In a departure from the elaborate parties often associated with milestone birthdays, Chief Executive Officer of Kayrom Lee Group of Companies, Ambassador Romoke Rahmat Ayinde, has marked her 55th birthday with the launch of the Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative, a public-health intervention designed to equip members of the public with basic skills for responding to medical emergencies before professional help arrives.
The initiative was unveiled at an event held at the basketball court inside the iconic Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, formerly known as Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, where healthcare professionals, government representatives, sports enthusiasts, cultural performers and other stakeholders gathered to celebrate the businesswoman and support a cause centred on preserving human life.
Rather than devote the occasion to a lavish birthday party, Ayinde, the Iyalaje Adinni of Oyo State,used the milestone to draw attention to a question that can determine whether a person survives a medical emergency: what can the people standing nearby do to save a life before an ambulance or healthcare professional arrives?
Her choice of celebration gave the occasion a deeper significance, turning a personal milestone into an opportunity to promote public awareness, emergency preparedness and community responsibility.
Among the dignitaries at the event was the Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, who chaired the occasion and was accompanied by members of staff of the ministry. The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, was represented by ACP Coker Shadow.
Also present were Ambassador Yinka Agboola, publisher of PMParrot; a representative of the General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS); and Deaconess Folashade, who offered the opening prayer. Healthcare experts, cultural troupes, sports enthusiasts, friends and other well-wishers also attended.
A grand entrance, a purposeful celebration
The atmosphere combined the excitement of a birthday celebration with the significance of a public-health campaign. Ayinde was ushered into the venue in grand style to the accompaniment of lively music, drawing applause from guests who welcomed her with enthusiasm.
True to her energetic personality, the celebrant did not hold back her dance steps. Her lively entrance soon drew Dr Olatunbosun and some other guests onto the dance floor, adding colour and warmth to the gathering before proceedings formally commenced with the national anthem and Ibadan anthem.
Beyond the music, dancing and birthday goodwill, however, the central message of the day remained the need to make lifesaving knowledge more accessible to ordinary people.
Ayinde: Every second counts in an emergency
In her opening remarks, Ambassador Ayinde explained the significance of combining her 55th birthday with the official launch of the Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative, describing it as a movement intended to change how people respond when someone suddenly falls ill or suffers a life-threatening emergency.
She challenged members of the public to consider what they would do if a person collapsed beside them, experienced a medical crisis at a public gathering or needed urgent assistance before professional healthcare workers could arrive.
According to her, the initiative seeks to encourage a culture in which people are not helpless spectators during emergencies but understand the basic, appropriate steps that could help preserve life while waiting for trained responders.
Ayinde stressed that saving lives should not be regarded as the exclusive responsibility of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, arguing that members of the public also have an important role to play through awareness, preparedness and prompt action.
The practical dimension of the event reinforced that message, as demonstrations were conducted on emergency response techniques, including chest compressions and rescue breaths as part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), alongside other basic lifesaving procedures.
The demonstrations brought the message closer to the audience by showing how the right knowledge, applied appropriately and promptly, can make a difference in an emergency. The initiative also underscored the importance of learning these procedures from qualified trainers and knowing when to contact emergency services.
Call for corporate support, emergency facilities
The Kayrom Lee boss also called on members of the public, private companies, multinational corporations and operators in the oil and gas industry to support the initiative and invest in facilities that can help address urgent health problems.
She emphasised the need for organisations and institutions to take emergency preparedness seriously by providing appropriate first-aid resources, ensuring access to trained personnel and developing arrangements for obtaining professional medical assistance when emergencies occur.
Ayinde’s appeal was particularly significant for workplaces, sports facilities, public venues and other environments where large numbers of people gather and where a medical emergency can occur without warning.
Her position was that promoting lifesaving awareness must go beyond speeches and celebrations to practical investment in the equipment, training and systems required to protect human lives.
The initiative therefore seeks to make emergency response a shared responsibility involving individuals, government institutions, businesses and community organisations rather than leaving the burden entirely on healthcare professionals.
Olatunbosun hails Ayinde’s thoughtfulness
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, commended Ayinde for choosing to launch an initiative with potential public-health benefits instead of organising an extravagant birthday celebration.
He described the gesture as a commendable demonstration of thoughtfulness, noting that the decision to devote such an important personal milestone to a cause that could benefit society deserved recognition.
