Why I Chose To Honour My Late Sister With My Birthday - Olubusayo Adeonigbagbe-Alade

 

Pretty. Elegant. Adorable. Humble. These words best describe Olubusayo Adeonigbagbe, the very gorgeous looking daughter of the Enigmatic founder of the Celica Church of Christ. Prophet Emmanuel Adetunji Adeonigbagbe. This cute looking US based young, vibrant and highly spiritual lady celebrated her 40^th birthday last Saturday, 14^th of December, 2024, at the La Chateau Event center, Awolowo Avenue, Bodija, Ibadan. It was a superlative birthday bash. All the tables were filled, the guests were looking colourful and the ambience and exotic décor of the hall was enchanting. It was just perfect for the birthday celebration of a classy, elegant and adorable lady like the celebrant, Olubusayo Adeonigbagbe. And the guests came dressed in fabulous designs of the Ankara Aso ebi chosen for the party. The ladies were at their creative best, looking stylish and glamorous in their outfits.

But it was the celebrant who stole the show at her own party. It was clear to see that Olubusayo and her designer were both determined to make sure no one would come to the party looking anything near as glamorous as Busayo looked. And they did just that. Her two outfits at the event were stunning. Busayo came into the hall looking all glam without breaking a sweat. And she looked so very comfortable all through in those outfits. Her beautiful eyes and lovely smile perhaps were her strongest features. She has this cute little smile that told you you were probably looking at one of the nicest women on the face of the earth. Hen enchanting eyes and lovely smile made her look simply Angelic, a part of her that reminded everyone of her very beautiful mother, the late Reverend Agnes Adeonigbagbe.

City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) had a fun time speaking with the very affable and intelligent Olubusayo. She revealed why she chose to celebrate her birthday on the date her younger sister died over 20 years ago and also talked about her love for her Dad and why he means the world to her and her siblings. Enjoy excerpts.     

Congratulations on your 40^th birthday celebration. How did you feel seeing the large turnout of people who came from far and near to celebrate this milestone with you? Share your thoughts at this time with us.

I was so very happy, so delighted to see the multitude of people who came out to come and appreciate me and help me glorify God in my life, it was so heartwarming to see all of them. I feel so happy, so blessed to have them at my birthday.

For someone who has been based in the United States for a while now, one would’ve expected that you would easily have opted to celebrate your birthday back in the States where you probably have many of your friends residing, but you opted to come back home to Naija to celebrate it, why Naija,  why not the US?

Well, to start with, Nigeria is my country, that’s where home is, and most of my family members are here in Nigeria. My church members are here, they are the ones I would love to have around me when celebrating my birthdays. Personally, I would not like to celebrate my birthday with just anybody, it has to be with special people I love like my church members, my family. And being the new Celica Mother, it is very appropriate that I celebrate with my church members who are just like my second family.

I understand that today is not actually your birthday, your birthday was some time ago in April, I think, but you chose to honour your late sister who passed away on the 14^th of December over 20 years ago by shifting your birthday to the date she died as a mark of honour and remembrance. How did you reach that decision and what sort of relationship did you have with her while she was alive? How close were both of you?

We were so close because she was my immediate younger sister. I loved her so much. She was a very special person in the family. Everybody loved her. She was the nicest person amongst us. Everyone is so fond of her and we all wanted to do something just for her, so I had to pick the date she bade us goodbye to celebrate my birthday. I was born April 23^rd but I felt that it’s been long that we did something on her day so I felt she should not be forgotten like that, so I said, no, let’s just keep celebrating her through me, using my birthday.

Give us her name and how many years ago now did she pass on?

She  died over 20 years ago…her name is Ayotomide Adeonigbagbe.

Daddy made a glowing tribute about you during the celebration, he calls you his girlfriend, his confidant, so, its like you’re Daddy’s Little Girl. How close are both of you? What sort of relationship do you have with him?

Oh, we are so very close. And it’s not just me, even my siblings, we are all very close to Daddy. He is the first person we tell anything that’s going on with us. Whatever the problem or situation is, we believe that, once Daddy is duly informed, everything will be okay. We are all so close to him. And its not that he tells us to keep him informed of what’s going on in our lives, no, but it’s about the way he comforts us and offers us spiritual guidance whenever we need it. And it’s not just about the fact that he’s a man of God or something, but he just makes sure that, as our father, we are so free with him. He is not like some fathers that you can’t walk up to and speak freely to them. Right now, I can’t even think of one thing me or my siblings can’t share with our father. Nothing. There’s nothing I can’t share with him. He’s like my friend. We are all one in the family, we work hand in hand. We’re so close, all of us.

I can relate to what you’re saying because I have known Daddy for some years now and I can tell you that he’s an amazing man. Going by the sort of love he shows me, I can imagine how much of affection he showers on his own children. Tell us, now that you have turned 40, what are some of the lessons you can say life has taught you at 40?

One of the most important things life has taught me is that whatever will be will be. No matter how much we strive and try to work hard to achieve some things in life, what will be, will be. Just do your very best and leave the rest to God. Let His will prevail, whatever will be yours will be yours.

So, tell us, between mum and Dad, who would you say you take a lot of your personality from? Who do you share a lot of things with?

Well, the truth is that it’s a difficult question you’re asking me because, both of them, mum and dad, are so are alike in nature. They are both givers. They are both humble. They are both very, very spiritual, and we all took a lot of that from them. It’s so hard to say this is the person I share a lot of similarities with.

Dad also described you as a very spiritual person yourself, I am wondering, now that you live mostly abroad, how difficult has it been for you sustaining your spirituality over there, in a western environment, far away from home?

It’s tough, I must confess, but I try to ensure that I keep on praying, fasting and reading the bible as regularly as possible. It’s not been easy being in the US and sustaining your spirituality because it’s all about work, work and more work over there. If you’re not careful while you’re over there, you’re going to lose the spirit of God. It’s easy to lose your spirituality because of things of the world. Before you think of praying, you have to think of work. That’s why it’s important you come back home once in a while if you really want to keep your spirituality. And I try to make sure I come back home yearly to refill my spirit and upgrade my spirituality.

You looked very stunning yesterday. When you stepped inside the hall, the first impression I got was that you were probably an American Diva, one of those female super stars making waves abroad. And when you changed into your second outfit, I was like wow, you looked gorgeous. You’re clearly a fashionable lady, where did you get your outfits from, here in Naija or from the US?

I got them here in Nigeria, sir.                                                                                                  

Really? That is amazing work your designer did. The two outfits looked gorgeous on you.

Tell me, clearly from your outfits and from your other pictures used at the event as backdrops, you are a very fashionable and stylish lady, how did that part of you evolve? From whom did you pick your passion for fashion?

It’s from mum. She was a very fashionable woman. There was a picture I used on the backdrop in the hall, one of the outfits there was my mum’s outfit. I wore that outfit to honour her. My mother loved to dress nice. She was always dressing well and looking sweet, no matter how simple she dressed. So, I think I took my love for fashion from her. 

But what about you, are you basically a casuals person? When you’re not dressed up for a party, what kind of look do you prefer?

I’m a Jeans person. I’m a Jeans and tee-shirt kind of person.