Alaafin’s wife celebrates birthday with church thanksgiving, as clergy says gratitude is the fertile soil from which hope grows
By Bode Durojaiye, Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin, Paramount Ruler of Oyo Kingdom and the Superior Head of Yorubaland.
It has been observed that stepping into a new year of life with a heart full of thanksgiving acts as a powerful psychological reset button.
This anchors one’s mental health in three specific ways such as
reframing challenges, curbing compassion and creating joy.
Senior Pastor in charge of the First Baptist Church, Oke-Isokun, Oyo, Rev. Dr. G. O. Kehinde, stated these on Sunday at a special thanksgiving to mark the birthday of Alaafin’s Queen Consort, Ayaba Abiwunmi Abimbola Owoade
Rev. Dr. Kehinde said a retrospective look at the past year inevitably revealed obstacles, heartbreaks, or failures, adding that thanksgiving allowed one to appreciate the resilience one developed through those trials.
According to him, “” birthdays often trigger milestone anxiety, the feeling that one was not wealthy enough, successful enough, or settled enough for one’s age. But gratitude fiercely combats this by forcing one to focus on what he or she had, rather than what one lacked””.
Rev. Dr.vkehinde stated that birthday is traditionally celebrated with cake, candles, and a chorus of well-wishes, but beneath the surface of these annual rituals lies a deeper, more profound spiritual and psychological necessity: the imperative of thanksgiving.
“” To arrive at another birthday is not merely a milestone of chronological aging. It is a profound gift that warrants deliberate, structured, and deep-seated gratitude. Celebrating another year of life is a moral, emotional, and spiritual obligation .
The most foundational reason for birthday thanksgiving is the recognition that life itself is a gift, not a guarantee.
“” Every breath, heartbeat, and sunrise experienced over the course of 365 days is a miracle of biology and timing. You did not earn your existence, nor can you purchase an extension on it. Pausing to say “thank you” on your birthday, like our mother is doing today before the Lord Almighty shifts perspective from entitlement to humility. It acknowledges that waking up to see another year is a privilege denied to many””, the Minister of God pointed out.
When It was the turn of Ayaba Owoade to address the congregation , she left no one in doubt that she was a deeply spiritual woman who lives with an awareness that extends beyond the physical and material world, anchored in inner strength, intuition, and a connection to something greater than herself.
She knelt down at the altar and appreciated the Almighty God for what she has been doing for him and the Royal Family over the years to the amazement of the invited guests, entire congregation .
She portrayed herself as a woman of gratitude who lives with an enduring attitude of appreciation rather than just a temporary emotional reaction to good circumstances.
It was indeed a scenario to watch as it was inspiring, electrifying and really exciting.