineyard as clerics of faith-based institutions: she is the daughter of Rev. Paul Abiodun and Mrs. Elizabeth Akanbi-Oluwa of New Covenant Church, Ebute-Metta branch, Lagos.
But providence brought the lovebirds together.
The meeting
When Oluwole first met Ifedapo at a social gathering organised by one of his friends three years ago, the last thing on his mind was marriage.
As a royal blood, the tradition was that if he needed a life partner, he would choose from his kind. But Oluwole did not subcribe to this culture.
“I wasn’t really keen on marrying from the royal family as such. All I wanted was a wife from anywhere, regardless of her social status and, luckily, for me, Ifedapo turned out to be a perfect fit for me,” the International Business Economics graduate of the University of Westhampton England, said.
The solemnisation
The three-part ceremony, which held at the highbrow Yard 158 Garden, Lagos, was heralded by a traditional wedding with families and friends in attendance. Then, followed the church wedding where the couple and their bridal train led by the best man, Power Hart, and maid of honour, Abiola Akeredolu, were welcomed to the venue in a blaze of glory as confetti lined their paths. Also on the train were the ring bearer, Olakabi Delano; Ladun Baderinwa; Olusayo Adeleke; Phidelia Imiegha; Emem Williams; Oladele Oladunjoye; Kolawole Alakija; Muiz Ogbara; Ronald Ajiboye; and little bride, Abifoluwa Oloruntoye.
The solemnisation began with officiating clerics of the New Covenant Church. They were Rev Nicholas Omisade, Rev Oluwole Olaleye, Rev Gboyaga Adejobi, Rev David Abraham, Rev Abba Peter, Rev Akin Ayoola, Pastor Phil Osanakpo, Pastor David Oluwadairo and Pastor David Aderinola Oloruntoye.
The vows
The couple were wedded by Rev. Omisade.
Subsequently, Rev Wole Owolabi, the Provost of New Covenant Church Bible College, who delivered the homily, encapsulated his advice in a five-letter word, ALIVE, urging the groom: “Love for a woman is not just what you say, but what you do. Love her in language, love her in looks. Love to a woman translates to kindness. Be kind to her. Locate her passion and be part of it. A woman moves by intuition, but a man moves by calculation. But wise men are learning that intuitions most times are more accurate than calculation.
“Let her know she is a part of your life and not an appendage. Say to her, ‘I’m going to smoothen you with love’. If you do all these to your woman, she would come alive. I perceive that I’m looking at a family that would be a role model to their generations.”
The couple were ushered into the reception auditorium with fireworks and pyrotechnics, which lit up the atmosphere in a kaleidoscope. The event was chaired by a lawyer, Aderemi Oguntoye, who represented Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade, .
The best part is always the emotional part and that was when Ifedapo and her dad had their last dance.
As the famous Nel Oliver’s famous lyrics, Mon enfant, ma baby girl, began playing and the bride and dad got to the dancefloor, the rendition evoked mixed emotions.
The couple and parents also had their day on the floor with guests serenading them with applauses.
The marital advices
Oguntoye decried the increasing number of broken marriages and asked couples to work towards building a happy home. According to the chairman, if the efforts and resources expended on wedding ceremonies were worth it, many marriages would have been saved.
He said: “We live in a social media generation where people spend most time on wedding ceremonies, but they spend less energy on marriage itself. Marriage is about love and work. People must be ready to sacrifice and make it work. Ifedapo and Oluwole after today’s ceremony, I want you to take a look at yourself and say, ‘I will spend time to reflect on my marriage’ I pray that the Lord will give the couple the grace to make their marriage work; and that God in His infinite mercies would bless those of us witnessing this.”
He recounted that: “As a legal practitioner and I have been privileged to witness orchestrated number of divorce cases. I have been counsel to nothing less than 17 divorce matters and I’m talking about situations of marriages that are between one year and 15 years. The only one I had to turn down was a petition by a man who wanted me to dissolve his 37-year- old marriage.
“I turned it down and I said to the man, why would you want to throw away a relationship that has existed for 37 years? And the man said, Aburo (young man) I need to live my life. It’s not worth it anymore. That is where I want to take my advice from. Ifedapo and Oluwole, the Lord will help you. Just make sure you work it out. Marriage is meant to be enjoyed, but you must make it work. In all my experience, one of the key denominators the man always complains about is, ‘I have lost her respect’. A man does not demand love, men demand respect.”
In his message to the newlywed, obstetrician and gynecologist and member of the Lagos Governor Advisory Council (GAC), Dr Oluyomi Abayomi Finnih, said: “They should show love to each other. The wife should respect the man and the husband should do the same too. And they shouldn’t allow third parties into their affairs. And I wish them God’s blessings.”
The groom’s father, Omooba Sosanya, also advised the couple, reinforcing what the cleric said. “My advice to my son and daughter is that they should live together as friends.
They should show love and understanding to each other. Although they come from two different families, they can live together as one happy family, if the love is there,” he admonished.
Echoing similar sentiments, the bride’s parents also gave their last words. “Our advice to them is to love God and each other and work their marriage out. And they should know that understanding is shown from above with the help of God. We are releasing them as a solution to Nigeria to affect their generation positively and to change this nation for good.”
Senator Gbenga Ashafa also advised the couple. “As I always tell young couple that are getting married, I use one word – that is love.
They must endeavour to love each other and then have the fear of God. Once they imbibe these principles, it will be easy for them to tolerate each other because they are coming from different backgrounds. My prayer for the newly wedded couple is that they will find everything to make their marriage succeed in all ramifications. I’m talking about enduring peace, money and of course, long life and abundant prosperity.”
The ceremony was high-octane judging by the calibre of guests who attended. Among the guests were wife of Senator Ashafa, Sade; Chief Whip Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Rotimi Abiru; Lagos APC deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Obafemi Hamzat; members of the Lagos State Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), including former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Prince Rafiu Oluwa; Otunba Bashura Alebiosu; High Chief M. O. Taiwo, Asiwaju Reuben Bashorun and Prof Babatunde Samuel and Chief Lanre Rasak, popularly known as KLM.
Others were a lawyer and the state Legal Adviser of the Lagos APC, Ademola Sadiq; Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Director of Accounts, Mrs Adenike Ganiat Akanbi; Rear Admiral Toye Sode (rtd); CSS Bookshop Limited Managing Director, Dare Oluwatuyi, and the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Adesina Adegbola.
