The Society Bursts At The Seams As Nigerian Elite Celebrates Honourable Jumoke Okoya-Thomas At 60

The Nigerian social establishment burst at the seams, literally, on Friday, 20 January 2017, when Princess  Olajumoke Abidemi Okoya-Thomas celebrated her 60th birthday. The event took place at the Oriental Hotel, Ozumba Mbadiwe Road, Victoria Island, Lagos. The very grand party featured a heavy A-list of notable personalities, drawn from all the facets of the Nigerian social circuit.

The ELITES gathered that the birthday celebration kicked off with a Thanksgiving service, which was officiated by Pastor J.T. Kalejaiye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, and Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of the Trinity House ( the celebrant is an active member of his church). After the church service, a grand reception followed and this was anchored by Tunde Adewale (Tee-A).

The celebrant with her children

The colour dictate of the day was silver, and most of the female guests adhered to this theme.

An accomplished politician and prominent society matriarch, Okoya-Thomas is the first daughter of late industrialist and statesman, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas.The mother of three is one of the most formidable female politicians in Nigeria. She is a high-ranking member of the All Progressives Congress Party, APC, and was a member of the Federal House of Representatives, where she represented Lagos Island Federal Constituency 1 and served for three terms. Her legislative interests were primarily focused on the Social Development of Women and Children. A former chairman of the house committee of Prisons, Okoya-Thomas served as the Chairman of the committee on Public Procurement and was also a member of committees on Banking & Currency, Diaspora, Niger Delta and Women in parliament^. She sponsored a bill on the compulsory breast feeding of babies in 2013. The bill failed because the Representatives insisted that it is an issue best left out of the public domain as “no woman has to be forced to breast feed her child” though they admitted the unarguable health benefits of breastfeeding.

Okoya-Thomas has a diploma in Senior Managers in Government from Harvard University and a diploma in sec. admin from Burleigh College.
Two of the celebrant's three sons and one of her daughters-in-law were actively involved during the event. And so also were her three siblings - Tosin Alobo-Bakare, Yinka Taiwo and Deji Okoya-Thomas.

Notable among those who graced the classy birthday party were;Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Aremo Segun Osoba, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, Senators Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Ganiyu Solomon, Oloruninbe Mamora, Daisy Ehanire Danjuma, Florence Ita-Giwa, Folashade Bent, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Bolanle Ambode, Abimbola Fashola, Toyin Saraki, Hon. Titi Oseni, Aliko Dangote, Oba Otudeko, Are Rasaq Okoya and wife, Sade, Justice Adesola Oguntade and wife, Modupe, Bimbo Ashiru, Lanre Ogunlesi, Sisi Abah Folawiyo, Chief Kessington Adebutu, Teju Phillips, Sena Anthony, Foluke Abdulrasaq, Kemi Nelson, Dr. Tunde and Hon. Folake Oshinowo, Tayo and Tutu Ayeni,  Chike and Funke Ogeah, Oba Lateef Adams, Foluso Adeagbo, Mike Inegbese, Yewande Onileere, Ireti Asemota, Fausat Aristo Balogun, Abiodun Aisen, Maureen Onigbanjo (Maufechi), Lola Adefusika, Titi Ogunbanjo, Biola Thomas, Joke Okeowo, Bimpe Ogunsanya, Toke Benson, Jibike Babatunde, Joko Oni and many others.