Sunday, 30th July, 2017, marked the grand finale of the 70th birthday celebration of the Osogbo born Ifa Priest and the Araba Awo of Osogboland, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, at the prestigious Atlantics Civic Centre, Osogbo. This was preceded by lots of mapped-out activities for the celebration which includes traditional prayer (Iwure)/Press Conference held on Wednesday, July 19th, 2017, chieftaincy titles conferment on some notable personalities who came on Thursday, July 20th, 2017.
There was also an Exhibition on Saturday 22nd July, 2017, a Public Lecture at osogbo City Hall on Tuesday 25th July, 2017, and Book Launch on Wednesday 26th July, 2017 while the train paid a visit to orphanage home on Thursday 27th July, 2017. All these program including the grand finale are indeed a testimony to what Chief Fayemi Elebuibon represents in the society and also to thank God for his life at 70. This also explains why top dignitaries and captains of industries stormed the well planned and all White event.
The talented Fuji music icon, Dr. Saheed Osupa entertained guests with good music at the party. City People’s Correspondent, DARE ADENIRAN was at the very glamorous party and hereby gives you some of the gist.
All these programme including the grand finale are indeed a testimony to what Chief Fayemi Elebuibon represents in the society and also to thank God for his life at 70. This also explains why top dignitaries and captains of industries stormed the well planned and all White event. The talented Fuji music icon, Dr. Saheed Osupa entertained guests with good music at the party. City People’s Correspondent, DARE ADENIRAN was at the very glamorous party and hereby gives you some of the gist.
IT WAS AN ALL-WHITE EVENT
Apart from the fact that Baba Elebuiobon’s 70th birthday party was well-planned; the security was tight, all tables were tagged accordingly and the environment was also cool. But one thing that was notable at the event is the White color; every corner of the hall, including the nicely carved high table with a lovely fountain, were elaborately decorated in White with little touches of Gold, which symbolizes color of Orisa (White). Even the lovely ushers at the party wore short White gowns. It is believed that Orisa is the one who dresses, sleeps and wakes up in White. The event was planned by Omolara Olaosebikan, one of the best event planners in Nigeria today. She is a prim and proper lady.
THE POWERFUL FOREIGN DELEGATION
The multi-talented Araba Fayemi Elebuibon, as an Ifa priest, poet, writer and an Ewi exponent has his connections all over the world and that explains the powerful delegations from many countries at the party. The list include Mr. & Mrs. Shango Bent from New Jerssy, U.S; Dr. Michelle M’Collin from Pennnsylvania U.S; Iyalosa Morenike Olabunmi from U.S; Atayese Michael Adeyemi from Lythcott; Ifa Awolowa Randolph and many others.
IFA PRIESTS AT THE PARTY
Many of the Ifa priests were at the party to celebrate their own, Fayemi Elebuibon at 70 and the list include Fakode Ajigbotifa; Awotunji Alaran; Ifagbemisola Olalekan Atanda; Olasupo Aremu; Oyegbade Olabomi; Ifatunmibi Ifaleke; Fasola Ogunjimi; Onifade Ifakunle; OLaifa Aremu; Oyeniyi Ifawuyi; Taye Ajobola; Shagodare Ajala; Fakayode Faniyi; the Awise of Osogbo land and others.
OSUN, OGUN STATES GOVERNORS SHOWED LOVE
Though the executive governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and his counterpart from Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun couldn’t make it to the event, they sent their representatives. Hon. Taiwo Oluga, S.A to Aregbesola on Tourism represented him while Hon. Muyiwa Oladipo, the honorable Commissioner for Culture & Tourism stood in for Ogun governor, where they both extolled the virtues, brain and personality of Dr. Ifayemi Elebuiobon, as a great promoter of Yoruba culture and tradition whose life is worthy of emulation, through their individual speeches delivered at the party.
BETWEEN DURO LADIPO AND YEMI ELEBUIBON.
