Dolapo and Oladunmoye with their parents
By Banji Ayoola
Couples have been advised to take the Word of God as the only foundation of their unions as the main prerequisite for building happy homes, communities, towns, and states which eventually would coalesce into a happy, harmonious, peaceful and prosperous nation state.
This admonition was given as part of a sermon given at the Alma Rohm Baptist Church, Oke Odo, Iwo in Osun State, by Pastor Caleb Ajani, at the wedding of former Miss Dolapo Babatola and Mr Oladunmoye Adebayo.
The cleric advised couples to be together in oneness as they seek and probe into the scriptures together for knowledge that would guide them to higher values and make them better human beings.
His words: “Let’s be together and the Lord will help us. Let’s be together as one.”
He said that without togetherness, a home is not different from a battlefield, assuring that: “if you love this, this marriage that you come to celebrate today can bring happiness to your home.”
Ajani counseled the congregation and couples generally: “Go back home. Sit down and plan your homes together. Sit down and pray together. Sit down and build your homes together. Sit down and build your future together.
“The day you married that sister, you didn’t tell her you won’t live together in the same home. Sit down together and love the home. Throughout, you would enjoy your home.
“Fathers and mothers, leave them (couples) alone. Study the Bible together. It would increase your closeness to the Lord and to each other. Plan together. Two good heads are better than one.”
At exactly 9.33 am, the cleric presented the marriage certificate to the new couple after joining them together as husband and wife in the Christian tradition.
The traditional engagement followed the church service at the Oluponna Road, Iwo residence of the bride’s parents, Mr. Femi Samson Babatola and wife Omolade Florence. It was conducted by Pastor Mrs. Adebukola Ademuyiwa Ajani.
In an interview with The Radiance, Babatola expressed deep gratitude to the Most High for granting his prayer over the wedding as he thanked the guests.
He said: “We thank the Lord. Everything went as expected. We really thank Him for He gave us today. What I prayed for, He has answered that prayer honestly because I prayed that He should seize the rain and to give us today. The prayer is answered. I really thank Him for today.
“I am very happy indeed to see to this programme. Since we proposed this marriage, we had been praying to the Lord to do this and that. And He answered that prayer. People came from far and near. They are here now, eating and dancing. Everything is going on as expected. I appreciate the Lord for that.
“I advice the couple to be in love with themselves and not allow any satanic friend to come into their midst and destroy their home. This is a new home. I pray that the Lord would build their home for them and give them fruits of marriage, that is children; and I pray that they would not be barren of good things in life. They would not be barren of children, good health, long life and many good things. They would not be barren of sound health, of wealth to sustain their home.
“They should keep themselves as one; and they shouldn’t allow any enemy to truncate this new home because this home has been built on a rock. I pray that no wind would destroy that house.
“I am deeply touched; even I wept because I must tell you the fact; it is not easy to give your daughter unto marriage. The lady we have been nurturing for years, for almost 30 years; just to leave you like that. I thank the Lord that we separated this way but not life separation. This is a joyous separation. I feel so sad and happy both together because I wept internally.
“I advise young men and women most especially our children of today. Marriage is not a thing they can rush to. I advise them not to rush into marriage. If they rush in, they would rush out. Marriage is never like that. They should try to wait for their time. How many children do they want to bear that would make them rush for marriage. Within ten years, a wife can have all the children she needs to have in life. Therefore our boys and girls should wait for their time.”
Back to the new couple again, Babatola advised: “The most important thing is to be prayerful in everything they do; and take their problems to God and not to man. If they can do that, they would overcome whatever challenges.
“The families on both sides should leave them alone and allow them live their lives because what God has joined together, the Bible said, let no man put asunder. If the families do not interfere in their marital home, the house would be peaceful and they would live long. I pray for long life for them.”
On her own, the bride’s mother, Mrs. Omolade Florence Babatola said: “I feel good. I feel alright. I am very happy today. Today is the happiest day of my life.
“I was deeply touched (during the traditional ceremonies) because the girl is very helpful to me at home. I can never forget today’s event in my life because most of my friends are here.
“Apart from that, I thought that everything would not be okay, but fortunately for me, God is on my side. Everything was successful.
“I thank God Almighty for what He has done in our lives. He has done very well to us. I appreciate His Work. He is Awesome, Mighty and Powerful; in fact I don’t know how to describe Him. He is my Father. And I can never compare anything to Him. He is my God. He loves me so much. I appreciate Him.”
On his own, the groom’s father, Dr Segun Adebayo said: “We thank the Lord for the success and we are happy that it was a success.
“I have known both of them from the time they started their relationship. I am happy that today I am standing in as the father and the marriage was a success. I am very happy.
“One major thing is patience; in marriage, patience. Everybody comes with different backgrounds. There are times you have to cross each other’s path. They should have patience.”
Also, the groom’s mother, Mrs Adenike Adebayo said: “I am very happy and I am grateful to the Lord for seeing this day. I wish the couple the best.”
On his own, the Ajiroba of Kuta, Chief Adesoye Adedapo, a prince and friend of the bride’s father, said: “I thank the Lord for sparing our lives and for the day. I thank Him for giving the opportunity that I am able to witness the wedding ceremony. It is my prayer that the union would be blessed with all good things of life.
“I advise the couple that nowadays there are lots of broken homes. I pray that may they never witness such. They should be ready to accommodate each other. We are not complete. We have to accept one another. The woman should accept her husband; the husband should accept his wife. They should accept each other, forgetting each other’s mistakes. Then their union would prosper.
“Many of our youths today especially our boys, are not willing to marry. The responsibility of married persons is enormous. That is why many people are afraid. Whoever does not have a wife, or any man who does not have a wife in his house is not responsible. They should aspire to be responsible persons. They should get married.
“I advice everybody: this COVID-19 pandemic is real. May the Almighty spare our lives and protect us. With the present situation of the country and globally, I think we are getting closer to the end of the pandemic. May the Lord bless us.”
The Secretary of United Front, KUF, Mr. Adesoye Ajani said: “We give glory to the Lord in the first instance for His presence. We thank Him for the way the occasion went. It went fine and we give glory to Him for everything that happened today.”
Also, a bosom friend of the bride’s parents, Mr. Mukaila Aminu said: “I feel extremely happy that today goes successfully, that we successfully handed over our daughter to the husband.
“May the Lord crown their efforts. They would have their fist born as twins, second born as twins, third born as twins.
“Today, I am one of the happiest men because the Lord takes perfect control of the whole programme. To the invitees as you are going back to your various destinations, may the Lord see you through.”
A brother of the bride’s mother, Mr Ahmed Ayoola said: “Thank the Lord. I am very happy today for my sister.”
