Jonathan, Anyaoku, Oyegun, Commiserate with Awolowo Family

Mrs. Oyediran stated this yesterday in Ikenne, Ogun State while receiving members of the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE, led by former governor of the old Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo, which paid a condolence visit to the country home of the Awolowos in Ikenne. Mulikat Adeola and Jide Adeniji, among others, said the deceased epitomized the virtuous woman described in the Bible.

Jonathan said the present and future generations of Nigerian women and youths would miss Mrs. Awolowo, who reportedly died in the company of her children after fervently praying for them and singing praises to God. My wife and I, we are not mourning because Mama has passed on.

Addressing the family in Ikenne, however, Jonathan disclosed that the death of Mama Awolowo, had forced him out of the self-imposed 12- month seclusion from public life. “Before this period, my wife and I have been in hiding, we don’t even go out, we said, we would be hiding, but in this case we can not continue hiding”. For me, we believe that it’s a rare privilege to add extra 29 years to the biblical two scores and ten; it’s not easy. So, we’ve come for the condolence and to encourage our brothers and sisters that we are together.

“She was a mother to all of us; a mother that had milk of kindness and we still need her milk of encouragement. We shall mourn more than even the direct children would”.

Lalong, in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Publications, Emmanuel Nanle, said late Awolowo was every inch a part of the journey of Nigeria to nationhood.

“Although the details and fine points of this initiative are being worked out, it takes no great insight to appreciate the synergy between the values that Mama stood for and exemplified and the legacy of the sage, from which the Foundation has derived its core mandate and competencies”, she said.

“I came to recognise her attributes and her personality”. She was a matriarch of her nation, not just of the Awolowo family. I called her a truly noble lady, a lady who contributed to Nigeria’s independence.

He added that in later years after independence, she became a huge source of inspiration to many national leaders.