I was 18 when I finished Secondary School. Myself and my twin brother Kehinde Akinlami
relocated to Lagos to live with my uncle, Chief Gani FAWEHINMI and his first wife, Ganiat FAWEHINMI, my uncle having decided to sponsor our higher education since my father couldn’t continue to do so. He really wanted to but he lacked the resources.

Auntie as we called her and Mummy Ikeja as we referred to her in her older years received and accepted us as her own children and treated us same way. She combed the whole of Ikeja driving us around in search of JAMB preparatory schools, registered us in same schools she registered her children. She drove us to the school daily and came on time to pick us. She fixed breakfast, lunch and dinner and they were deliciously delicious.

She would gist with us about her experiences and participation in her husband’s social struggles, which had become her own struggle too. She would take time to counsel us about life and the choices we make and the impact of same.

She speaks Ondo dialect fluently, though she is only Ondo by marriage(she is from Ogun State) and taught all her precious children the dialect. She particularly held my mother in very high esteem as they enjoyed rich relationship.

She made our stay fun and cared for us like a mother would do, looking out for us all the time. Thus on this year’s Mother’s Day I recognised and celebrated her as a worthy mother, whose contributions to my life remain priceless and indelible. To proclaim otherwise will be to be a terrible ingrate.

To a mother in a million ways, a strong woman in character and social consciousnesses, a woman who remain forthright in the face of personal and family challenges, a woman, whose spirit is never cowed or bowed to the vicissitudes of life, a woman of unflinching faith in God, happy birthday ma.

Thank you for giving your best to us and to humanity. E pe fun wa ma.

Do have INSPIRED celebrations ma