By Eric Elezuo

History was made penultimate weekend when dignitaries, community leaders, stakeholders, contractors and the general public gathered at the Ketu/Sekungba site of the proposed refinery, a gigantic project of the Midoil Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited, under the leadership of Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Omolara Akintonde, to perform the traditional turning of the Sod in a bid to set the ball rolling for the commencement of construction.

The event, which coincided with the 74th birthday of the company’s chairman, Mrs. Akintonde, was tagged “Turning the Sod: The Midoil Reality”, and was celebrated in two locations; the Shekungba site and the prestigious Sheraton Hotels and Towers in Ikeja, Lagos.

As early as 10am on D-day, friends, close family members, well-wishers and colleagues of the Chairman had gathered at the site, dancing away happily to melodious drumbeat of a local music group. It was a defining moment for the Midoil vision.

Shortly after the celebrant was ushered in via dances and music, the officiating minister, who is the Anglican Bishop of Lagos, Rt Revd (Dr.) Ifedola Senasu Okupevi, led the seated guests in a prayer of commendation for the celebrant, and eulogy to God for all He has used Mrs. Akintonde to achieve in her 74 years of existence.

Stressing the sudden way they met, Rt Revd Okupevi, praised the doggedness of the Chairman, and the results she keeps churning out.

He said, “She is a woman who takes care of her family members, even my own family, to the extent of the extended family. So mama, we are grateful to God for your life. May you continue to flourish, may you continue to prosper in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”

The Reverend was also on hand to pray for the Director, Hajiya Amina Abdullai, who he thanked ‘for standing by mummy’.

In her address, Chief Mrs Akintonde took time to trace the beginning of the dream that has become a reality, taking time enough to appreciate as many that supported the dream to become the reality that it has become including Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, Dr. Mrs. Iyabo Obasa, the Lagos State Government, the Sekungba, Ererufu and Arogbo communities, her children, business partners and a whole lot of others, expressing how deeply grateful she was.

Her speech was immediately succeeded by the much anticipated turning of the Sod, which was led by the officiating minister assisted by the dignitaries present. In the brief ceremony, Rt Revd Okupevi called on God to, in His infinite mercy, make available every resources needed to bring to tangible reality the vision of a functional refinery to serve Nigerians and humanity.

Also in attendance to witness the epoch making Sod Turning were the Chief Executive Officer, Woodhall Capital, Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, and her husband, Oviavo; Rtd Hon Justice S. O. Hunponu-Wusu, Midoil Founding Member, Chief Thomas Nwakalo-Imu; ⁠Prince

Kunle Sonariwo, Venerable (Dr.) Siji Kolawole, Very Revd Sunday Johnson, ⁠Mr. Gabriel Ayodele Odediran, Brig-General Akintola, Amb. Ademola Aderele (Rtd), Amb. & Mrs Oloko, Baale of Sekungba, Chief Solomon Omotayo and representatives of other host communities.

The party thereafter moved to Sheraton Hotels and Suites, Ikeja, where an elaborate birthday thanksgiving and reception were held in honour of Midoil Executive Chairman.

As expected, the thanksgiving service was conducted by the priests present with an array of hymns, prayers and biblical messages bordering on appreciation to God Almighty for the life of impact led by Mrs. Akintonde.

The soulful service was followed by the cutting of the birthday cake by the celebrant, surrounded by the ministers of God and family members.

In their birthday messages, the children of Mrs. Akintonde, led by Mrs. Mojisola Hunponu-Wusu, praised the dexterity and never-say-never attitude of their mother, urging her to continue in her quest to see a Nigeria free from petroleum challenges, just as elated members of the three communities where the Midoil Refinery and SereneCity are domiciled presented the celebrant with birthday gifts.

One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of ⁠Certificates of Appreciation to individuals, who had stood by Midoil over the years including Chairman, SereneCity Properties, Hajia Amina Abdullahi; DIG Babatunde Kokumo (Rtd), ⁠Barr. Oluwole Harris-Isa and ⁠Engr. Larry Ogochukwu Egwuenu.

In her closing appreciation address, Mrs. Akintonde said that everything is on course and that one of the directors, who left earlier returned, signifying the reality of the Midoil project while promising that in no distant time, the public would be invited again for another milestone event in the Midoil journey.

“Thank you for coming, I really appreciate the fact that you are here on my birthday, the day Midoil decided to do the turning of Sod in the Refinery site. We thought it was impossible, but we are able to do it on my birthday, thank you for coming and God bless you.

“Now what am I trying to say, in another few years we would be able invite you again or in another few months, we would be able to invite you again to witness another milestone in the journey.

“We are here today because we didn’t give up. We stayed there, we persevered, we trusted God, we were hopeful for without hope we can’t do anything. So, I want to thank the Almighty God, my family in particular, my children

“So tonight, I thank the Almighty God. I also thank myself for trusting God. Trust God when everything looks bleak, very dark, and it seems you don’t even know where you are going because it happened to me last December, I didn’t know whether I was going or coming. Meanwhile, I have put in so much time, money and energy and it was still looking bleak, but God said to me no, I’m with you.

“Last year December, the army came and drove all of us away from the land that I had bought since 2014. You won’t believe the things I sold. I sold my land, houses, expensive jewelleries, filling stations, just to keep the dream alive and then the army came and said, everybody out. But God turned everything around for our good, and the army are now our neighbour.”

The Midoil Chairman also mentioned her love for Aliko Dangote at least for shinning the light on the path of refinery building, and expressed joy that her birthday July 12, falls on this epoch making event while expressing the desire that the commissioning of the project will also fall on another July 12.

The reception, which was anchored by popular toastmaster, Benedict Ogbeiwi, had plenty to eat and drink.