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…Rejects accusation that celebrant spent hundreds of millions on guests
Ayomide Awe
A legal professional and accountant, Dr. Gbenga Adeoye, has dismissed reports that Justice Babatunde Demola Bakre Junior sponsored hundreds of guests to attend his 60th birthday celebration in Gambia.
Adeoye, in a statement obtained by PLATFORM TIMES on Saturday, described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that guests who attended the celebration traveled at their own expense, while family and friends supported some aspects of the activities.
The celebration, which attracted prominent Nigerians and guests from different parts of the world, was held in Gambia, with activities including golf, cocktail parties, an all-white disco night and a dinner.
In an account aimed at correcting what he described as widespread misconceptions about the event, Adeoye said he personally confronted some people discussing the alleged sponsorship at a bar opposite the Senegambia Hotel, venue of one of the birthday activities, on Friday, October 30, 2026.
According to him, some people in the shop claimed that the celebrant had spent hundreds of millions of naira to transport about 300 people to Gambia and provide them with accommodation, food and other expenses.
Adeoye, however, said he disputes such claims, explaining that the guests self-funded their trips due to their personal relationships with the celebrant.
He said: “I said capital NO, NO, NO. Each attendee paid for their travel and hotel, while some other aspects of the events were sponsored by family and friends.
“Golfers came to play to celebrate one of their own at their own expense. People came for love. They sacrificed time and money.”
The former lecturer said his experience demonstrated the guests’ commitment, explaining that he traveled from Nigeria to the United States on October 24 and returned on October 28 before flying to Gambia on October 29 to attend the birthday celebration.
He added that he almost missed the trip because he initially forgot to complete the registration before the deadline.
Adeoye said the celebrant’s elder sister, Tokunbo Adenekan, intervened upon learning of his intention to attend, urging arrangements for him to join the traveling group.
He argued that the experience strengthened his position that the meeting was driven by friendship and affection rather than financial incentives.
Explaining why he considered the allegations particularly damaging, Adeoye said the celebrant came from a family known for modest living and strong personal values.
He recalled that the celebrant’s father, Justice Demola Bakre OON (Senior), who retired from the judiciary, had once persuaded his son to abandon a thriving law practice in Abuja to join the Ogun State judiciary.
According to Adeoye, the elder Bakre had expressed concern about the excessive pursuit of wealth, arguing that a comfortable and modest life was more important than the accumulation of material possessions.
He cited the retired judge’s question: “How many houses do you need in a lifetime?”
Adeoye said the conversation reflects the family’s philosophy of simplicity, adding that the celebrant ultimately accepted the opportunity to serve on the bench.
He further described Judge Bakre Junior as someone who valued a simple lifestyle and maintaining relationships in professional, social and community settings.
The accountant said the birthday celebration attracted guests from Nigeria, the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain and other countries, including members of the legal profession, business community, golf associations and former residents of Ibara GRA and Asero Estate in Abeokuta.
Among those he identified during the meeting were Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker; retired general Morakinyo Abiodun; Justice Gboyega Ogunfowora; former Director General of Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Toyin Sogbesan; and Engineer Ola Sobande, former Shell engineer and founding chairman of the Egba Economic Summit Group.
Others included Sunday Oduntan, Surveyor Dayo Folarin, Bashorun Ladi Adegbite, Tpl Adeogun, Bimbo Salau, Tolu Odugbemi, Busayo Okundaye, Deola Adeyemi and Funmi Fadahunsi.
Adeoye also mentioned the participation of members of Abeokuta Golf Club and Different Strokes Golf Group, saying several golfers traveled to The Gambia to celebrate their colleague.
He particularly remembered seeing retired General Abiodun independently purchase drinks and refreshments for guests at his table during the all-white disco night.
Likewise, he said Dotun Olaifa moved around to make sure guests at his table were comfortable.
According to Adeoye, the guests’ participation demonstrated the depth of relationships the celebrant had built over the years.
He said many of those present have known each other since childhood, especially families who moved from Ibadan to Abeokuta after the creation of Ogun State in 1976.
He added that some attendees hadn’t seen each other in 10 or 20 years, making the celebration an opportunity for old friends and colleagues to reconnect.
Adeoye also praised the organization of the event, noting that guests received access bracelets and souvenirs upon arrival at the hotel.
He said the celebrant’s younger sister, Dolapo Orekoya, also provided yellow Adire trousers to the participants before their departure from Nigeria.
The lawyer also commended the celebrant’s wife, Bukola Bakre, for her enthusiastic participation in the celebration, adding that their children, Boluwatife and Tiwaloluwa, witnessed the affection and goodwill their father enjoyed from friends and associates.
Reflecting on the scale of the gathering, Adeoye said he told the celebrant that a similar celebration held in Nigeria could attract between 3,000 and 4,000 people, considering his links to the legal profession, the golf community, former school and university friends, legal circles in Abuja and social groups in Abeokuta.
He said the celebrant responded that the decision to hold the event outside Nigeria was partly dictated by the expected size of the gathering.
Adeoye, who described the celebration as a gathering of people united by long-standing relationships, urged those spreading the alleged sponsorship claims to correct the impression.
He said the purpose of his speech was not simply to defend the celebrant but also to prevent what he called the circulation of misleading narratives about a private celebration.
The accountant added that the birthday should be remembered for the relationships it bonded rather than unsubstantiated claims about the amount allegedly spent on bringing guests to Gambia.
He congratulated Justice Bakre Junior on reaching 60 years of age, praying for good health, peace of mind and many more years of fulfillment.
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