By Regina Igwebuike
It was a day of joy and thanksgiving as Mr. Gabriel Chukwuka Ifejiasi and his beloved wife, Mrs. Vivian Chinenye Ifejiasi, celebrated a remarkable double milestone — their Silver Jubilee Wedding Anniversary and Vivian’s Golden 50th Birthday.
The couple renewed their marital vows in a heartwarming ceremony surrounded by clergy, family, friends, and well-wishers. The event was not only a celebration of enduring love but also a tribute to life, resilience, and shared commitment.
Guests were treated to a blend of elegance, joy, and gratitude as the couple danced their way into this new chapter with grace and thanksgiving.
Speaking during a concelebrated Holy Mass, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev. Paulinus Ezeokafor, expressed profound gratitude to God for the lives of the couple celebrating their Silver Jubilee Wedding Anniversary, commending them for upholding the sacred vows of marriage with faith, love, and unity. He prayed that God would continue to strengthen their bond and shower them with grace in the years ahead.
Turning to the golden jubilee birthday celebrant, the Bishop congratulated her on the gift of life and thanked God for sustaining her to this milestone. He prayed for long life, sound health, and greater achievements.
The Bishop also used the occasion to encourage their children and younger generations to emulate the virtues of commitment, humility, and service embodied by their parents. “May your children grow to honor and care for you in your old age, and may your family remain a beacon of Christian values in today’s world,” he said.
He reminded all present that celebrations like these are opportunities to reflect on God’s goodness and renew one’s commitment to family, faith, and community.
Mr. Gabriel Ifejiasi, the patriarch said, “Today is indeed a special day, a double celebration of my wife’s 50th birthday and our 25th wedding anniversary. In every human relationship, challenges are inevitable, but what matters is how we manage and rise above them. I thank God that, through cooperation, understanding, and love, we’ve been able to overcome ours.
As we mark these milestones, I see this as a year of joy and gratitude. My prayer is that God continues to bless us with good health, long life, and many more anniversaries to celebrate together.
My advice to others is this: always put God first, be patient with each other, communicate with love, and never let pride get in the way. Marriage is a journey — with trust and mutual respect, it only gets better.”
Mr. Ifejiasi expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Bishop, priests, family, friends, and well-wishers for gracing their special day. He prayed that joy would never depart from their lives and wished everyone safe travels back to their various destinations.
Mrs. Chinenye Vivian Ifejiasi, speaking in an interview, expressed deep gratitude to God as she and her husband marked 25 years of marriage and her 50th birthday.
“I’m truly thankful to God for today. It’s a double celebration: our 25th wedding anniversary and my golden birthday. I also thank everyone who came to support us, and I pray that God grants each of them safe journeys back to their destinations.”
Reflecting on her marriage, she said, “Twenty-five years is no small feat. It came with its fair share of challenges and victories. From my experience, the most important ingredients in a lasting marriage are mutual respect and support, especially respecting your husband. Even when you don’t agree with his decisions, you can sit down, talk things through, and find common ground. Communication is key. We talk about everything before taking any major step.”
She emphasized partnership: “We do things together. We don’t separate responsibilities. Understanding the person you live with is vital so you can relate with them effectively. The challenges we faced only made us stronger.
“We thank God for both the highs and the lows. We pray for more joyful years ahead and that our children grow into their full potential. May all our efforts in raising them bear fruit.”
Chidubem Ifejiasi, the eldest son of the couple, expressed heartfelt joy over the day’s celebration.
“Everything about today’s event was simply wonderful. You could feel the joy all around. I’m truly happy that everything went smoothly and even better than we planned — God’s plan never fails.”
He extended his gratitude to the guests, saying, “Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us. I pray that God will bless my parents with long life, good health, and continued happiness”.
Chinwendu Ifejiasi also shared her excitement, saying, “This celebration was truly a success. Everything went beautifully, and my mom and dad looked amazing today.”
She added, “I pray that they live long and continue to impact us with their values and good works. I also pray that my siblings and I will continue to encounter great opportunities, be successful, and fully embrace all the virtues our parents have already instilled in us.”
Engr. Chris Nwoye, the Ifejiasis’ in-law, led the closing prayer at the reception held at Finotel Hotel, Awka. He showered heartfelt encomiums on the celebrants, wishing them many more healthy and joyful years of celebration.
He also lifted prayers for all attendees, asking God to grant them success, divine upliftment, and safe journeys back to their various destinations.
Cutting of event cake and display by Joy Unique Ushers added glamour to the occasion.
Regina is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