It wasn’t surprising to those who know the relationship between late Duro Ladipo and Chief Yemi Elebuiobon, seeing Mama Biodun Duro Ladipo at the party; apart from the fact that they both come from Osogbo, Elebuibon was Cultural Advisor to Duro Ladipo Cultural Theatre in 1973 and they toured the world together. Mama Biodun Duro Ladipo’s late wife also one of the recipients of ‘Distinguished Awards’ at the party. Duro Ladipo was the one who wrote Osogbo anthem.
THE CULTURAL PERFORMANCES.
As expected, there were many cultural displays at the party, which include explicit performance of the Osun State Cultural Troupe; through which the guests were entertained. They started this with cultural display at the entrance of the venue, welcoming guests to the arena one after the other. Yoruba movie actor, Muyideen Oladapo aka Lala’s cultural group also thrilled the guests with their wonderful performance.
WITH LOVE FROM MOVIE WORLD.
It was a convergence of many performing actors and actresses from Nigeria’s movie industry at the party. They all came to celebrate with one of the fathers of the industry; Chief Yemi Elebuibon is a veteran actor whose impact has affected the industry positively. Also, some of his children are into acting or something related to the industry. The list include Chief (Mrs.) Adegbola aka ‘Asewo To Re Mecca’; Kunle Afolayan; Yomi Fash Lanso; Tafa Oloyede; Rasak Olayiwola (Ojopagogo); Adebayo Tijani (Golugo); Kunle Affod; Afonja Olaniyi (Sanyeri); Alhaji Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande); Lateef Oladimeji and many others.
THE 10 AWARDEES.
Baba Elebuibon;s 70th birthday celebration also served as avenue to award some promoters of Yoruba tradition and culture who had one way or the other distinguished themselves, living and dead. They include late Duro Ladipo (Sango); Awotunde Aworinde Labi Bamigbala, an exponent of Ifa poetry; Ajani Faniyi Fagbenro, son of a late prominent Ifa preist; Babalola Ifatoogun, a former Information Consultant to Institute of Africa Study, Ibadan; Brenda Hudson (Ifadunke Olayemi), the oldest daughter of four females of Deacon & Deaconess Joe Hudson in Chicago; Denise Suares; Dr. Barbara Ann Teer; Morenike Olabunmi, a popular film maker/writer; Nontisizi Cayou and Wande W. Nobles, a great researcher with PhD from Stanford University.
CHAIRMAN’S OPENING SPEECH
Dr. Akintunde Ayeni, Chairman YemKem Internation and the current President of Trado Medical Practitioners in Nigeria, was the Chairman of the day at the party. In his opening speech, he described Baba Elebuibon as a world acclaimed Ifa priest who has touched the 4 corners of the world; promoting the uniqueness in Africa culture, especially the Yoruba rich culture and tradition. He said Baba’s landmark achievement and personality are worthy of emulation by the youths for the betterment of Nigeria, the nation and the world at large.
MEET THE PLANNING COMMITTEE
Kudos must be given to the planning committee of Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon’s 70th birthday celebration; they did an excellent job to have put such great event together, the whole party was tastefully arranged. Right from the choice of venue to security, decoration, sitting arrangement, fireworks and some other logistics, everything was just in place. Destiny Catering and Jade’s Cuisine handled food while Champaign stand was handled by Adebayo Liquor Store. Kolade Alabi and Yemi Ogunyemi were the major anchors at the party. The wonderful team includes Chief (Mrs.) Toyin Adegbola, she took charge of the welfare of the high table, traditional rulers and movie practitioners; Abubakar Adeshina; Adetunji Akeem; Elebuibon Fatoki; Elebuibon Taiwo; Oyeniyi Tunde; Elebuibon Ogundeji; Akinkunmi Alabi; Elebuibon Oyinkansola; Elebuibon Shina; Adetunji Abdulsamad; Mcenies Event Planners; Nurudeen Akinrinde; Elebuibon Faniyi and Elebuibon Abiola. They all played their roles excellently well in making the event an elaborate and colorful one.
