Encomium
THE wedding ceremony between delectable Bella, daughter of billionaire businessman, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr., and her heartthrob, Jameel Disu, kicked off on Monday, April 5, 2010 in grand style. The venue earlier listed was the mogul’s Oko Awo residence but because of the need to accommodate more people, the bride uncle’s Lagos house was chosen. Guests had a swell and captivating time out with delicacies, cocktails and exotic wines to the bargain.
An exclusive family affair, some notable dignitaries were shut out completely. Some of the happenstances at the first leg of the most expensive wedding is presented here by ENCOMIUM Weekly…
THE PRE-NUPTIAL FRENZY
The sleepy Bayo Kuku Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and environs bubbled with activities on Monday, April 5, 2010, for the first leg of the marriage rites between delectable Bella Adenuga and Jameel Disu. Otherwise known as the exchange of letters/introduction ceremony, officials and the event planners were buried in serious last minute preparation. Expectedly and as tradition demands, such ceremony usually come up in the bride’s father’s home, but because Dr. Mike Adenuga’s Oko Awo residence could not accommodate a large number of guests, the venue was shifted to Bella’s uncle’s Bayo Kuku, Ikoyi, Lagos home.
ABOUT THE VENUE
No 7, Bayo Kuku Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, venue of the Adenuga/Disu introduction ceremony is one of the most beautiful houses in Ikoyi. Owned by Bella’s uncle, Ademola, the mansion, a storey building is built to taste with many blocks of flats, a large compound, perimeter fencing with two large gates and one security house. The house recently received a face-lift of cream painting for the ceremony.
A STRICTLY FAMILY AFFAIR
Regular party pillars, socialites and business people were shocked to their marrows when they arrived the venue to come face to face with hordes of stern looking bouncers requesting for invites or permission tags or notes. The chief host, Chief Mike Adenuga, true to his word ensured the ceremony was not the usual run of the mill type where every Tom, Dick and Harry would take vantage positions. He simply invited few A-list personalities while others were shut out.
GUESTS ARRIVED IN BITS
Guests arrived in their right ensembles of turquoise blue and royal blue and silver in bits and batches. Almost everyone was chauffeured to the venue in wonderful automobiles of different colours.
ROAD CLOSED
There was no sign post indicating that the street was exclusively for guests of the Adenugas and the Disus for the day, the security operatives deployed on that quiet but dusty road made sure no other road user plied that street. They were politely turned to other connecting routes.
THE EVENT PLANNER AND HERCREW
Pressing all necessary buttons via her sleek mobile phone, Funmi Victor Okigbo monitored and coordinated her team staying glued to her communication gadgets. The slim built woman with weird hairdo, was on the phone every other five minutes. The front woman of No Surprises, who has the wedding within her grip was garbed in a jeans trousers and a black T-shirt, just as her crew. She even came with a black official bus for her team.
NEWTON AND DAVID BUSY SCHEDULE
Official decorator of the event, Uche Majekodunmi’s Newton and David was on ground in full blast. Having cornered the juicy N83 million décor contract, her team was ready for the day with a minivan at their disposal. Having spent the better part of the morning doing this and that, by noon, they were done and after a retreat, they left the venue with their blue carpet which we heard was no longer needed since the inner chamber for the event had already been equipped.
COCKTAILS IN AND OUT, PASTRY LINE, HIS MAJESTY, BLUE WORLD ET AL READY TO ROLL
Vendors contracted to provide mouth-watering delicacies had loads of activities. Vendors like His Majesty, Blue World, Pastry Line, etc., never left any stone unturned to see to the success of the event. Some of them that came later without an identification tag, were turned back but for the intervention of the event planner.
SEA OF TURQUOISE BLUE AND SILVER
Heavenly ambience was recreated courtesy of a massive compliance with the dress code –a turquoise blue and white for the Disus and a royal blue and silver for the Adenugas. Apart from the dress code compliance, every other thing around the house was decorated in blue. The local drummers, who laid ambush at the entrance of the house were also in white agbada and blue cap.
SECURITY IN FULL SCALE
Leaving nothing to chance the chief host employed the services of regular bouncers at parties and private security outfits. Tony Voltron led his men to the venue in droves and changed from their traditional black, to army fatigue uniform. Politely they turned back uninvited guests. Proserv Security Outfit, however, joined forces with them as traffic controllers while policemen numbering over 20 were around the road keeping trouble makers at a long distance.
THE BALMORAL TENT
A large size Balmoral tent was planted inside the massive compound. Those who had thought the ceremony would hold inside the well ventilated tent were disappointed when the event was kick started inside the plush home of Mr. Ademola Adenuga. The tent brought by the Ezekiel Adamu-led Balmoral team, accommodated the over 100 guests shut out of the proceedings. Ezekiel himself was visibly on ground dishing our orders and instructions.
THE BEAUTIFUL USHERETTES
The blue dotted knee length gown decked usherettes numbering over twenty and blessed with striking figures hard to resist, pranced around attending to this and that. They were ferried to the venue in a long coaster bus.
POWER GENERATION
A 250KVA generator powered the whole arena. The power plant was supported by another standby generator ferried to the venue in a low loader trailer. The equipment was attended to by generator experts who were stationed outside permanently. They serviced the giant set every 30 minutes.
THE GURU’S GRAND ARRIVAL
Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr., disguised to the venue in a silver Mercedes Benz S-class with Kwara registration number AE 208 LFF. As soon as his convoy emerged from the Oba Adeyinka Oyekan axis, all security details were relaxed while other personnel scampered here and there. The Guru himself sat beside the driver wearing an all white agbada and a royal blue cap.
DRESS CODE AND TRANSGRESSORS
A massive compliance of the dress code notwithstanding, a few transgressors were recorded. Eko Hospitals Dr. Sonny Kuku hit the venue in a brown agbada, he arrived in a black jeep; Honeywell’s
Obafoluke Otudeko defiantly appeared in a pink stripped agbada. Their dress code notwithstanding, the two alongside other high profile personalities actually participated at the introduction.
JOKO ONI STRANDED
Gold Rush front woman, Chief (Mrs) Joke Oni was at the ceremony, looking radiant in her white lace and royal blue headgear, she was brought to the venue in a black Honda Accord automobile. The party pillar had a few snap shots outside before moving in. But she was confined into the Balmoral tent and couldn’t participate in the happenstances inside the plush home of the Adenugas.
CAROLINE ADENEYE AND PAPARAZZO
A photographer’s delight any day, Mrs. Caroline Adeneye, wife of Primetime’s Dayo Adeneye ensured her presence did not go unnoticed as photographers swarmed her in droves. The light skinned fashionista arrived the venue in her white jeep with customized registration number, ‘Mrs. D1’.