Olatunbosun also praised the celebrant’s doggedness, resilience, entrepreneurial spirit and sustained commitment to skill development, healthcare, sports and community development.
According to him, Ayinde’s decision reflected a willingness to deploy her experience, resources and influence towards addressing issues that affect the wider community.
He prayed that God would preserve her life, grant her many more years in good health and strengthen her to continue contributing to the development of society.
His remarks captured the broader mood of the occasion, with guests celebrating not only Ayinde’s birthday but also her decision to attach a public-interest purpose to it.
A businesswoman with a passion for sports, skills development
Ambassador Romoke Rahmat Ayinde has built a profile in Ibadan’s business and sports communities through Kayrom Lee Group of Companies and its fitness and wellness operations.
Her business interests have extended across fitness, catering, agriculture, fashion and related ventures, reflecting an entrepreneurial journey that has developed beyond a single commercial sector.
She is also associated with RACBAR Academy, a sports-development initiative established to identify young talents and nurture them through training and participation in different sporting activities. RACBAR represents racket, ball, aquatic and ring sports, reflecting the academy’s broad approach to talent development.
The academy’s emphasis on discovering and supporting young people has formed part of Ayinde’s wider interest in grassroots sports, youth empowerment and skills acquisition. Her involvement in sports development has also included support for activities at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, where Kayrom Lee operates its fitness and gym facilities.
Beyond business and sports, Ayinde has been identified in public profiles as Iyalaje Adinni of Oyo State, a title associated with her religious and community engagements.
Her public activities have consistently brought together business, wellness, sports and youth development, making the launch of a lifesaving initiative another extension of her interest in community-focused interventions.
From birthday celebration to a call for collective responsibility
The Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative arrives with a message that extends beyond the celebrant’s personal milestone: emergencies can happen anywhere, and the actions taken in the first few minutes can be critical.
For the initiative to achieve its objectives, sustained public education, access to qualified CPR training, appropriate first-aid resources and effective links to emergency medical services will be important.
Its launch also provides an opportunity for public institutions, businesses, schools, sports organisations and community groups to examine their preparedness for medical emergencies and identify practical ways to improve their response.
Ayinde’s decision to make the initiative the centrepiece of her 55th birthday has given the occasion a purpose beyond celebration, directing attention to a public-health issue that concerns families, workplaces, sporting communities and society at large.
As birthday wishes and goodwill messages continue to celebrate the Kayrom Lee chief executive, her chosen message remains clear: the value of a milestone is not measured only by the grandeur of its celebration, but also by what it inspires people to do for others.
By linking her birthday to the launch of the Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative, Ayinde has placed the preservation of human life at the heart of her celebration and challenged others to consider how their own resources, knowledge and influence can help make their communities safer.
Among the dignitaries at the event was the Oyo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, who chaired the occasion and was accompanied by members of staff of the ministry. The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, was represented by ACP Coker Shadow.
Also present were Ambassador Yinka Agboola, publisher of PMParrot; a representative of the General Manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS); and Deaconess Folashade, who offered the opening prayer. Healthcare experts, cultural troupes, sports enthusiasts, friends and other well-wishers also attended.
A grand entrance, a purposeful celebration
The atmosphere combined the excitement of a birthday celebration with the significance of a public-health campaign. Ayinde was ushered into the venue in grand style to the accompaniment of lively music, drawing applause from guests who welcomed her with enthusiasm.
True to her energetic personality, the celebrant did not hold back her dance steps. Her lively entrance soon drew Dr Olatunbosun and some other guests onto the dance floor, adding colour and warmth to the gathering before proceedings formally commenced with the national anthem and Ibadan anthem.
Beyond the music, dancing and birthday goodwill, however, the central message of the day remained the need to make lifesaving knowledge more accessible to ordinary people.
Ayinde: Every second counts in an emergency
In her opening remarks, Ambassador Ayinde explained the significance of combining her 55th birthday with the official launch of the Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative, describing it as a movement intended to change how people respond when someone suddenly falls ill or suffers a life-threatening emergency.
She challenged members of the public to consider what they would do if a person collapsed beside them, experienced a medical crisis at a public gathering or needed urgent assistance before professional healthcare workers could arrive.
According to her, the initiative seeks to encourage a culture in which people are not helpless spectators during emergencies but understand the basic, appropriate steps that could help preserve life while waiting for trained responders.
Ayinde stressed that saving lives should not be regarded as the exclusive responsibility of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, arguing that members of the public also have an important role to play through awareness, preparedness and prompt action.
