Adenuga’s Daughter, Afolasade, Weds in Style and Opulence

• Banquet for the Elite, Music for the gods: Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Others, Thrill High Calibre Guests
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Afolasade, the  beautiful daughter of the Chairman of Globacom,  Dr. Mike Adenuga, had her traditional marriage to her beau, Adebola Ogunsanya, in a grand spectacle of pomp and intimate grandeur. The union, cloaked in privacy, featured an exquisite dance of wealth, tradition, and love, held far from the public eye, orchestrated by a father for whom mystique and magnificence go hand in hand. This was no ordinary wedding, but a world unto itself, meticulously crafted by

a man who moves empires and shapes destinies with peerless precision, writes LANRE ALFRED

Every note, every detail, down to the gilded linens and the secretive guest list bore the unmistakable signature of Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., a legend who remains as inscrutable as he is powerful.

Everything was tailored to enhance Se-Se’s Grove, at Alfred Rewane Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. On Saturday, October 26, the venue bloomed with grand and delicate artistry, reserved for the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s high society, as Adenuga wedded his beloved daughter, Afolasade, to her beau, Prince Adebola Ogunsanya, sheltered from the curious gaze of the world.

To receive an invitation to this event was to be ushered into the epicentre of an elite that Nigeria rarely glimpses. Not a few people jostled to lay their hands on a copy of the invite, but unfortunately, it was indeed easier to  retrieve an object through the Bermuda triangle than to get the invitation card. That was how scarce and exclusive the party was and they owe nobody an apology for it.

In the days leading up to the event, invitations were dispatched, but only to those handpicked by Adenuga himself. The exclusive guest list was nothing short of a who’s who of Nigerian high society, from titans of industry to revered political figures, all chosen with the precision and privilege emblematic of Adenuga’s life. Each guest that entered the sanctuary of Se-Se’s Grove was a symbol of class and distinction, carrying within them the shared legacy of Nigeria’s highest echelons.

 Indeed, whispers about the wedding swirled in social space, but few could anticipate the grandeur that lay beyond the gates of Se-Se’s Grove, the newly erected sanctuary chosen by the Adenugas.

The venue, transformed into an Eden of sorts, under the stewardship of Zapphire Events, echoed not only the cultural essence of Nigerian aristocracy but also the delicate balance of elegance and restraint emblematic of the Adenuga legacy.

As guests arrived, they were swept into an atmosphere carefully curated to enchant yet shield; ornate tapestries hung against walls, floral arrangements climbed to the ceiling, and golden chandeliers spilled their warm light over guests.

Adenuga is one wealthy man versed in the art of throwing parties that would leave guests drooling and recalling and recounting long after they had held. Even the after party still had all the trappings of a gaudy celebration; rows of gourmet food and afterses and non-stop feasting.

It  was obvious to guests that good money had been expended.

The father of the bride, famously reclusive, was present but elusive, a spectre within his own celebration, his protective gaze extending over every corner of the gathering. And to safeguard the union he had nurtured in the most private of circles, strict protocols were enforced, reminding attendees that this was a personal and protected affair—a tribute to the Adenugas’ legacy of exclusive opulence.

Some call him the Big Kahuna. But Adenuga’s enigma surpasses one catchy sobriquet. He is puzzling and endearing, a colossus and a figure so strong, exalted and heroic that the blood of the gods must flow through him; because how else could a being so rounded and fine exist in this world, in Nigeria to be precise?

There is something about the entrepreneur extraordinaire; his charm strikes the sight, but his merit wins the soul. Ultimately he leaves you reeling under his spell.

At Adenuga’s arrival in the venue, a whirlwind of curiosity blew through the canopy of bliss, stamping his essence into the minds and consciousness of everyone present. “The big kahuna is here,” the walls seemed to say. Spotting a greying but well-trimmed beard, Dr Adenuga cut a portrait of good health and well-being in his bespoke white native agbada ensemble. He wore his trademark toothy smile as he hobnobbed with friends and family. Until his recent public appearances, Adenuga maintained the aura of a reclusive trillionaire who would rather be heard and have his presence felt than be seen.

