YEAR 2020 would undoubtedly be remembered in the annals of time and history as the year of gloom and doom. A year when the world was wreaked and wrecked by the deadly pandemic, the type that hadn’t been seen since the dawn of creation.
Yet amidst the chaos, the laments and the litany of unending deaths, we still have God Almighty to thank for giving us life and the ability to celebrate one of the most joyful and momentous events of life approved, sanctioned and sanctified by God Himself: marriage, wedding! The most famous biblical verse about marriage in Genesis 2:24 goes: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”
For my son, Babajide Gabriel Awoyinfa, Christmas came 13 days early on December 12 (12/12/2020) when he took his lovely heartthrob Wuraola Deborah to the altar at a grand wedding ceremony at The International Conference Centre University of Ibadan. Wuraola is the beautiful daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Olatunji Awotayo and the granddaughter of Architect Bamidele Samson and Mrs. Victoria Samson, founders of Bovas Group.
My joy was seeing the beautiful smiles on the faces of my son and my newest daughter. Smiles that radiated the purity of love coming from the inside. Smiles that inspired me to dance in public, something I rarely do out of shyness. But on December 12, my joy overrode and overshadowed my shyness.
We thank the Almighty God for making us to see a day like this. As you read this piece, my prayer for you is that on the occasion of your children’s wedding, your seat would not be vacant and no one-minute silence would be observed in your honour.
Gracing the occasion was the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde. He came with his Commissioners and some influential members of his cabinet. His Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka had come earlier on Friday for the traditional wedding.
Officiating at the wedding was Pastor Tayo Ogunleye of Harvest House Christian Centre, Ibadan. In his sermon laced with biblical quotes, the man of God said marriage is the key to prosperity. “The only option for two of you is to prosper in this marriage,” he said. “You will prosper spiritually and materially.
“Everything starts small. But with passion, love and commitment, everything grows big. You will prosper. All we would be hearing from you is good news. Your children would grow to be mighty oaks. Everything that concerns you, you will see the signature of God in it.”
According to the man of God, “marriage is a journey where both of you are supposed to build together. Marriage is a venture that requires collaboration. Collaboration with your wife. And collaboration with your husband. Don’t be the sole champion. Play as partners. It takes partnership for it to work. As the Bible says in Deuteronomy 32:20, ‘One shall chase a thousand and two shall chase ten thousand to flight.’
“You must build to plan. For you to enjoy marriage, you must build to plan. Loving your wife means you must listen to your wife. And you must listen to your husband too. Both of you are weak individually. But together you are strong.
“Thirdly, you must build to last. It is not in the plan of God to look back in this journey. You must look forward. Marriage is God’s idea. If things must work, you must engage God. If you hide God in a corner, He will stay in the corner. Don’t hide God in the corner. Whatever you do, you must acknowledge Him so that He directs your path. If you embrace God, your relationship will last. Finally, you must build to taste.”
‘DON’T STRESS YOUR HUSBAND’
Governor Makinde had this to say: “To the latest couple in town, Wuraola and Babajide Awoyinfa, I say congratulations. Just a parting word. Wuraola, know that Nigeria is in recession right now. So, don’t stress Babajide too much. We will get out of recession very soon. And then the journey would be very, very smooth afterwards. And to Babajide, you have your own dream. Like a train at a junction, don’t think your wife would just join and you will head to your own direction. It doesn’t work like that. You have your dream, she has her dream. So the two of you, you are together, every time you seek alignment and seek God’s face in terms of the direction that you will go. I wish you well. God will make you each other’s friend till the end. This union will produce male, female, twins, triplets. But don’t exceed four. Hope four is OK for you! Congratulations once again.”
On his part, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN) sent me a congratulatory letter which reads: “I write to congratulate you and your family on the wedding of your children Babajide and Wuraola. It is my prayer that God will bless their union abundantly.”
On this note, I thank all my friends for their congratulatory messages, prayers and gifts. I also thank the readers of this column for their congratulatory messages. I pray that celebrations will not cease in your homes. As we enter year 2021, I pray for life, for good health, peace and prosperity to you all.
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