Society
Behind The Scene Of Tony Elumelu’s Cancelled TOE All-White Christmas Party
who is at the forefront of the global campaign for shared prosperity in Africa
Africa’s leading philanthropist and investor, Tony Elumelu, and his better half, Awele, have pulled the plug on this year’s highly anticipated TOE All-White Christmas Party.
The talk-of-the-town celebration is usually staged on December 23.
But Elumelu, who is at the forefront of the global campaign for shared prosperity in Africa, says this year’s edition will not hold.
He says the decision is in honour of the victims of the Afriland Tower fire.
Afriland Towers is owned by Afriland Properties, a subsidiary of the high-impact Heirs Holdings, with the master of commerce himself as Chairman.
The tragic incident occurred on September 16, 2025, prompting Elumelu to make an immediate return from the 80th UNGA (United Nations General Assembly).
He was en route to New York for the gathering of global leaders when news of the fire reached him.
Among other immediate steps, the founder of the transformative Tony Elumelu Foundation — which has funded and mentored over 20,000 African entrepreneurs, catalysing thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises — ordered comprehensive support for the victims and their families, including counselling, and cancelled all engagements in honour of those affected.
One of the high-value engagements affected by the decision was the unveiling of a groundbreaking whitepaper on Africa’s economic future at UNGA 80 by United Bank for Africa (UBA), the global financial institution which Elumelu also chairs.
This was despite significant investments and a major awareness campaign for what would have been UBA’s first-ever whitepaper, themed “Banking on Africa’s Future: Unlocking Capital and Partnerships for Sustainable Growth.”
In yet another strong demonstration that humanity comes first, Elumelu has now cancelled the Christmas party that many consider one of the major highlights of the yuletide season in this part of the world.
He declared, “This season will be dedicated to remembering, honouring, and holding space for those we lost. They remain forever in our hearts.”
