Dr. Adoyemi (Dr. Yemi) Laosebikan (pictured) and his wife Foluke have been named Melfort's Citizens of the Year. (File photo/northeastNOW Staff)

By Cam Lee

Citizens of the Year

Melfort’s Citizen, Junior Citizen of the Year revealed

Mar 6, 2025 | 12:38 PM

The Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce has announced its Citizen of the Year and Junior Citizen of the Year.

The husband-and-wife duo of Dr. Adeyemi (Yemi) Laosebikan and Foluke Laosebikan has been named the Citizens of the Year.

“This General Surgeon and Lawyer couple donate their time with promoting the Christmas Castle every December and donating the money to local city needs,” chamber president Lloyd Muntain said in a news release.

The duo, who moved to Melfort from Nigeria in 2004, is also heavily involved with Culturama in the city, and they also belong on several local boards.

Both were also instrumental in February’s Black History Month installation at the Sherven Smith Art Gallery in the Kerry Vickar Centre and the unveiling of the bust of Dr. Shadd, which will be housed in the Melfort Hospital.

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Dr. Yemi (fourth from right) and Foluke (second from right) at the Black History Month event at the Kerry Vickar Centre in February. (Melfort and District Museum/Facebook)

The news release said the two were lost for words.

“They are truly appreciative of the people of Melfort in general, and especially those who have made [them] very comfortable and [welcome],” the release said.

The Junior Citizen of the Year is Baylee Turner, who received the news in front of her classmates from MUCC Principal Dave Painchaud.

Turner sings at many events, including local fundraisers, and spends time volunteering at Parkland Place.

The MelBex Awards will be hosted by the Melfort Trade Alliance Chamber of Commerce on March 22 at the Kerry Vickar Centre’s CJVR Performing Arts Theatre.

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Cam.lee@pattisonmedia.com