Lagos is set to celebrate elder statesman and notable Lagosian, Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi, OON, as he marks his 90th birthday with a three-day programme highlighting his contributions to leadership, community development, education and public service.
The celebration, organised by the Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi @ 90 Planning Committee, will commence on Thursday, 8 October, with an annual leadership symposium and the launch of the Prince Tajudeen Oluyole Olusi Educational Fund/Academy.
The symposium, scheduled to hold at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, will bring together scholars, intellectuals, policymakers, political leaders, professionals and other stakeholders to discuss leadership and nation-building.
According to the planning committee, the event is designed to promote discussions on responsible leadership and the need to prepare younger Nigerians to assume positions of responsibility with competence, integrity and vision.
The educational fund and academy will also be unveiled as part of the activities, with the initiative aimed at supporting education, developing talent and creating opportunities for future generations.
The committee said the initiative reflects Olusi’s belief in investing in people, particularly young people, as a means of building a stronger society.
The second day of the celebration, Friday, 9 October, will feature a special Juma’at prayer and thanksgiving service at the Lagos Central Mosque, Lagos Island.
Family members, friends, associates, religious leaders and well-wishers are expected to attend the service, which will include prayers for Olusi’s continued good health, strength, peace and purposeful living.
The celebration will culminate in a grand reception on Tuesday, 13 October, at The Monarch Event Centre, Lekki-Epe, Lagos.
The planning committee said the reception would bring together family members, friends, political associates, traditional and community leaders, public servants, business leaders and other distinguished guests to honour the celebrant.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, are listed as Special Guests of Honour, while Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the Chief Host.
The planning committee is chaired by former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
The committee described Olusi’s 90th birthday as more than a celebration of longevity, saying it provides an opportunity to reflect on his contributions to Lagos and Nigeria and the values associated with his life of service.
It described the celebrant as a man whose nine-decade journey has been characterised by leadership, community development, wisdom and commitment to society.
The committee said Olusi’s life had traversed several generations and witnessed major transformations in Lagos and Nigeria, adding that his contribution to the development of communities and society had earned him a place in the history of Lagos.
“At 90, Prince Olusi stands as a repository of experience, wisdom and history,” the committee said, adding that his generation had witnessed extraordinary transformations in Lagos and Nigeria.
It said the birthday celebration would therefore provide an opportunity for family, friends and associates to appreciate the lives touched, relationships built, communities served and values demonstrated by the elder statesman.