By ISAAC OGUNTOYE

Some eminent Nigerians, including Professor Wole Soyinka, Folorunsho Alakija, Peter Obi and Dolapo Osinbajo, had reasons to rejoice as they all celebrated their birthdays recently.

Although none of them rolled out the drums in celebration due to the social distancing guidelines released by the Federal Government to checkmate the spread of coronavirus, notwithstanding, the love and encomiums showered on these eminent personalities on social media showed that they are well loved and appreciated by their families, friends and business associates.

One of Africa’s richest women, Alakija, and Dolapo, the wife of the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, share the same birthday, July 16.

While friends and business colleagues ‘flooded’ Alakija’s social media accounts with praise and encomium, political and religious leaders showered Osinbajo with prayers as she added another year.

Dolapo’s husband took to Instagram to express his love for his wife. He wrote, “Happy Birthday to our best friend. And my darling… brave, beautiful and kind. I love you.”

Respected Nobel laureate, playwright, poet and essayist, Soyinka, who turned 86 on July 13, 2020, also received several goodwill messages from within and outside Nigeria.

Meanwhile, a former governor of Anambra State and vice presidential candidate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi, also turned 59 on July 19, and he was apparently ecstatic at being a year older. (Sunday PUNCH)