AN ARRAY OF CELEBRITIES
To say that Yemi Elebuibon 70th birthday party was well attended is like stating an obvious; every who-is-who in the country and beyond gathered at the event. From the Osogbo billionaire, Chairman, Tuns Group of Companies and the Aare Asiwaju Musulumi of Yoruba land, Alhaji (Chief) Olatunde Badmus to Asiwaju of Iwo land, Chief Abiola Ogundokun; Hon. Sunday Akere, former Commissioner of Information in Osun; Amitolu Shittu; Chief Onifade Olaifa Fagbemi, the Awise of Osogbo land; Chief Jimoh Buraimoh; Dr. Akintunde Ayeni; Chief M. O Yakubu; Princess Folashade Adeyemi, who represented her father, HIM Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, the Alaafin of Oyo at the party and many other dignitaries who are too numerous to be mentioned.
THE TRADITIONAL RULERS WERE NOT LEFT OUT
Royal presence was felt at the party as the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun led other traditional rulers to the event. Other royal fathers in the house include the Olufon of Ifon Orolu kingdom, ObaAl-Maroof Adekunle Magbagbeola (J.P); Olojudo of Ido-Osun, Oba Adeyemi Adediran and others.
ABOUT THE CELEBRATOR
Araba Ifayemi Elebuibon was born in Osogbo to the family of an Ifa priest, Pa Akinrinade Akanbi Elebuibon, over 70 years ago; his father was one of the co-founders of Osogbo city. His birth was divine and so also his life; the mother gave birth to him severally and died many times as an ‘Abiku’, as Yoruba will call it, before it was revealed through oracle that the mother should make sacrifice to Osun river; hence his given native name ‘Osundagbonu’. What he has become today was also predicted long time before he was born by an Ifa priest. Ifayemi Elebuibon is a professionally trained Ifa priest whose exploits in the profession has taken round the four corners of the world. He is a self-taught scholar who has taught and still teaches at many foreign universities; he has lectured African Traditional Religion at the Department of Black Study, San Francisco State University and Wajumbe Cultural Institution in Califonia among many others. He is an honorary Doctor from both Brandice University, U.S and the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (O.A.U), Ile-Ife. Baba Elebuibon is a poet, performing artist, author, Ifa priest and an Ewi exponent; he has published many books and has written and featured in many films. His ‘Ifa Olokun Asorodayo drama series on NTA back in the days was huge and still a reference point in the industry till today. In fact, it will be a whole publication if one should begin to talk about Fayemi Elebuibon’ highly rich C.V.
What he has become today was also predicted long time before he was born by an Ifa priest. Ifayemi Elebuibon is a professionally trained Ifa priest whose exploits in the profession has taken round the four corners of the world. He is a self-taught scholar who has taught and still teaches at many foreign universities; he has lectured African Traditional Religion at the Department of Black Study, San Francisco State University and Wajumbe Cultural Institution in Califonia among many others. He is an honorary Doctor from both Brandice University, U.S and the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University (O.A.U), Ile-Ife. Baba Elebuibon is a poet, performing artist, author, Ifa priest and an Ewi exponent; he has published many books and has written and featured in many films. His ‘Ifa Olokun Asorodayo drama series on NTA back in the days was huge and still a reference point in the industry till today. In fact, it will be a whole publication if one should begin to talk about Fayemi Elebuibon’ highly rich C.V.
Baba Elebuibon is a poet, performing artist, author, Ifa priest and an Ewi exponent; he has published many books and has written and featured in many films. His ‘Ifa Olokun Asorodayo drama series on NTA back in the days was huge and still a reference point in the industry till today. In fact, it will be a whole publication if one should begin to talk about Fayemi Elebuibon’ highly rich C.V.
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