[Grp.Capt. Kunlere’s daughter, Damilola marries in grand style
– Steve Ovirih.
The venue was Nigerian Airforce Protestant church Sam Ethnan Airforce Base , Ikeja. The gathering was for the solemnization of a holy matrimony. The caliber of guests who attended the event spoke of class and glamour ; the congregation was an exotic blend of the finest from the Nigerian armed Forces, the elite corp of the Nigerian political class and a long list of eminent Nigerians.
Few minutes before the arrival of the bride and the groom, the Minister of Information, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Lai Muhammed was spotted in a sparkling white agbada entering the church from the West door.
For Oluwadamilola Kunlere, the radiant daughter of the
Igbotako born Grp.Capt. Martins Kunlere (RTD) the journey to becoming a full – fledged house wife in the household of the Ashirus began at the Central door of the Protestant church as her father held her by the arms into the huge church auditorium, while members of the congregation watched in admiration .
Earlier, the groom, Oluwafemi, son of Kwara politician of repute , Senator Lola Ashiru, and his best man had walked into the church with the expectant gait of one looking forward to changing his status from ‘single’ to married.
At the well attended wedding event, history repeated itself again with the presence of Commodore The Very Revd Dr. Oluyinka Omololu (RTD), the priest who pronounced the father of the bride and his wife as married some decades back in the same church. It was more than coincidence that the retired Airforce chief also officiated at the wedding of Damilola and Femi, rather it was a display of love and affection the Commodore has for the Kunleres, particularly Grp.capt
Kunlere, the Otun Akorewolu of Osin Ekiti, whom the aged air commodore sees as a son. It is worthy of note that Comm. Oluyinka Omololu also joined the first daughter of Grp Capt Martins Mojibade Kunlere and her husband at the Protestant church Air Force Base, Ikeja in 2016, as husband and wife.
Inhis sermon at the wedding, Grp. Capt ( Ven) Okoye, Chaplain of the church counselled the new couple to henceforth see each other as one indivisible entity, stressing that God’s plan for marriage is for couples to remain one indivisible entity until death do them part. Quoting copiously from the Book of Mathew chapter 19 verses 3 to 6, Ven Okoye noted that the foundation of God stands forever and God’s foundation for the institution of marriage can not be invalidated by any human arrangement or modern trend. He charged the groom to see his bride as his missing ribs whom he has found to love and to cherish as long as their sojourn on earth lasts.
Ven Okoye emphasised that God did not ordain the institution of marriage with a thought for breakups or divorce, noting that it is rather unfortunate that Christian couples would think of divorce instead of seeking solutions to their marital issues. He also noted that no matter the effect of worldly trends from across the globe, marriage as ordained by God stands on a solid foundation. prior to the sermon, the bride and groom had exchanged marital vows after which Cdre The Very Revd Dr.Oluyinka Omololu had joined them together and pronounced them husband and wife.
In a very loud thanksgiving, the entire congregation
joined the couple to dance and appreciate God after they had signed the dotted lines.
The wedding reception which followed immediately at Glitz Events Center , Remi Olowude street, Lekki affected the air of resplendence as the entire movers and shakers of Kwara politics seemed to have shifted base to the reception venue to felicitate with one of their own, Senator Gbenga Ashiru, the father of the groom.
Leading the pack of the Kwara political class to the event was the Executive Governor of Kwara state, HE Gov. Abdulraman Abdulrazak and a long list of entourage. The Governor was flanked by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. The senator representing Kwara North, Senator Umar Sardiq, who doubled as the chairman of the occasion , and Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe were also on ground.
In his address , the chairman of the event, Senator Umar Sardiq congratulated the couple and appreciate God for the success of the event. He noted that Femi, the groom had made them proud by parting ways with bachelorhood , advising him to take good care of his better half, senator Sardiq said marriage means commitment and the two that have become one should show love, passion and commitment towards each other always.
A major high light of the event was the cutting of the cake which was supervised by Alhaja Kudirat Muhammed, wife of the Minister of Information.
Also at the event, the sizzling couple’s game which showed the level of intimacy between the two love birds played out as the compere took his time to ask questions that reflected the depth of the couple’s intimacy.
Among the eminent dignitaries at the reception were The Olofa of Offa, His Royal Highness, Oba Muftau Gbadamosi, Oluwo of Iwo, His Royal Highness Oba, Abdulrashid Adewale Akanbi, His Royal Highness Oba Paul Adebayo; Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa, APC Chairman Kwara state, Air Vice Marshall Sesan Awofodu, Air Vice Marshall Lawal Alao, Air Vice Marshall Abiodun Olatunji, High Chief Adegbenro Kunlere, Senator and Mrs Boluwaji Kunlere, Hon. Olabanji, APC vice chairman, Kwara state .
- Others are Dr.and Mrs. Bode Bakare, Dr.Dapo Fagbemi, Dr Femi Ogunsola, Member of the board of Federal Character Commission, Chief and Mrs .Sam Kunlere, Hon Wahab Femi Agbaje ,Commissioner of Enterprise, Kwara state; Alhaji Bashir Bolarinwa, Hon. Oyedepo, Alhaji Wahid Okagunju and a host of others.
