December 25, (THEWILL) – SHADE METIBOGUN writes on former socialites who once kept the social scene alive and what they have been up to these past years.
Grace Egbagbe
The Edo State-born lawyer rose through the ranks to become a top official of the Nigerian Television Authority before she retired. The mother of two allegedly had a son for late former Vice President Alex Ekwueme.  She was well connected, particularly to a lot of people in the corridors of power.  Now in her 60s, she relocated to Washington DC, United States of America almost immediately after retiring from NTA.
Also known as a style icon of sorts, Grace Egbagbe has been living a quiet life. She hardly craves the limelight nowadays, rarely attends parties and often travels for leisure. She runs a mentoring blog, www.askauntygrace.com, to stay busy.
Mike and Mary Inegbese
Mike Inegbese is the Chief Executive Officer of Ineh Mic Motors. He and his wife, Mary, used to be popular and quite visible on the Lagos social scene. So wealthy are the Inegbeses that a few years ago when Mary and her twin sister clocked 50, Mike planned to take about 300 guests to Spain on a boat cruise to celebrate their birthday.
The guests were also meant to visit France, Italy and to be lodged in a five star hotel for some days. Invites were sent out, but the trip was cancelled due to the unhealthy political atmosphere in the country at the time. The hosts eventually settled for a birthday party at their Victoria Island residence, which also turned out to be exciting.
The Inegbeses last major social outing was during the lavish wedding of their son, Michael Junior, in 2019. Since then the couple has been absent from the social scene, with Mary taking care of the home front and Mike investing his time running his automobile and property business.
Martha Najomo
A mother of seven, Martha Najomo is the wife of Captain Chris Najomo, chief pilot with one of the prominent airlines in Nigeria, Arik Air. Martha is CEO of upscale jewellery store, Seraphina Gems, which deals in high end luxury diamond and rare gold. Martha is the younger sister of Felicia Wabara, wife of a former Senate President, Adophus Wabara.  The gifted entrepreneur spares no cost in getting the most expensive jewellery she wants. Martha lived a flamboyant and glamourous lifestyle such that when she clocked 50 a few years ago, she flew about 50 guests to Nice, Monte Carlo for one week to celebrate her birthday. Her last major social outing was in 2019 when one of her daughters got married. She and her husband spared no cost to give her a befitting wedding. Martha has since abandoned the social scene to concentrate on her jewellery business.
Gbenga Sokefun
He was the manager of defunct music group, Kush, which had his younger sister and celebrity photographer, Toyin Sokefun (now known as TY Bello), Lara George and Emem Ema as members.
Gbenga  also co-founded Question Mark Record with his friend, Kevin Lucciano, but was eased out of the business eventually. The American-trained lawyer, who was married to Ronke Sokefun, a former big shot at Oando Plc and now Chairman of the Board of Nigeria Deposit Insurance Company, withdrew from the social scene after his marriage packed up. At that time, he faced a lot of issues, including financial challenges, but gradually bounced back after taking over as the Executive Director of Fortune Engineering and Nigeria Ropes. Gbenga now lives a quiet life.
Moji Onabanjo
While she was already the daughter of wealthy businessman, Alex Onabanjo, her profile however got a boost when she married Gbenga Obasanjo, the first son of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2000. They both ended up with a messy separation which finally led to a divorce, a few years later. Details of what led to the crash of their marriage was so sordid it ended the once rosy relationship the two families enjoyed.
Moji would later give love a second chance when she married Dr Akinwumi Abiodun Mustapha, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance during Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s government. Unfortunately, the marriage also didn’t stand the test of time. It packed up shortly after the couple had their first child.
Moji moved into one of her father’s serviced flats in Ikoyi to start life all over again. She quit the social scene and concentrated on running her businesses, an event decor outfit as well as Angelikas, an upscale gift store where she sells high-end dining sets, kitchen and other home accessories.
Alali Hart
Alali Hart has dominated the skincare and beauty sector for more than two decades now as the exclusive agent of Clarins beauty range of products when the industry was not yet saturated with different brands of beauty care products. She plies her trade through her establishment, Montaigne Place, a beauty clinic and store selling perfumes and other range of beauty care product.
The petite lady was an item with Sholayemi Jeremi, Linda Ikeji’s baby daddy before they fell apart. Men often found her innocent looks and warm smile quite appealing back in the days. But she has now gone low key, attending to her beauty care business and seeking ways to expand her fortune.
