Ibidunni Ighodalo, former lux beauty queen and CEO of high profile events planning company, Elizabeth R, has in the spirit of giving this festive seas
Ibidunni Ighodalo, former lux beauty queen and CEO of high profile events planning company, Elizabeth R, has in the spirit of giving this festive season, announced what may become the biggest free baby shower ever, as her foundation, the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IFF) invites parents with babies aged from one day-old to one year-old to a market place of free shopping.
Ibidunni Ighodalo who is the wife of accountant and clergyman, Ituah Ighodalo and whose search for a child has been widely publicized has no doubt been as compassionate about having her own child as she is about the interest in issues around pregnancy and childbirth for couples who are unable to have their own children naturally. For this reason, she is fast becoming legendary in funding 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 saw 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 screenings to the couples.
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 apparently the next logical step in the IIF’s sustained effort to bring fulfillment and happiness to couples. 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 and viable 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 on the said day. 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.
