In a heartfelt turn from champagne-soaked birthday galas, kakalistiq.com reports that Miss Anuoluwapo Idoghor, GMD of Bayview Travel Managers Limited, chose a different path to mark her birthday this year.
Instead of the usual trappings of cake and confetti, she spent the day surrounded by aged residents of the Thani Oladunjoye Old People Care Center today in Epe, Lagos State, bearing gifts of medical supplies, food, and cash donations worth millions of Naira.
Flanked by her mother, Mrs. Adebisi Idoghor, siblings, and close friends, Anuoluwapo’s arrival was met with warmth, open arms, and a chorus of heartfelt prayers from the facility’s beneficiaries, including Mrs. Abiodun Abass and Mrs. Akinwale Florence, who led the blessings.
“I feel elevated, I feel so blessed. They prayed a lot for me and I’m thankful to them,” Anuoluwapo said. “I pray that someday, I will be as old as them and even beyond.”
The facility’s convener, Mr. Tunde Thani, and the Chairman of the Elders in Council, Alhaji Agara Ayinde, received the donations with gratitude and used the moment to highlight the center’s ongoing impact: “We run weekly health programs here: general treatments, physiotherapy, eye care and even surgeries,” Thani said, emphasizing the need for continued support.
But the day held even more surprises. Anuoluwapo’s mother, visibly moved by the visit, publicly declared that she would cancel plans for an extravagant 60th birthday bash. Instead, she pledged to celebrate the milestone at the care home later this year. The announcement drew spontaneous applause from the crowd, a moment that marked a shift in focus from self-indulgence to service.
“When she got here, she was really impressed,” said Anuoluwapo. “She made up her mind immediately that she’d come here to celebrate her birthday and I’m so happy about that, considering our mother’s love for parties.”
The celebrant revealed that her choice to mark her birthday this way was inspired by a friend who visited the same facility months ago. “I was amazed this place even exists in Nigeria,” she said. “That someone would decide to take care of over 2,000 old people: it’s a lot. I want to say a very big thank you to Mr. Tunde Thani for the great job he’s doing here.”
Anuoluwapo’s family was initially surprised by her decision to fly back and celebrate her birthday at a senior home, unaware that such a facility operated in Lagos. But after seeing it for themselves, their skepticism turned to admiration.
The experience wasn’t just memorable for the celebrant, it was transformative. “I want to encourage everyone out there, no matter how small, please, whenever you see an old person, render your help. It’s very important,” she said.
The celebration was more than a party; it was a call to action. A reminder that joy can be shared, and that aging with dignity should be everyone’s concern.
For the elders at the Thani Oladunjoye Old People Care Center, the visit was a moment of light, not just in gifts, but in human connection, love, and the rare feeling of being remembered.