As the wedding began, a procession of Nigeria’s elite took their seats: captains of industry, royalty, dignitaries, and legends of public life. Former Governor Chief Olusegun Osoba and his wife, the ageless Beere Aderinsola Osoba, chaired the occasion, a role they executed with grace befitting their stature. governors, senators, retired generals, corporate titans – all were present, each adding their own prestige to the event’s gilded aura.

In attendance were notable figures like Lt. General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), Governor Ademola Adeleke, and Governor Dapo Abiodun, a coalition of the powerful united by the influence of a single man. From the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, to  Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, to Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Chief Layi Amoje, and other titans, this was an assembly of the people who wielded power across Nigeria. Even the glittering Nana Otedola, the wife billionaire Chairman of First Bank, Femi Otedola, graced the occasion, a signal that this was not only a wedding but a gallery of Nigeria’s most influential and affluent.

Interestingly, Afolasade, with her grace and poise, embodied the quiet power of her father’s legacy, carrying forward the tradition of excellence that has defined the Adenugas. The accomplished lawyer and boardroom tigress radiated the grace her family name conjures, an embodiment of dignity, poise, and strength. Her groom, Adebola, stood beside her like a prince of fables—his poise and calm indicative of the noble legacy he inherits. A regal figure with the strength and nobility of his own family heritage, he stood alongside her, every inch the princely groom. His ensemble echoing the legacy of the Ogunsanya family of Ikorodu, a proud heritage forged in dignity and tradition. Together, they were not just a couple but a convergence of dynasties—a blending of two Nigerian realms.

Each movement, each ritual performed in the ceremony underscored a timeless Nigerian ethos: that marriage is not merely the union of two souls but of two families, histories, and destinies.

And to entertain the revered attendees, only the finest were summoned. King Sunny Ade, Dbanj, Flavour, and Davido filled the air with anthems of celebration, a symphony of sound worthy of the union that bound two powerful families. On the day of the family introduction ceremony, a week before the traditional wedding ceremony at the wondrous home of the Adenugas , crowning touch came with Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey’s soulful melodies—a tribute from the elder maestro whom Dr. Adenuga himself had coaxed out of secular retirement a decade prior. In this union of music and might, it was not merely performance; it was history in song, echoing the ages-old legacy of Nigerian music.

And then, a moment as rare as it was touching: for the first time, the enigmatic Adenuga himself rose from his seat to dance, flanked by his family. In an uncharacteristic display of reverence, he doffed his cap to Obey, paying homage to a legend in one of Nigeria’s most unforgettable encounters. With each verse, Obey summoned the spirits of tradition and love, serenading the couple while guests watched, spellbound, as a history so often veiled by privacy unfolded before them.

Thus the grand maestro and King Sunny Ade, alongside, younger music royalty offered electrifying performances that reverberated through the evening of the traditional wedding ceremony. Each song was a crescendo in the unfolding fairytale, blending the old with the new, the traditional with the modern, as music united generations and brought the revelers together. Known for his dedication to guarding the sanctity of family, Adenuga crafted this event with an invisible shield, ensuring the prying eyes of the outside world would not intrude. Despite the grandeur of the occasion, the details were held close, a quiet testament to the man who lives as one of Africa’s most enigmatic figures.

However, one day after the wedding, internationally acclaimed journalist and Ovation Publisher, Dele Momodu, excitedly posted on his Instagram page snippets and pictures of the grand wedding thus allowing netizens glimpses of the high-society wedding.

The wedding of Afolasade Adenuga and Prince Adebola Ogunsanya will endure in memory not merely for its splendor but for its powerful exclusivity, for the restrained elegance that spoke louder than words. Held aloft on wings of wealth, tradition, and love, this wedding was more than an event—it was a testament to the enduring strength of family, a homage to the Adenuga name, and a mark of influence that moves silently yet pervasively through Nigeria’s heart.

In a world captivated by spectacle, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr. proved once more that true power lies in knowing when to reveal and when to conceal. And in the grand vistas of Afolasade’s wedding, he created a moment as timeless as it was private, leaving his audience with just enough to wonder – what worlds might lie within the recesses of this legendary family, forever shielded from the mob.

For all its dazzle, the Adenuga wedding was, ultimately, a deeply personal affair, crafted by a father who understood that wealth’s greatest privilege is the ability to shield one’s family from the world’s gaze.

For those lucky enough to witness it, it was a night rich with dreams, echoes of tradition, and a reverence as old as time.