This is unarguably the wedding of the year in Nigeria. The wedding of Ibrahim Babangida’s daughter might have occupied the pages of newspapers and social media as virtually all jet owners stormed the venue, but this wedding between Abike Dabiri’s son and Gov. Ibikunle Amosun’s daughter will be talked about in many years to come.
The African Church Primary School, Ita Iyalode, Abeokuta, the venue of the traditional engagement and Nikkah ceremony filled to its brim with the various calibre of dignitaries whose power dressing and tens of Sports Utility Vehicles(SUVs) that ferried them to witness the holy matrimony, marked them out as the fortunate ones.
The wedding was a spectacular show of glamour and opulence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, by the elite members of the Nigerian society
Eminent Nigerians that witnessed it include the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode(Lagos), the controversial Senator Dino Melaye, former Managing Director of GTbank, Fola Adeola, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu(Ondo), Governor Yerima Shettima(Bornu), Governor Abdul – Azeez Yari (Zamfara), Governor Abiola Ajimobi(Oyo), Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Governor Bello Masari(Katsina), Governor Abubakar Badru(Jigawa)and Governor Ahmed Abdul – Fatai (Kwara) .
Others are former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, , Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Chief Bisi Akande, Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, his Finance counterpart, Kemi Adeosun, Chairman of the defunct Interim National Government(ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan, Chief Femi Majekodunmi, Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, the Osile of Oke – Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom and Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu.
Also witnessing the ceremony are parents of the couples, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, his wife; Olufunso Amosun, father of the groom Bayo Dabiri and mother of the groom, Abike Dabiri – Erewa, and her husband, Segun Erewa, Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnia Onu, former Common Wealth Secretary, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, Minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi, former Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith, former Attorney – General and Minister of Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola, Senator Lanre Tejuoso and Commissioner of Police Ogun State, Ahmed Iliyasu.
The officiating clergy, Abdul – Rahman Ahmad, who is the National Chief Missioner, Ansarudeen Society of Nigeria, conducted the Nikah {holy matrimony} between Ayomide and Oladipo and pronounced them formally as husband and wife according to Muslim right at exactly 1:04pm amid rumble of cheers from the enthusiastic parents and dignitaries.
Executive Secretary of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board .Prof. Ishaq Oloyede who acted as the Master of the Ceremony took over the stage after the traditional wedding and called the Islamic Scholars for their roles one after the other.
Sheik Ahmad in his brief sermon described marriage as an institution ordained by Allah and advised the couple to have the fear of Allah in dealing with one another and love each other.
