Marketing Edge Publisher Loses Mum, Announces Burial Plans

Publisher/Chief Executive Officer of Marketing Edge magazine, Mr. John Ajayi, has announced the details of the final rites of passage for the celebration of the life and times of his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Idowu Durodola Ajayi (nee Olofinmonmi).

Making the details public in a statement which he issued in Lagos yesterday, Ajayi said a Christian Wake would flag off the events on Thursday, October, 2021; and it will be held at K/4, Ibeji Street, Ijan Ekiti at 5pm prompt.

On Friday, October 8, a Requiem/Burial Mass and interment would take place at St. James’ Cathedral, Ijan, Ekiti State at 11am. This would be followed by reception and entertainment of Guests at Moyosore Layout, Opposite General Hospital, Ijan, Ekiti State.

It would be recalled that the Matriarch of the Falomo Ajayi dynasty of Ijan Ekiti, Ekiti State, passed on peacefully on Thursday, September 9 at the ripe age of 97 years after a brief illness.

The late Mama Idowu Durodola Elizabeth Ajayi was born on Imoru Street, Ijan Ekiti, in 1924 into the family of a professional carpenter, Late Pa Abraham Olofinmomi (aka Apeere Igbagbo) from Idanre, Ondo State, who had come to sojourn at Ijan Ekiti to earn his living as a vibrant carpenter and proficient farmer.

History has it that Olofinmomi was the first person to roof his house with iron sheets as well as plant cocoa in Ijan Ekiti.

Her mother, Late Chief Ekerun Apotun Ibiyimika was a Traditional Weaver (Ahunso) as well as a Trader. She was born in Ogbon Titun, Ijan Ekiti to the family of Late Chief Osodi Fasae.

On her part, recently transited Durodola Ajayi was a petty trader in her youthful days, combining that with farming, her husband’s occupation.

The departed Matriarch got married to Late Chief Nathaniel Falomo Ajayi (the Ajana of Ijan Ekiti). The marriage was a fulfilled one, with God-fearing and well-doing children, grand and great grandchildren.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Oversights Nigeria’s High Commission in Jamaica

A delegation of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives has visited Kingston Jamaica to carry out oversight functions aimed at repositioning the Nigerian Foreign Service for optimum performance and service-delivery in line with the vision of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and the mandate of the 9th House.

The delegation was led by the House Committee Chairman on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub, with the Vice Chairman, Hon. Adelegbe Timehin. Other members on the team are Hon. Princess Onuoha, Hon. Wale Raji as well as Hon .Wole Oke, as well as the Clerk of the Committee, Muhammad Ali and the Director, Consular and Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Akinremi Bolaji. They were received by the staff of the High commission led by the High Commissioner, Dr. Maureen Tamuno.

The delegation in company of Dr. Tamuno thereafter paid a courtesy visit to the Heart Institute of the Carribeans (HIC) Kingston, Jamaica and toured the facility.

HIC is the first and dedicated full service heart hospital in the English speaking Caribbean under the chairmanship of a Nigerian, Prof Ernest Madu.

Thereafter the delegation paid a zoom courtesy call to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jamaica.

The team was received in parliament by the Speaker of House of Representatives Jamaica, The Honourable Marisa Colleen Darymple Philibert and Members of Parliament of Jamaica. The chairman of the Committee thanked the speaker of the house for their warm reception, he stated that their visit seeks to further strengthen the existing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Jamaica.

NANTA President Wins Media Platinum Merit Award

President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, has won the Platinum category of the Nigeria Media Merit Award (NMMA), for her leadership and resilience in keeping the Nigerian travel business together despite the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global travel and tourism.

In a citation by the board of the media award institution, Mrs. Akporiaye was singled out for holding forth and steering the association and the entire downstream sector of the aviation industry out the woods of depression and hopelessness at height of ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, which shook Nigerian travel industry to its foundation.

Flanked by Lagos Zone Vice President of the association, Mr. Yinka Folami and the Executive Secretary, Slyvester Olobor at the award podium of the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Akporiaye in a brief acceptance speech, explained that Nigeria was not the worst place on earth despite the security challenges, adding that Nigerians must wake up and join hands to pull the nation out of woods and consequently help change our narratives.

“Yes, it’s tough doing business because of the impact of COVID-19. Yes, we have security challenges but tell me where in the world is too safe and without challenges? As Nigerians, we must hold forth at our various corners and speak well of our country,” she admonished.

Appreciating the organisers of the NMMA, the Akporiaye disclosed that NANTA welcomed and was grateful for the years of relationships with the Nigerian media which has helped the association and its members to reach out to the various publics which had created needed enabling environment for the travel trade and tourism business to thrive, and contributing positively to socioeconomic development of the country.

“We respect the Nigerian media for its dogged partnership with NANTA and it didn’t start with me and will not end with me, so this award means so much to me and our association. We shall do more for our country and people and will not disappoint you all,” she assured.