It was all joy on Wednesday for the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of RichyGold Group of Companies, High Chief Richard Agbapuru when his daughter, Nkiruka Yvonne Agbapuru; a foreign trained pharmacist was joined in wedlock to Francis Ikenna Aliakor in Lagos.
The solemnisation which took place at the Catholic Church of the Visitation in FESTAC town was witnessed by family members, friends, business associates and other well wishers from different walks of life.
In his sermon, the officiating priest Rev. Fr. John Oke used the opportunity to remind all married men and women in Nigeria that every marriage has its own peculiar challenges. According to him, marriage should therefore not be seen as a temporary institution that has expiry date.
In his words, “marriage does not have expiry date. It is not for children but for mature people. With maturity, couples should be able to tolerate one another. Marriage is not a bed of roses as it comes with its challenges.”
Describing marriage as a mystery, the priest noted that even though it is an institution man and woman freely get into, it is a surprise that rather than the couple being seen as two, the institution from Christian perspective, mysteriously regards them as one, thereby defying the mathematical correctness of one plus one being equal to two.
Reverend Oke went ahead to charge Christians especially married ones to show good example to the younger generation by always doing the right. He expressed dismay that in contemporary times, many Christians relish in ungodly things and have come to see issues concerning God as being secondary in their lives. He gave example with those who would like to come late to Church service but would be punctual in their places of work or other social engagements. He called for a change of attitude as God comes first in every situation.
He urged couples to allow Christ to be the centre of their marriage, explaining that with Christ, they would always overcome their challenges.
The solemnisation of the marriage was climaxed with a big party that took place in the massive hall of ICAN event center located in Lake View Estate, Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos.
At the colourful reception, over 1000 guests from different walks of life were in attendance and were well entertained. They included businessmen, captains of industries, traditional title holders, academics, social club members, friends of groom and bride’s families, well wishers and other dignitaries.
The event which was anchored by a popular Lagos-based Master of Ceremony simply known as MC Kwekwe was made more lively with some comic relief that continuously stoked laughter from the audience. There was no dull moment as there was enough to eat and drink, even as the Disc Jockey known as DJ Steve selectively played trending musical tracks that literally electrified the ambience.
It was a joyous day for the bride’s family in particular as High Chief Agbapuru spent time moving from table to table with a view to ensuring that guests were well entertained by the various caterers engaged to provide different cuisines.
Members of his Ugomba Social Club were large in attendance and were up and doing in showing love to Agbapuru who was their pioneer President. They love him and practically showed it with their attendance and gyration on the floor each time the RichyGold boss was up to dance.
Speaking to newsmen on the sideline of the event at ICAN centre, the bride said she was very happy to have been joined in marriage with Francis Ikenna Aliakor; a businessman dealing in automobile, whom she described as “a very wonderful person.”
The pharmacist was full of appreciation to the teaming guests who graced the occasion in spite of other engagements.
