How Ibidunni Ighodalo’s brother’s tribute to sister moved everyone to tears

By Olushola Ricketts

For close associates, family and loved ones, the death of ex-beauty queen Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo, the wife of Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah-Ighodalo, still looked like a dream. But the reality is that she died aged 39 on June 14 last year.

Cardiac arrest claimed the life of Ibidunni on a Sunday morning in her hotel room in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when she went for a job.

To mark a year anniversary since she passed on, top personalities and friends of late Ibidunni joined her family in the church. Two services were held at the Trinity House, Lekki, Lagos– a service to celebrate her life and a memorial service.

Although the memorial service was solemn, it served as an opportunity for people to reconnect with Ibidunni and celebrate all that she stood for.

Ibidunni’s elder brother, Dare Ajayi, was spotted with their mother who stayed strong all through the service. He literally moved everyone to tears with his vote of thanks and special tribute to his late sister. His tribute earned him a rousing applause and a standing ovation.

Ibidunni, the co-pastor of Trinity House was preparing to celebrate her 40th birthday in July when death snatched her in June. Although she is no more, her impact through Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation, is still there for all to see. She provided grants for women to pay for IVF treatments and helped reduce the stigma around IVF in Nigeria.

During her lifetime, she was open about her personal struggles to conceive and shared in an interview that she had undergone eleven IVF procedures before adopting two children with her husband of 13 years.