A Surprise Birthday Bash for Phina Origho

Friends and family members recently gathered in Lekki, Lagos, to honour an educationist and hospitality expert, Mrs. Phina Origho, founder PLAMJ Hotel and Catering Services Limited, whose husband along with their children held a surprise birthday bash for her 60th anniversary.

MARY NNAH who witnessed the event writes

The surprise was undeniably massive for Mrs. Phina Origho, one she could not contain for a moment. And for a couple of hours after she walked into the beautifully decorated hall, hand in hand with her husband, she remained astonished and speechless.

Her husband, Mr. Peter Oghenovo Origho, a retired management staff of National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) along with their children had planned a big surprise birthday bash to mark her 60th birthday.

Everything was planned top-secret and even the invitation cards for the occasion sent to friends and family members indicated it was a surprise party and should be kept away from the celebrant.

Held at Skyview Event Hall, The Lekki Coliseum, Lekki Lagos, the occasion had family members and friends who came from far and near to honour Phina Origho on her diamond jubilee.

“I don’t really know where to start. I have surprised so many people on their birthdays and have gotten through it. I boasted that nobody will beat me to it but today, I have proven myself a liar”, she retorted the instant she grasped the overall situation.

Speaking further, she noted, “They beat me to it. My children and husband told me we are going out for lunch. I never expected to see a huge party like this. People from different parts of the world came. I was so surprised when I entered the hall.”

The most surprising thing for her, in the whole scheme, she said, was the presence of Kunle Remi, a Nollywood actor.

“Bringing Kunle Remi to my birthday celebration is shocking. I love his acting. He is one of my best actors. I usually watch him in movies and today I saw him live”, she noted with so much excitement.

Born 60 years ago, Phina who is originally from Onitsha in Anambra State, grew up in Delta State where she met her heartthrob.

“I’m from the eastern part of the country, Onitsha precisely, while my husband is from Delta – Urhobo. We met when we were very young whilst my dad worked with Shell Nigeria BP in Warri. We found each other and so, my parents and his parents accepted the union and today our marriage is over 35 years”, she reminisced.

Hyping on her husband’s inherent qualities, she said, “He was and still is a very handsome man. He smiles a lot and he doesn’t talk. He is a quiet person. He is a very strong religious man.”

On what has kept their union so strong, she said, “I’m very charismatic and that has kept us together. I wouldn’t say there are no problems here and there, provided we are able to resolve and move ahead. Understanding each other has kept us. We know what we want and what we don’t want. Trust is another thing. He trusts me so much. He has a lot of trust and believes in me.”

She was also quick to advise young couples that to make their marriage withstand the test of time, they should put God first in whatever they do and should be friends.

“Husband and the wife should be open to each other. There shouldn’t be secrets. Once there is secrecy, there are usually a lot of problems.

Recalling her youthful days, she said, “After the Nigeria civil war, my father who was working with Shell took all of us down to Ughelli, Delta State where he lived and worked. I was in primary four when I came to Delta State. I attended primary and secondary schools there, as well as tertiary institutions.”

An educationist by profession, Phina, a former Principal at Jeddo Secondary School, Jeddo, Delta State, retired as a director in the Post Primary Education Board, Asaba, Delta State about three years ago just about when she delved into the hospitality business.

“I studied home economics in university. All my life I have been practising it even while I was teaching, I was doing that as a side job, when I retired I decided to go into it full force, so I founded PLAMJ Hotel and Catering Services Limited”, she explained further.

On how she felt at 60 years of age, she said: “Age is just a number. That’s the way I see it. And it is in the mind. If you want to be old, tell yourself that you are old and if you want to be young even at old age you behave like a young person. So, I feel young and energetic at 60.”

“Everything is by the grace of God because most of the time I multi-task, doing so many things which I’m not supposed to. I think I do what makes me happy whether I’m delving into so many activities, I don’t care as long as it makes me happy,” she said of her very appealing looks.

In her 60 years of life sojourn on earth, she will describe her first five years in marriage as most challenging.

“I will say five years after my marriage was very challenging. That was when I started having children and my husband was not always with me. He was working at different places while I lived all alone with the children. I single-handedly raised the children. I was in Warri with the kids while he only came once in a while and went back to his location. That was tough for me. But now is retired and we are fully back together.”

Giving gratitude to God for her life and growth in the last 60 year, she said, “I want to thank the almighty God for making this ceremony a reality and for protecting me till this diamond age. I want to thank my better half; the man that the Lord provided for me; my heartthrob, the one that puts a smile on my face when I am sad and the father of my wonderful children.”

“Someone said earlier that people should thank me for putting up with my husband, but I will rather say that people should thank him for putting up with me. My father told my husband then that he was giving him this ‘stubborn girl ‘ and that he should please take care of her and today I am proud to say that I lack nothing with him.”

“People see my husband as a tough man but I don’t believe that. You might be different in your home and in your workplace you are a different person. He’s a stern person in terms of work. He doesn’t play with his work, he believes in integrity. People might judge him differently but for me he’s just a nice person.

“And I’m not stubborn, I’m very optimistic. If I believe in a course, I would go all the way to get all that. People might take that as being stubborn.”

“I want to thank my children for the coup they planned with their father. I was told they were going to do a family lunch at a hotel and that was all, not knowing they had a big plan”, she told the crowd that had gathered at the event hall to celebrate her.

Her daughter, Rukevwe Origho Nwoye, a lawyer, described her as one of the most important persons in her life.

Speaking, she said, “My mother was born in Anambra state but brought up in Delta state where she met my father. She is the only girl of her mother and the second of three children. Until her retirement in 2018, she was a teacher for 35 years and a successful entrepreneur running over six businesses simultaneously. She has been a very loving and extremely selfless person. I consider my mother one of the strongest persons in the world. I wonder how she juggles her career, family and social life with such precision while holding leadership roles in many organisations at the same time. Her zeal and drive for great achievements is exceptional. She is a great mother, wife, grandmother and friend. She has been instrumental to every one of our growth and the growth of many individuals that have come her way.”

“My mom never believes in quitting, I owe her my career in law. You have been a perfect mother and we all are who we are today because of you. Thank you for all you do for us. I pray this 60th birthday brings you so much joy in good health and long life.”