NUPRC boss cancels birthday celebration, gives reason

The chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe, has cancelled all activities lined up for his birthday celebration slated for 30th September.

Mr Komolafe, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, turned 60 on 26 September.

To celebrate the milestone, his friends, families and associates decided to organise a thanksgiving service to mark the day slated for this Saturday.

However, in his deference to the pernicious state of the Nigerian economy at the moment, he has decided to cancel all the planned celebrations, according to a statement he personally signed sighted by this newspaper on Wednesday.

In the statement entitled ‘Cancellation of Thanksgiving Service and Reception for CCE,’ Mr Komolafe said he appreciated the gesture of his well-wishers to call together friends and associates to “thank God and later sit together to wine and dine in an event planned for Saturday, 30 September 2023.”

He, however, said, “Given the mood of the nation at this time that people are struggling to weather the current economic storm and the government is making concerted efforts to halt the slide in the country’s economy, it would amount to some level of insensitivity, especially for a public servant, to engage in an elaborate ceremony of any kind, even if sponsored.”

He said he completely understood how the cancellation would be received by family, friends and associates, adding, however, that he would plead that both the thanksgiving service and the reception planned for this Saturday be stood down.

“I have every reason to thank God for His grace upon my life and how far he has brought me; and sincerely appreciate my family, friends and associates who have shown me love and have been felicitating with me.

” I sincerely regret the inconvenience the cancellation of the two events might cause invited guests. At this time, we are all expected to make sacrifices for the sake of our nation and our people.

“May the Almighty God bless everyone and help our country’s recovery and growth efforts,” he said.

Mr Komolafe was appointed as the chief executive of the commission by former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2021 subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Senate.