Encomium
THE pioneer Face of Lux and CEO of Elizabeth R event management firm, Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo, launched a charity organisation dubbed Timeless Women, on Sunday, February 13, 2011, at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.
A member of the Trinity House, the church founded last year by her husband, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, squealed to ENCOMIUM Weekly that the all-weekend affair started with an official inauguration service that also featured a benefit bazaar and a special seminar on Saturday, February 12, 2011. A special thanksgiving wrapped it up on Sunday, February 13.
The excited church member disclosed to ENCOMIUM Weekly that Angel (as Ibidun is fondly called by her close friends) has actually lived her life caring for the less privileged in her environment, including the widows, the orphans and the aged, even before she emerged as the maiden Face of Lux while she was still an undergraduate at the University of Lagos.
According to our source, although Ibidun has kept the philanthropic side of her life low, the burden on her was said to have been on the increase with her rising social and entrepreneurial profile. “In fact, that was a key reason she berthed her charity organisation, so that what she had been single-handedly doing for a long time could take a much larger effect. As her close friend, I can tell you authoritatively that the human traffic that throng her doors for one help or the other has really increased greatly and she also finds herself inexplicably burdened by the problems of these people. Sometimes, you could meet her giving them spiritual support, if not financial, which is usually the case. You would see women and younger people seeking her favour.”
At the inaugural session on Sunday, February 13, 2011, ENCOMIUM Weekly saw some less-privileged being handed bags of food items, clothes and shoes.
The Saturday event had a seminar for the women. And on Sunday, during the special thanksgiving service, Mrs. Ituah-Ighodalo, delivered an emotion-laden sermon entitled The Timeless Woman. She spoke so passionately about the plight of the desperate, wretched, needy, poor and forsaken women. She said that, “The Timeless Woman is set to provide opportunities for spiritual growth, to meet the needs of people from different walks of life, to facilitate women’s growth and development in their different endeavours, and to network across denominational, organisational, ethnic and cultural boundaries.”
Her husband, Pastor Ituah-Ighodalo, who couldn’t hide his excitement and joy all through the event, later prayed for her, along with her steering committee and other members of the new ministry.
Ibidun and her hubby also exchanged natural rose flowers and emotional embraces in the spirit of the Valentine weekend. At the close of the service, some food stuff and clothes were again given out to some people, even as the event planner declined speaking to ENCOMIUM Weekly about the new charity ministry. Saying, “Please, pardon me, I cannot talk about this with the press as you want me to do now. Charity is by doing good works, not about mere words.”
A couple of Ibidun’s friends, including the celebrated clothier behind Tiffany Amber, Folake Folarin-Coker, was at the colourful occasion which had pink as the dress code.
- This story was first published in ENCOMIUM Weekly on Tuesday, February 22, 2011