Marifa Whyte
She was one of the few young ladies who used to rule the social scene and build connections with the high and mighty some years ago. Handsome and wealthy men could hardly resist her beauty and charm. She once had a relationship with Mohammed Asibelua, businessman and husband of Abuja-based designer and boss of Momo Couture, Fati Asibelua, a few years ago. Their relationship, which lasted a couple of years, produced a son.
Marifa Whyte was virtually a thorn in Fati’s flesh, especially since the latter initially had no child for her husband after many years of marriage. Mohammed had taken advantage of that and spoilt his mistress silly, providing her a tastefully furnished apartment in Lagos and luxury cars in her garage. She became the envy of her friends, but things changed dramatically when God smiled on Fati and she was delivered of a set of twins.
Expectedly, Fati’s childbirth changed the configuration of things for Marifa who stopped enjoying the attention and largesse from Mohammed, forcing her to go underground and expend her energy raising her son and running her business, a Kiddies fun spot, Tickle Bay
Mina Okoloko
She is a skincare expert and the brain behind Beauty Concerns Med-Spa located in Victoria Island, Lagos. The hard-working entrepreneur is partly Scottish and was married to Jite Okoloko, the former Chief Executive Officer of Notore Chemicals Industries Plc. Mina was a regular face at events where top government functionaries and corporate players gathered, but she disappeared from the social circles after parting ways with Jite. She suffered a big blow when her Victoria Island home was gutted by fire and everything she had in the building was destroyed. The damage ran up to several millions of naira. She was devastated and traumatised for weeks. Mina was only able to take her cars away from the compound as neighbours helped to drive them out of the compound before the inferno consumed them as well. After a while, Mina was able to pick the pieces of her life together again and re-launched her spa and beauty business. All her efforts are now concentrated on her two children and how to keep her business afloat.
Austin Okpe
Austin Okpe is the Chief Executive Officer of Empire Monument and Structure Limited with headquarters in Banana Island, Lagos. The company is into building and construction across West Africa. He is the younger brother of popular twin sisters, Nina Agwuna and Muka Nwokedi, owners of Charisma Cosmetic Company.
Austin was in the United State Marine before quitting to start his real estate business. He was formerly married to Ojy Okpe, an international model turned television anchor with Arise TV. The two were blessed with two beautiful children, a boy and girl before parting ways in 2014. While he was married to Ojy, he was a regular on the social scene, but after the marriage packed up, he disappeared for a while, resurfaced again to give love a second chance with a Caucasian lady named Elizabeth.
Tunde Soleye
The medical doctor cum contractor lived life to the fullest. At a point, he maintained a permanent suite at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja, but was eventually thrown out over unresolved financial issues. In the past, Tunde graced many A-list soirées in company with the women in his life at that particular time. From billionaire daughter, Biola Okoya to former beauty queen, Nike Oshinowo even while still married to his medical doctor wife, Funmi Soleye, whom he later went through a messy divorce with just to marry Nike. Both Nike and Tunde became the quintessential couple, gracing the classiest parties until they ended their marriage due to a decline in Tunde’s financial fluidity and his problems with anti graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
After their union fell apart, Tunde withdrew to his shell for a while but soon returned to his old party ways, albeit, on a small scale. But these days, he is hardly ever since at social gatherings as he is more preoccupied with trying to stay afloat.
Koffi Sagoe
Koffi Sagoe came to the limelight as a result of his marriage to Deola Sagoe, the daughter of foremost industrialist, Michael Adeojo. He became the Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria, not long after he married Deola Sagoe but was later booted out after his marriage to the gifted designer hit the rock. The union was blessed with three beautiful daughters, Teni, Aba and Tiwa. Few months after leaving Toyota Nigeria, he became the Managing Director of Subaru Nigeria, another automobile company.
A few years after his eventual divorce from his wife, Koffi remarried another lady, Toyin and they are blessed with children. Koffi now shuns the kleiglights and prefers to spend his time with his family, and his jobs which also includes being chairman of the Lagos State Cricket Association and the Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Nigeria Cricket Federation.
Fifi Ejindu
Princess Fifi Ejindu’s style and poise once spoke volumes on the social scene. The renowned businesswoman and architect with an aristocratic pedigree is the granddaughter of King James Ekpo Bassey, a powerful monarch of the colonial era whose seat was in Cobhams Town, Calabar.