The practical dimension of the event reinforced that message, as demonstrations were conducted on emergency response techniques, including chest compressions and rescue breaths as part of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), alongside other basic lifesaving procedures.
The demonstrations brought the message closer to the audience by showing how the right knowledge, applied appropriately and promptly, can make a difference in an emergency. The initiative also underscored the importance of learning these procedures from qualified trainers and knowing when to contact emergency services.
Call for corporate support, emergency facilities
The Kayrom Lee boss also called on members of the public, private companies, multinational corporations and operators in the oil and gas industry to support the initiative and invest in facilities that can help address urgent health problems.
She emphasised the need for organisations and institutions to take emergency preparedness seriously by providing appropriate first-aid resources, ensuring access to trained personnel and developing arrangements for obtaining professional medical assistance when emergencies occur.
Ayinde’s appeal was particularly significant for workplaces, sports facilities, public venues and other environments where large numbers of people gather and where a medical emergency can occur without warning.
Her position was that promoting lifesaving awareness must go beyond speeches and celebrations to practical investment in the equipment, training and systems required to protect human lives.
The initiative therefore seeks to make emergency response a shared responsibility involving individuals, government institutions, businesses and community organisations rather than leaving the burden entirely on healthcare professionals.
Olatunbosun hails Ayinde’s thoughtfulness
In his remarks, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun, commended Ayinde for choosing to launch an initiative with potential public-health benefits instead of organising an extravagant birthday celebration.
He described the gesture as a commendable demonstration of thoughtfulness, noting that the decision to devote such an important personal milestone to a cause that could benefit society deserved recognition.
Olatunbosun also praised the celebrant’s doggedness, resilience, entrepreneurial spirit and sustained commitment to skill development, healthcare, sports and community development.
According to him, Ayinde’s decision reflected a willingness to deploy her experience, resources and influence towards addressing issues that affect the wider community.
He prayed that God would preserve her life, grant her many more years in good health and strengthen her to continue contributing to the development of society.
His remarks captured the broader mood of the occasion, with guests celebrating not only Ayinde’s birthday but also her decision to attach a public-interest purpose to it.
A businesswoman with a passion for sports, skills development
Ambassador Romoke Rahmat Ayinde has built a profile in Ibadan’s business and sports communities through Kayrom Lee Group of Companies and its fitness and wellness operations.
Her business interests have extended across fitness, catering, agriculture, fashion and related ventures, reflecting an entrepreneurial journey that has developed beyond a single commercial sector.
She is also associated with RACBAR Academy, a sports-development initiative established to identify young talents and nurture them through training and participation in different sporting activities. RACBAR represents racket, ball, aquatic and ring sports, reflecting the academy’s broad approach to talent development.
The academy’s emphasis on discovering and supporting young people has formed part of Ayinde’s wider interest in grassroots sports, youth empowerment and skills acquisition. Her involvement in sports development has also included support for activities at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, where Kayrom Lee operates its fitness and gym facilities.
Beyond business and sports, Ayinde has been identified in public profiles as Iyalaje Adinni of Oyo State, a title associated with her religious and community engagements.
Her public activities have consistently brought together business, wellness, sports and youth development, making the launch of a lifesaving initiative another extension of her interest in community-focused interventions.
From birthday celebration to a call for collective responsibility
The Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative arrives with a message that extends beyond the celebrant’s personal milestone: emergencies can happen anywhere, and the actions taken in the first few minutes can be critical.
For the initiative to achieve its objectives, sustained public education, access to qualified CPR training, appropriate first-aid resources and effective links to emergency medical services will be important.
Its launch also provides an opportunity for public institutions, businesses, schools, sports organisations and community groups to examine their preparedness for medical emergencies and identify practical ways to improve their response.
Ayinde’s decision to make the initiative the centrepiece of her 55th birthday has given the occasion a purpose beyond celebration, directing attention to a public-health issue that concerns families, workplaces, sporting communities and society at large.
As birthday wishes and goodwill messages continue to celebrate the Kayrom Lee chief executive, her chosen message remains clear: the value of a milestone is not measured only by the grandeur of its celebration, but also by what it inspires people to do for others.
By linking her birthday to the launch of the Oyo State Lifesaver Initiative, Ayinde has placed the preservation of human life at the heart of her celebration and challenged others to consider how their own resources, knowledge and influence can help make their communities safer.
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