Adebutus Matriarch’s Grand Journey to an Eternal Rest

“When beggars die there are no comets seen; The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.”

This timeless quote by Shakespeare aptly captures the final burial ceremony of the wife and grand matriarch of the Adebutus, late Chief Caroline Oladunni Adebutu. Of course, nothing less was expected of Chief Kessington Adebutu.

In the past, Adebutu, undoubtedly one of the biggest billionaires this country has produced, has hosted countless number of jaw-dropping and high-end parties that were talked about in town for months.

But this party was different. The family’s matriarch, who has held the fiber of the family together for several decades was going home to rest and nothing must be spared to make her last journey as grandiose as possible.

Though the D-day was Friday, 10, 2023, activities for the day began long before then. Without recourse to exaggeration, the sleepy town woke up to hyper activities as it literally quaked for the multitude of dignitaries for the event.

Signs that something extraordinary was happening were noticed from the heavy vehicular movement into the sleepy town of Iperu-Remo in Ogun State.

The mass of traffic was not limited to vehicles alone as humans also struggled for space, resulting in long queues of cars and humans that stretched for several metres away from Kessington Adebutu Resort, venue of the party reception.

Traffic management officials had a tough experience controlling and directing motorists through the beautifully paved streets to the venue.

On hand to manage the traffic were operatives of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE, The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA as well as Police Warden.

The colourful event was another concrete proof that Adebutu’s preeminence in the business world is not a fluke, given the array of guests who honoured his invitation.

Gaining entry into the premises entailed thorough screening. The eagle-eyed security men at the entrance were expectational and very professional in both attitudes and actions. They include members of the Nigeria Police Force, Bouncers and plain clothes security guards.

And they left stone unturned in ensuring very excellent monitoring of activities from the car parks to the entrance of the marquee.

While some of the dignitaries like the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Ogun State governor and a few others attended only the church service at Wesley Methodist Cathedral Church, the reception was graced by several highly placed personalities from all walks of life.

And trust the Adebutus, they don’t do things in half measure. So they threw it all to give a befitting and deserved grand goodbye to a worthy matriarch. It was obvious that they have a commanding sense of hospitality. It was upscale and finest in all ramifications.

From the catering to the ushering, no stone was left unturned. Ushers were brought in to perform different tasks. From assigning seats to guests to taking their meal requests and even ensuring that the place was immaculate and clean.

The hall was colourfully decorated with balloons and other aesthetic materials to give it a regal look.

The foods were incredibly rich, flavoursome and magically moreish.

Premium and top quality drinks only meant for the elites flowed like an endless river. Indeed, the gaily guests had no reason to complain as everything was well taken care of.

Who else is fit for such a grand event but the king himself. The king of world beat, King Sunny Ade proved that he is still on top of his game as he livened up the atmosphere with his world class beat while guests danced until their legs could no longer carry them.