It was pure bliss, glitz and glamour on Saturday March 4 2023, when Nigerian teacher, author, journalist, unstoppable intellectual and creative personality, Lolo Dorothy Chinaka Akujuo, celebrated her 80th birthday.
The event, which took place at Tiffany & Crystal Hall of Leonard’s Palazzo at the North Shore of Great Neck, Long Island, New York City, United States of America, has remained talk of the town ever since.
Of course, it couldn’t have been less considering that Chief Tony Okoroji, celebrated former president of PMAN and current chairman of COSON, Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization, superintend over the event. Lolo Akujuo, the celebrant, for those who do not know, is Chief Tony Okoroji’s elder sister.
Okoroji is legendary for putting together world class shows in Nigeria and beyond. Many have not forgotten the razzmatazz Okoroji brought to the Nigerian showbiz industry, especially with the unbeaten Nigerian Music Awards, organised by the PMAN in his days as president of the association.
The grand dame, Lolo Akujuo who retired from City University of New York, also hosted the international Premiere of her epic movie, “My Birthright”, at the event.
“My Birthright”, is the story of a big clash of traditional Igbo culture faced with emerging European values in the 1960s. This story told by the amazing Lolo Dorothy Akujuo, was shot in living colour by a new wiz boy of the Nigerian movie industry, 27 years old, Damola Akapo and had ace broadcaster, actor, film producer and showman, Mr. Patrick Doyle as the Supervising Producer.
Patrick Doyle, a class Master of Ceremony, also doubled as the compere of the class event alongside Chief Jude Okoroji and they blew the minds of the hundreds of distinguished guests from every part of the United States, Europe with the way they handled the event.
Fabulous and gorgeous fashion was on display on the red carpet as friends, family and colleagues of Lolo Dorothy Akujuo, sought to take iconic photos with the regal beauty who arrived Leonard’s Palazzo in a white super stretch limousine.
Ajuzieogu Obinna, better known as A.J. Warrior, whose talent replicates that of his father, Christogonus Ezebuiro Obinna, aka Dr (Sir) Warrior who passed on in 1999, delivered a superlative show at the exceptional birthday event. The famous DJ Judah was also in action, manning the wheels of steel.
The roll call at the birthday banquet was veritable who’s who in the U.S.A. and Europe. The list include: the celebrant’s husband, Nze Ambrose Akujuo; her children, Uzoma, Adanna and Chidi with the many wives of the Akujuo family. The very beautiful Lilian Ogide, who flew in from London, the debonair Chief Gabriel Iyere who was the Chairman of the event and his wife, Lady Chika, Tony Okoroji Jnr, the Dallas based Business Analyst at Bank of America, among several others.
