LAGOS — It was an evening of glamour, family, culture and high-profile society as Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, OFR, chaired the wedding reception of Shekinah Obi-Umahi, daughter of retired Major General Obi Abel Umahi, OFR, and Shokpe Adebayo Ayinde in Lagos on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
The celebration followed the couple’s traditional marriage in Uburu, Ebonyi State, where the union brought together an Igbo bride and a Yoruba groom in a colourful celebration of family and cultural unity.
The Lagos ceremony began with a church service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Powerlink Chapel, Marwa Junction, before guests moved to the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, for the reception.
It was a gathering of political heavyweights, business leaders, military personalities, family and friends, with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Minister of Works David Umahi, Ebonyi Deputy Governor Patricia Onyemaechi, Enugu Deputy Governor Ifeanyi Ossai and businessman Tony Elumelu among the guests.
As chairman of the occasion, Governor Otti brought humour and wisdom to his counsel to the newlyweds, comparing marriage to a parcel whose contents become known only after it is opened.
“This business is like a parcel. Once you get the parcel and open it, whatever you find inside it, is your luck.”
But beneath the humour was a serious message. Otti urged the couple to give each other room to learn, adjust and understand one another, stressing that a successful home is built through patience, unity and mutual accommodation.
He prayed for the couple to be blessed with children, the resources to raise their family and the wisdom and grace to build a happy and enduring home.
For the bride’s father, Major General Obi Abel Umahi, the celebration was a particularly proud moment.
He described his daughter as intelligent and promising from childhood and expressed confidence that the newlyweds had a bright future ahead.
The presence of Senator David Umahi, who is Shekinah’s uncle, added another layer of significance to the celebration.
The Minister had earlier joined the family at the traditional marriage in Uburu alongside his wife, Chief Mrs Rachel Umahi, where the family celebrated the coming together of two cultures.
Major General Obi Abel Umahi is a former General Officer Commanding 81 Division of the Nigerian Army and a prominent military personality who has also been involved in public and community affairs.
From the church altar to the glittering reception in Victoria Island, the occasion was more than a wedding, it was a meeting of families, friendships, political influence and Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity.
In the end, the message from the celebration was simple: while marriage joins two people, it also brings families, cultures and communities together.
