Remembering his days as a student at the University of IbadanVice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday described the ancient city of Ibadan as the home where he learned to turn everything that comes his way into an opportunity.
Vice President Shettima spoke at the wedding reception of Ibukun Okunmadewa and Obafemi Omitiran held at the International Conference Center of the University of Ibadan.
The bride, Ibukun, is the daughter of Folusho Okunmadewa, whom the vice president described as “my beloved teacher.”
Vice President Shettima, who combined his speech with lines from ‘Ibadan’, a poem by one of Nigeria’s greatest poets, John Pepper Clark, said he was in Ibadan, not as a guest, but as a member of the family of the bride to receive guests at the wedding.
From right: Professor Folusho Kunmadewa, father of the teacher/Vice President’s boyfriend, and his wife, Vice President Kashim Shettima, the couple Ibukun and Obafemi, during their wedding reception in Ibadan on Saturday 08/19/2023.
“So, I am here to welcome you as guests in this ancient city of memories. Ibadan is a home for me, a home that shaped me and taught me to turn everything that comes my way into an opportunity.
“This would not have been easy without the patience of my beloved teacher, Professor Folusho Okunmadewa, whose daughter, Ibukun and her boyfriend, Obafemi, are here to celebrate as they embark on a beautiful journey to discover the essence of life.”
The vice president said that the gathering for the wedding was not that of simple friends but that of a close-knit family united by the characteristics of time, education and unbreakable ties.
“As I look around this room, I am not only reminded of a city that has woven its culture, values and aspirations deeply into my being, but also how fate has played a role in expanding relationships and families,” said Mr. .Shettima.
Extolling the virtues of father-of-the-bride Professor Okunmadewa, Vice President Shettima described him as “a beacon of wisdom and guidance for a vast generation of academics”, adding: “I am privileged not only to tap into this intellectual oasis of the University of Ibadan but also to identify oneself as a member of the family and as a qualifying son of the land.”
ALSO READ: Shettima urges political office holders to avoid sectional gains as north-central governors honor Akume
He said he knew how a father feels the day he gives his daughter’s hand in marriage and prayed that the newlyweds would deepen their love for each other.
From right: Vice President Kashim Shettima, the couple Mr. and Mrs. Obafemi Ayoade, and Oyo State Deputy Governor Alh. Adebayo Lawal, during the wedding reception in Ibadan on Saturday 08/19/2023.
“Giving a daughter away in marriage is one of the most profound bittersweet experiences of human existence.
“It is a reminder that life is a journey of luck, a journey of hope, and a journey of change. But I have no doubt that you have instilled in Ibukun the moral discipline he needs to carry on from this day on, away from his first family. And I pray that the new life of him produces infinite joy.
Among the dignitaries who attended the wedding reception were Oyo State Deputy Governor Adebayo Lawal; Governor of the State of Borno, Babagana Zulum; the former Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, the Country Representative of the World Bank in Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Kayode Adebowale.
Vice President Shettima also attended the wedding reception of Suliat Alli and Abdulqudus Okeowo at the University of Ibadan before returning to Abuja.
Read More Related News Here
Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; How Ibadan impacted my life