Omoba Tanimowo Oluremi Okupe and Olu Oyesanya Wedding (1960)

Event Summary:
On December 24, 1960, Princess (Omoba) Tanimowo Oluremi Okupe, aged 28, daughter of His Highness, the Alaperu of Iperu, Oba Samuel Adedoyin Okupe II (Agbonmagbe II), married Olu Oyesanya, aged 32, the son of a Nigerian Chief, at St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London. The ceremony took place just a few months after Nigeria gained independence (October 1, 1960), making it one of the first high-profile Nigerian royal weddings to take place in post-colonial Britain.

About the Bride:

Full Name: Omoba (Princess) Tanimowo Oluremi Okupe

Father: His Highness Oba Samuel Adedoyin Okupe II (Agbonmagbe II), the Alaperu of Iperu in the Ijebu Division of Ogun State, southwestern Nigeria.

The title “Omoba” signifies “royal child” or “princess” in Yoruba, indicating her noble birth.

She was part of a generation of educated Nigerian women from royal or elite families who studied or lived in Britain during the 1950s and 1960s.

Her wedding symbolized a union between traditional Nigerian royalty and the new class of educated, cosmopolitan Nigerians emerging in the postcolonial era.

About the Groom:

Name: Olu Oyesanya

Age at marriage: 32

Background: Son of a prominent Nigerian Chief (likely from the southwest, given the surname and cultural ties).

He, too, represented the educated Nigerian elite in London during that time — many were students or professionals in law, medicine, or public administration.

About the Ceremony:

Venue: St. Bride’s Church, Fleet Street, London — a historic Anglican church often referred to as the “journalists’ church,” renowned for its striking tiered spire.

Date: Saturday, December 24, 1960 (Christmas Eve).

The ceremony attracted attention from the British press and Nigerian expatriate circles in London.

The couple’s attire likely reflected a blend of Western wedding fashion and Nigerian cultural identity, consistent with other high-profile Nigerian weddings of that era.

The event was covered by PA Images (Press Association) and has since appeared in several image archives as part of postcolonial Nigerian history in Britain.

Historical Context:

The wedding took place less than three months after Nigeria’s independence.

Many elite Nigerian families, including royal households, had close ties with Britain due to colonial education and diplomatic relations.

Such marriages often symbolized cultural diplomacy representing modern, educated Nigerians while maintaining traditional roots.

Significance:

This wedding was one of the first Nigerian royal weddings in post-independence Britain, reflecting the blending of Nigerian royalty, Western education, and Christianity.

It underscored the visibility of Nigerians in the British social landscape during the early 1960s.

The image and event are often cited in archives documenting Nigeria’s elite presence in London around independence.