NEWS HEADLINE

Tunde Oyedoyin
[email protected]
London, UK

Kofo's wedding, a celebration of simplicity

f the Obasanjo's family attempt at making the solemnisation of holy matrimony between Kofo and Peter a private affair did not yield much fruit, keeping same a simple event was more successful. But what about the two rented rolls royce used to convey the couple and the bridal train?That in itself is nothing extraordinary, because anyone can charter a limousine to take them to the West End on a friday or saturday night out.

But what about the who is who in the Nigerian community in London who graced the occassion?I beg your pardon, many , and not if all celebrity faces, were glaringly absent.How about top government functionaries?With the exception of the Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr Gaius Obaseki,and the Nigerian High Commisioner in the United Kingdom, Dr Christopher Kolade, and maybe a few others,the ceremony was largely for the commoners and family members.

How about the press? Apart from Ovation Magazine, whom the couple themselves invited, the others could either be classiified as gatecrashers or well wishers.How about you, were you invited ?one of Kofo's friends asked me. Yes, I was, ask Tunji Oseni, my invitation was sealed in his room. A staff of Channels television-presently on holiday in London- whom I talked to the day before refused coming to avoid any embarassment.

The church was mainly filled with family members, Kofo's relations on both sides, childhood friends and others, who are fourth generation invitees-they knew someone, who knew someone, who knew someone that knows the bride.The first cab I took from my house to the church was driven by an indigene of Enugu state, he knew nothing about it except that some roadwork was going on at Kilburn.I planned telling him at the last minute, but he dropped me about six minutes away from the venue, so I kept the news to myself.The chap who took me from the church to the reception knew because the cab office is dirrectly opposite the church. He only sought confimation from me, so also was the one who was responsible for the last leg of my journey.

After coming off the first cab, I quickly jumped into the conversation of two elderly women, thinking they knew the way. One of them was equally friendly, she asked if I was the same guy with whom they were in the plane together. I said no, mama, I live in London, the last time I was out was about two weeks ago, and my journey was to Birmingham.

So, what happened to the celebs-celebrities- I asked her brother in law,Gbenga.They just wanted it to be a private affair, hence, Kofo's message to the parapazzi that she was being intimidated by their frequent flashes.

How about Mr President, what was he like? Everything, except a presido. He listened to the sermon like any other father and at one instance, when the security men tried pushing the commercial photographers and others moving too close to him away, I could hear him telling them: "Leave them alone".

When the floor was opened,he was up for it. As Solek crew reminded me of a song dedicated to twins in my mother's village in Ibadan : " epo n be , ewa nbe o, epo nbe, ewa nbe o, aya mi o ja, onye, aya mi o ja lati bi'beji, bi mo bi beji n o gbe o", don't mind those young chaps, looking after twins could be a career in London.I refused singing that type of song before we had our children, for now, count me out of any twins' business.

What more, they sang his praises, how do I interpret that, they sang his oriki,help if you can. But the point is, Mr president never gave a hoot, he took the right steps and swayed in the right directions. What about Peter, I was told he was already eating amala some weeks before the wedding. What of the dollars? as mentioned earlier, the party was primarily a private affair than a celebrity outing, and the spraying was done by ordinary folks who gathered to make it a memorable day for them.

Although I saw one of the unknown wives of the late Chief Moshood Abiola, when I decided to return to her table, having promised her a shot, she was gone. Earlier in the reception, Kofo's half brother, Tunde Baiyewu, treated the audience to his inspirational song, Ocean Drive.