She is the daughter of the first minister for health from the defunct Eastern region, Professor Silvester Joesph Una. She is the first African woman to be awarded a Bachelor of Architecture from the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, New York. What is more, the Chief Executive Officer of Starcrest Group of companies which comprises of Starcrest Investment Limited, Starcrest Associate Limited and Starcrest Industries Limited, all involved in real estate, oil and gas and building construction is as ‘liquid’ as they come. She also dominated the Lagos social scene until she fell out with her erstwhile friend, Nkiru Anumudu with whom she attended social events. Anumudu was her chief brides maid when she hosted the creme of society to her lavish wedding in London years ago. She relocated to Abuja with her family after this falling out and her appearance on the social scene further diminished. But when she parted ways with her husband, Amaechi a few years ago over allegations of infidelity, her days of trotting around the social circuit came to a final end. Now, she prefers to spend her time and energy running her business empire.
Linda Mesrob
She owned SKIN later rebranded Ariaba Lifestyle Brand which is into the production of jewelry and leather accessories, all handmade with precious metals, gemstones and finest leather. As a single lady, Linda was quite the socialite who partied as hard as she worked. She was also into a few relationships with some prominent men, one of who was Alhaji Sayyu Dantata, the grand child of legendary Kano businessman, Alhaji Alhassan Dantata. Many thought their relationship would lead to marriage but were disappointed when Linda jumped off and started dating Laolu Sodeinde, the co-owner of defunct night club, Rehab Club whom she later married. With marriage, she slowed down her appearance on the party scene. And after welcoming two children, she finally called it quits with the social scene and concentrated on running her business and taking care of her family.
DEAN Priddy
Dean Priddy is the first son of late socialite, Olu Kerekou Priddy, who owns the defunct Bacchus Nite club in Ikoyi, Lagos. The late businessman, who was a former director at John Holts, passed on in 2011. His son, Dean was running his business with his sister, Louis Priddy before relinquishing the family business and started selling expensive time pieces. Dean was married to Fellow socialite, Linda Edozien, in a fairytale wedding that attracted the presence of many celebrities, but it ended in divorce after they welcomed a child. Dean left the social scene after he lost his dad and has been running his business quietly.
Prince Alvan Akenzua
He was formerly married to Omosede Igbinedion, daughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion. The two had an elaborate wedding that was the talk of the town. It was a carnival of sorts that even though the bride’s father and groom’s uncle were at loggerheads, it didn’t take the shine off the festivities that took place at the ceremony. The union which was barely three years old eventually crashed in 2012. They had a son, Alexander Akenzua together. The handsome man went into oblivion, trying to pick up the pieces of his life after the incident.
Udy Umondak
Uduak Abasi Umondak was the first lady of Akwa-Ibom state between 1990 and 1992. Her husband, retired Commodore Idongesit Nkanga was the former governor of Akwa-Ibom within that period. A top fashion designer, actor and television host, she featured as one of the lead characters in the TV drama series, ‘Mirror in the Sun.’ Shortly after her fashion store Colours, situated on Toyin Street was gutted by fire, Udy recoiled into her shell, taking a break from the social scene. She soon emerged, spirit filled, after giving her life to Christ. She set up a faith-based television talk-show ‘His word made flesh’ which she later rebranded as ‘The Udy Factor’ which ran for some time. And then she lost her daughter, Victoria Nkanga Herman, to cardiac arrest in the United States where she lived. Udy recoiled into her shell further and rested the show. In 2020 she lost her husband, Idongesit Nkanga to COVID-19. The very colourful lady and style icon has since left the limelight to mourn her husband and concentrate on her only grandson.
Lanre Nzeribe
He was the toast of beautiful ladies and dated quite a handful of them, the likes of Grace Egbagbe, Tola Odutola, Elizabeth Benson and Monalisa Chinda. His relationship with Monalisa made the headlines back then and soon after it ended on a messy note, Lanre disappeared from public glare. Many allege that he suffered a bizarre spiritual problem, which was one of the reasons he quit the social scene.  He was last seen at the one year remembrance of late industrialist, Chief Bode Akindele in June this year. Lanre seems to have changed from his ways of dating prominent women who are financially buoyant and now keeps himself busy with what pays his bills.
Vivienne Agbonkhese
In her peak, there was no A list party that Vivienne did not attend. She was the livewire of many parties, especially those held in the Ikeja area of Lagos where she was based, until she was swept off her feet by Musa Ngonadi Gowon, the product of a romantic relationship between former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.)Â Â and late Edith Ike Mark-Okongwu, a foremost public relations expert. They got married exactly three years after Musa walked out of Taft Correctional facility, Bakersfield California, a free man after spending 23 years behind bars for a crime he claimed he did not commit. Today, Vivienne has shunned the limelight and is more contented running her bespoke fashion outfit, House of Joel, located in Lekki area of Lagos.
