Despite all odds against the celebrity couple who once pastored City Of David Parish of the RCCG, the Iluyomades are in high spirits as they celebrate their undying love for each other during their 35th wedding anniversary
Pastor Idowu Iluyomade, former overseer of the City of David Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and his wife Siju Iluyomade on Monday celebrated the 35th anniversary of their wedding.
The couple posted lovely pictures and videos on Instagram to celebrate the milestone.
“35 years of love, mercy, grace, and unwavering commitment—truly, we cannot thank God enough for this beautiful unfolding journey,” they captioned one post.
The couple revealed they have been together for 44 years since meeting in college.
Idowu Iluyomade praised his wife in a post for still “putting up” with him after several decades together.
“35 years married, 44 years together with my mon cherrie—and she’s still putting up with me! Happy anniversary to us. Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter and all the adventures that brought us here. Cheers to many more!,” he wrote.
Siju Iluyomade, who was 60 in March 2024 held a party to mark her birthday.
The birthday party which had all the trappings of luxury held at the Eko Hotels & Suites in Lagos with highlife, sensual singer, Chinedu Okoli aka Flavour leading the pack of singers who serenaded guests at the party which included Tony Elumelu, the chairman of United Bank for Africa, UBA; Nneka Onyeali Ikpe, the managing director of Fidelity Bank; Oba Ghandi Olaoye, the Soun of Ogbomoso who was a former RCCG pastor, among several other prominent guests.
A cross section of Nigerians thought it was insensitive for the Iluyomades to throw such a party particularly when it was just too soon after Herbert Wigwe, founding CEO of Access Holdings Plc, his wife, Chizoba and son died in a helicopter crash in the US on February 9.
Herbert Wigwe was a prominent member of the church and one of the church’s financiers.
Wigwe, his wife and son and a former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, died in a helicopter crash that occurred near a border town between California and Nevada in the United States on February 9.
The remains of the deceased have been buried at a private cemetery within the Wigwe University premises in Isiokpo.
Among the dignitaries who attended the funeral service were Akpabio, Wigwe’s business partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; and former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Also present were former presidential candidate, Peter Obi; Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, Senator Seriake Dickson, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Muhammadu Sanusi among others.