Chief Tony Okoroji, Lolo Dorothy Akujuo and Mr Patrick Doyle on the red carpet in New York
Ace broadcaster, actor, film producer and showman, Mr. Patrick Doyle, on Saturday March 4 2023, hit the ball out of the park at the grand celebration of the 80th birthday of the Nigerian teacher, author, journalist, unstoppable intellectual, creative personality and retired professor of English, the amazing Lolo Dorothy Chinaka Akujuo which took place at the Tiffany & Crystal Hall of Leonard’s Palazzo in New York.
Mr. Patrick Doyle was a class Master of Ceremony, taking over intermittently from Chief Jude Okoroji and ministering to the hundreds of distinguished guests from every part of the United States, Europe and beyond who assembled at the imposing Leonard’s Palazzo, the prime venue at the North Shore of Great Neck, Long Island, New York City, for the grand celebration of the 80th birthday of the evergreen lady, Lolo Dorothy Akujuo. Mr. Doyle was one with the audience which responded enthusiastically to his every joke and every quip.
The big birthday banquet to celebrate the outstanding lady who retired from the City University of New York, also featured the international Premiere of the epic movie, “My Birthright”, a story of the big clash of traditional Igbo culture faced with emerging European values in the 1960s. This story told by the amazing Lolo Dorothy Akujuo, has been shot in living colour by a new wiz boy of the Nigerian movie industry, 27 years old, Damola Akapo. Guests at the grand birthday had the privilege of being the first to watch “My Birthright” which was shown on the big screen, for the first time, at Leonard’s Palazzo.
The white Super Stretch Limo that brought Lolo Dorothy Akujuo to New York’s Leonard’s Palazzo
Mr. Patrick Doyle who is also the Supervising Producer of “My Birthright”, was received at New York’s JFK Airport the day before by showbiz impresario, Chief Tony Okoroji, the celebrated former President of PMAN and current chairman of COSON. Chief Okoroji, himself arrived JFK earlier in the week and was picked up at the airport by his son, Tony Okoroji Jnr, the Dallas based Business Analyst at Bank of America who was also in New York for the big show.
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. Upon the entry of the celebrant into the Tiffany & Crystal Hall, there were carefully choreographed fireworks, enchanting smoke and ice projections followed by an almost endless dollar rain on the celebrant.
The pre-event cocktail and the food at the banquet were fantastic, the movie was cheered with rousing applause by the guests and the guests rocked and rocked to the wonderful performance of A.J. Warrior and the special mix of the famous D.J. Judah who was on the wheels of steel with strobe lights, moving heads and exciting projections on the video wall.
Each of the distinguished guests munched a piece of the special Red Velvet cake baked by the master chef at Leonard’s Palazzo which was cut by Lolo Dorothy Akujuo; her husband, Nze Ambrose Akujuo; her children, Uzoma, Adanna and Chidi with the many wives of the Akujuo family.
Every guest had fun, loads of it. Each left with assorted gifts including a copy of the all-gloss, super embossed and foiled magazine, “80 YEARS YOUNG!”, chronicling the life and times of the amazing Lolo Dorothy Akujuo, with stories told by the timeless lady herself, her husband, children, siblings, friends, professional colleagues, church members, etc. with iconic photos.
The guests came from all over America. They came from Connecticut and Massachusetts. They came from Texas, Chicago, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California. An entire contingent stormed New York from Baltimore Maryland. Among this contingent was the Chairman of the event, the debonaire, Chief Gabriel Iyere and Chika, his dear wife and of course, there were the irrepressible “Baltimore Boys”.
Speaking after the event, the very beautiful Lilian Ogide, who flew in from London, said, “Wow! Wow! Wow!!!, I have never seen a show like this. So well-articulated. So well organized. Incredible fun!”
Another guest from Houston Texas, said, “Without question, the best show I have ever seen. No dull moment!”.
