Why I didn’t mark birthday loudly — Toyin Kolade

Businesswoman, socialite and the Iyalaje Oodua, Princess Toyin Kolade, has said that unlike she usually does, she did not have an elaborate party to celebrate her birthday on July 13, 2024, because of the mood of the country.

In an interview with Society Plus, she said, “My birthday is yet another day for me to celebrate the goodness of God in my life. My creator has been so fair to me by preserving my life till this moment. I did not have an elaborate birthday party, but just celebrated with my immediate family and associates, because of the current situation of the country.”

On what she is most grateful for, the entrepreneur said, “I am grateful for life itself. The lives of many of my peers have been cut short. Some are battling terminal diseases, while some are recuperating from different ailments. Being alive in good health and wealth is more than enough reason for me to be grateful. Also, seeing members of my family succeed and grow is enough to be thankful for.”

Speaking on how her position as Iyalaje Oodua has impacted her, she said, “It has helped in many ways, because I don’t think there is anybody that won’t pray for aje (commerce/profit) in their dealings. It has made me more committed to humanity, and to effect change in certain areas. We have been promoting the annual Aje Festival, where we offer sacrifice and prayers to the Aje deity, so that citizens of the country can witness a boom in our dealings. When a country enjoys abundance, the citizenry will be lifted out of poverty. We will keep promoting the festival, and showing the world that offering sacrifices is not diabolical. We (Africans) had our ways of praying before coming into contact with the religions that most of us now practice. We should not neglect our identity, which is embedded in our culture and tradition. Rather, we are trying our best to amplify it, and make the festival a tourist attraction. Since we have transformed the festival, it had had positive impact on society.”

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