WHEN XERONA DUKE BECAME MRS. DERIN PHILLIPS

Gorgeous Xerona

It was a beautiful, classy, very well attended, very well organized, totally top notch wedding on all counts. Bride and groom's family both have solid pedigree on all counts.

On the side of the bride-Xerona's side, the dad, Mr. Donald Duke was a former Governor of Cross Rivers State, who served for 8 years and apparently did very well leaving behind a wondrous legacy. His wife Onari Duke is an astute businesswoman on all counts. Both are directors at UBA Group Plc. Donald Duke's dad was one of the first indigenous head of the Customs Board back in the days and that's not a little thing, just imagine that former Vice president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar was a deputy Controller General when he retired.

On the groom's side, that's is Derin's aka DJ Caise's side, his mom is the first daughter of one of the richest Africa's to have ever lived. A man of great status and stature, ambassador plenipotentiary for many countries, not the country of his birth. A man of awesome and unbelievable wealth, well steeped in the tradition and culture of Nigeria, one of highest ranked member of the Ogboni, in the person of the late Chief Antonio Deinde Fernandez. DERIN's mom was a former member of the cabinet/administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Derin also known or better known as DJ Caise, is one of the top 10 most popular deejays in Nigeria. XERONA is one of the 2 extremely beautiful daughters of the Dukes.

The massive traditional wedding had held in Calabar, Cross Rivers a forth night ago and it was huge on all counts. Either by the magnitude of the guest list etc or otherwise. It had many of the who-is-who across the country in attendance. It was an occasion well steeped in the tradition and culture of the south-south, Donald Duke being Efik and Quas, Onari Duke being Kalabari and then the Phillips are Yorubas. Dj Caise's mother is from Lagos and we all know very well that Eko is always for show.

So it was a beautiful intermingling of beautiful cultures, tradition and it was quite colorful too and full of drama. We have thought to collage 3 sets of pictures together to get this story across. You have a few of the white wedding pictures, which took place just this last Saturday at the Federal Palace Hotel, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos. It was very well attended as a matter of fact. We have the Dubai cord of 3 strands ceremony pictures and then, we have more of the super colorful traditional wedding in Calabar, that had the crème of the society in attendance. Imagine that the Emir of  Kano was there with the Obong of Calabar. Aliko Dangote and his fellow Kano brother, Abdulsamad Isiyaku Rabiu of BUA also came and sat near each other. Impressive style king John Obayuwana was also in attendance as he and Donald Duke are adherents of the Grail Message, in fact high ranking members.

The cord of 3 strands ceremony is a symbol of the sacred union created on the wedding day. It depicts God's sacred union in marriage. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves and a cord of 3 strands is not quickly broken Ecclesiasttes 4:12

Xerona as was expected was like a fairy princess, looking extremely gorgeous and mind-blowingly beautiful in her resplendent wedding dress by Andrea Iyamah. The event was so fun, that the father of the bride a music lover to the core at a point joined the Shuga Band to drop some songs to the delight of all.

Wedding was organized by Ibidun Ighodalo of Elizabeth R, who is acknowledged as one of the top 3 best and biggest in EVENTS managers in Nigeria.

More after the break.

3 CORDS CEREMONY

Gorgeous Couple 

Mr &  Mrs DERIN & Xerona Phillips 

XERONA Phillips nee Duke 

Donald Duke, Xerona, Onari Duke & Derin

HRH, Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammed Sanusi II

Xerona with 2nd mom

Mom and Daughter