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 her Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation (IFF)
invites parents with babies aged from a day-old to one year-old to a
marketplace of free shopping.
The compassionate Ibidunni, wife of accountant and clergyman, Ituah
Ighodalo, whose search for a child has been widely publicised, 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.
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.