It’s always easy to predict how classy an event will be just by seeing the invite. When I got the invite for the 50th birthday celebration of my ‘date’ for this week, I knew it was going to be a grand occasion and though she wasn’t part of the organizers (since she was the one being celebrated), the event has not ceased to be the talk of the town.
Though born on the 11th of September, her party was slated for the 13th of September, on a Saturday and the venue was Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Red carpet kicked off by 5pm and it was an exciting view with various dignitaries walking gracefully into the venue one after the other.
Mo Abudu is my ‘date’ for this week and can you believe this ageless screen goddess just clocked 50? Almost unbelievable, now that is what happens when you stay healthy, exercise and eat right.
Mo lost her father at age 11 but it has never served as a deterrent or distraction. She has remained focused on her goals and dreams and we all have seen it materialise.
Mo (Mosunmola) Abudu was born in September 1964 in Hammersmith Hospital in London to Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Akintunde. Mo Abudu’s family roots are in Ondo Town, in the South Western part of Nigeria. Mo’s growing up years were mainly spent in the UK where she worked her way through college attending the Ridgeway School, Mid Kent College and West Kent College. She went on to receive her Masters degree in Human Resources Development at the University of Westminster in London.
By the year 2000, having successfully completed her responsibilities to the ExxonMobil HR transition and merger team, Mo fully recognized Nigeria’s growing need for a trained and highly motivated talent pool that would take Nigerian businesses into the 21st century. Taking advantage of her growing reputation as a HR specialist, Mo resigned from ExxonMobil to start Vic Lawrence & Associates Limited (Popularly known as VLA) and today, VLA is rated as the fastest growing and the largest indigenous HR and training management consultancy firm in Nigeria.
While involving herself in a number of business activities, her next significant achievement was the conceptualization and building of The Protea Hotel, Oakwood Park, situated along the Lekki Expressway in Lagos, which was commissioned in August 2004. Today, Protea hotel, Oakwood Park plays a significant role in the development of Nigeria’s business community hosting an array of business events, conferences, workshops and training courses.
Mo is a seasoned human resource practitioner/consultant, talk-show hostess, media personality and television producer, first African woman to own a Pan-African TV Channel (as recognised by Forbes) called Ebonylife TV…I mean, the list is endless.
Moments with Mo, which is Africa’s first and only syndicated daily talk show started off with Mo Abudu alone as host. It airs across 48 African countries and on cable TV in the United Kingdom. In over several years of its existence, Moments with Mo has transformed the face and flavor of African TV even with the addition of two young co-hosts Marcy Dolapo Oni and Bolanle Olukanni.
I really do admire Mo for her versatility, determination and doggedness. I remember clearly one day while at her place, she shared with me her vision for Ebonylife TV and when it came to life on the 30th of June 2013 when she launched the station, it was everything she said.
The Roll Out of the Channel is Pan African via the DSTV platform by virtue of the channel distribution agreement signed with Multichoice Africa in 2012, and a joint venture agreement signed with the Cross River State Government on building Africa’s first Global multi-broadcast platform at Studio Tinapa.
EbonyLife TV is equally powered by Globecast, the leading global provider of content management and worldwide transmission services for professional broadcast delivery, whose responsibility it is to provide technical backbone and drive EbonyLife TV’s content distribution on Android, Tablets, Mobile and the Web.
Mo stands out uniquely in various ways as a realistic, results-oriented achiever with an effervescent persona that enthuses others to see stumbling blocks as stepping stones. The firstborn of three sisters, she is the proud initiator and founder of a number of ‘firsts’ in Nigeria.
Being the first African woman to establish, own and run a Pan-African TV Channel is no mean feat. Today, EbonyLife TV is established and positioned as Africa’s first Global Black entertainment network, engaging like never before, and talking to especially the youth of Africa, aged 18 to 34, the custodians of the present and of the future, and key drivers of arguably the most vital segment of the economy.
If you hear the words “If you CAN think it …you CAN do it!” from someone else, take it from me; it was ‘stolen’ because we all know the originator of that line of thought is Mo Abudu. It has since become her slogan and if you really think about it, it is true because what you conceive in your mind and believe in your heart, you can achieve it.
She is a creative thinker, an optimist and forward thinking woman who sees possibilities even in impossibilities, a woman of substance determined to impact this generation, indeed she will imprint on the sands of time a lasting legacy for generations to come.
I know many people reading this won’t forgive me if I do not go back to the birthday gist. I must say I had fun and with lots to eat, drink and nibble on. One of the high moments for me was when her children came up to celebrate their mum in their own words. It brought tears to my eyes, and her daughter made us all laugh when she openly admitted that with regards to her mum, everything she always advised her on were 99.9percent correct. Her son looked like a lovely gentle man in his black suit and spoke respectably about his mum.
Another high point was when she gave out various awards to celerate and appreciate people who have contriuted immensely to the nation and are inspiration to others.
I must say I enjoyed seeing her hit the dance floor with her gorgeous mum who I really do admire for raising a woman who has positioned Nigeria positively globaly.
I am yet to recover from Mo’s outfit for the day, her gorgeous Oscar de la Renta dress from the designer’s Fall 2014 Ready-to-tear collection. On the runway, it was an embroidered strapless ruffle high-low gown but Mo wore the geranium pink version for her birthday. Combining it with her diamond earrings, highly wrought gold clutch, chic hair and the perfect red lips made her look stunning!
The list of entertainers for the night was outstanding, Waje, Chidima, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, Seyi Shay, Iyanya, Yinka Davies, Ara, Efya from Ghana and of course the beautiful birthday rendition by Nikky Laoye among others.
Basketmouth, was the emcee for the day and he did an amazing job.
Guests included Genevieve Nnaji, Governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko, Governor of Cross rivers state and his wife, Liyel and Obioma Imoke, Donald Duke and his wife Onari, Tonye Cole, Ibukun Awosika and her husband, Funke Akindele, Basket Mouth, Julius Agwu, Dele Momodu, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Abike Dabiri, Bode and Uche Pedro, Niyola, Ebuka Obi Uchendu, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, Mai Atafo, Alibaba and wife to mention a few.
The after-party was fantastic and various dignitaries hit the dance floor with the celerant.
Once again, I wish Mo Abudu, better and greater years ahead, an icon you truly are and I celebrate you!
KEMI AJUMOBI
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