Former beauty queen and CEO of Elizabeth R, a
high-profile, events planning company, Ibidunni Ighodalo has announced what may
become the biggest free baby shower ever, as the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation
(IFF) invites parents with babies aged from one day-old to one year-old to a
marketplace of free shopping.
Ibidunni is the wife of accountant
and clergyman, Ituah Ighodalo whose search for a child has been widely
publicized. The compassionate Ibidunni Ighodalo whose interest in issues around
pregnancy and childbirth is becoming legendary is known to fund assisted
reproductive procedure for infertile couples, costing, at least, N1.3 million
per couple. Earlier in the year, the IIF held a hugely attended first
Parent-in-Waiting Conference that accommodated heart-rending testimonies from
couples who surmounted the hurdle of childlessness. Different experts were also
on hand to discourse matters relating to infertility; while medical teams
offered free screening.
Holding at the Millennium Housing
Estate Open Field, Ibeshe-Ikorodu on Friday December 22, The Baby’s Day Out
is another novelty that brings to manifestation the slogan of the IIF,
‘Touching Lives and Fulfilling Dreams’. The
Baby’s Day Out at Ikorodu is the apparent next logical step in the IIF’s
sustained effort to bring fulfillment and happiness to couples (if Ibidunni was
from Imo State, she would have been the best person to head the Ministry of
Happiness and Couples Fulfillment). The
Baby’s Day Out has been conceived as a
platform to celebrate the birth of children from one day-old to one year-old by
presenting gifts to mothers and babies at a party.
As event planning is Ibidunni
Ighodalo’s most visible occupation, the IIF is expected to create a perfect
baby shower including themes, ideas, games and foods; which merge seamlessly
into the Christmas festivity. Whether she will build a grotto from where Santa
Claus will hand out the gifts to the babies and mothers is left to be seen.
Perhaps, the IIF follows the Biblical tradition of Wise men from the East who
brought gifts to Jesus Christ whose birth is being commemorated at Christmas.
Since there is no restriction, tens
of hundreds of babies and mothers are expected to throng the venue between
Midday and 6.00pm to
benefit from the IIF largesse which may include mini furniture such as play
table or rocking chair, toys, dolls, stuffed animals, picture books, keepsake
boxes and cute clothing. The cost of these items and the logistics of taking
them to Ikorodu run into tens of millions of Naira, which officials of the
foundation refused to disclose.
The IIF statement does not
discriminate on the social status of babies and mothers who can attend the
event, suggesting that everyone is welcome. The Millennium Estate where the
event will be held is occupied largely by lower middle class families.
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