24 Years Ago     

BY OLOYE ‘LEKAN ALABI

On November 26, 1999, I hosted Ambassador Ibironke Vaughan-Adefope, a former Nigerian High Commissioner to Zambia and Malawi and King Sunny Ade, MFR, to a luncheon at our home, “ODUNOLA HOUSE”, Akobo, Ibadan, Oyo State, on the appointment of  Ambassador Adefope as Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Zambia and Malawi by the Federal Government of Nigeria headed by President Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR and the election of Otunba (Dr) Sunday Adeniyi Ishola Adegeye, MFR, better known and called King Sunny Ade (KSA) as the President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) respectively.           

Ambassador Ibironke Vaughan-Adefope is a childhood friend of my wife, Chief (Mrs) Adetokunbo Mojirade Alabi, nee Laditan of Ilaro-Yewa, Ogun State and former classmate at Saint Anne’s School, Molete, Ibadan, while KSA has been my chum from 1974, when I was the Social Page Editor of the now-defunct Sunday Sketch newspaper. (Please, read my comments on KSA on the December 23, 1974 page of the Sunday Sketch.

*Senior Chief Lekan Alabi is the Maye of Olubadan of Ibadanland.

Caption

L-R:King Sunny Ade, MFR, being introduced  by me to Ambassador Ibironke Vaughan-Adefope and my humble self, the host, High Chief ‘Lekan Alabi, Maye Olubadan of Ibadanland and the first Culture Ambassador of the National Museum and Monument, Ile-Ife, Osun State at the November 1999 luncheon in our home. In the background is the late Chief (Mrs.) Tina Iyabode Ogundoyin, a guest.