Adieu, Oluwakemi Ayoola Somolu ( Oct 5, 1981 - June 3, 2012)

Ayoola, the world stands still since you departed.
I am still so sad night and day that I could careless if the world ended all together.
The abrupt and untimely departure of a very dear person like you has made life so unworthy of living.
I am sorry that you and other 152 people and unknown numbers on the ground perished in the Dana flight 992 on the 3rd of June, 2012.
A fate that could have been avoided if we have a government that is responsive, responsible and people-oriented.
Ayoola, I am angry, I am very sad, I am losing my mind, and I am angry again and again!!!
Your families and friends are struggling so hard to cope, it is too hard to move on without you.
Ayoola, I am lost for words but I will forever miss you!!!

                                                    Adieu angel! 1981-2012


Visit this website to leave tribute for our dearest departed friend http://www.forevermissed.com/ayoola/#about

Is being Eight years dear Mother...

Dear Mother, Abebi Okin, it's being eight years since you ended your earthly journey.Your prolonged sickness that was later diagnosed as mysthenia gravis, was uncommon but we were looking at something else all the time. The true colour of human nature showed during your predicament. I learnt, I witnessed, I grew up and I suffered, all which you knew and was grateful for. You were a discplinarian with a true heart. You made your mistakes but you would not be judged because your kind is rare. Now there you are and no longer here, a lot is happening but I am staying strong, I pulled myself out of a lot of toxic situations, relationships and events and I wish and hope you would understand. I am doing what is best for me because you taught me well and I miss you for not being here.


My mother, Comfort Bamidele Musiliat Abebi, you are gone but not forgotten. Life is not that rosy but I am stronger, I am the best of me and I am getting better still. I am one independent minded woman, the way you have always thought and noticed. Mother, I have not seen your grave for seven years but you are always present in my thoughts, in my heart and in all I do. I will mention too that my husband lost his dear mother same day two years after you had gone. Well, if you meet, both of you would have a nice time to chat and embrace each other...


Rest in peace dear mother, you will always be remembered as one woman with a true caring and loving heart. REST ON MUM, there are lots to tell you but will tell them to your grave. There are a lot to tell... I still plan to have a Mysthenia Gravis Foundation in your name. Yes I do. This will help others that might suffer like you did... REST ON IYA MI!

GOOD NITE CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI

I apologise to you all for not bringing forth "Interview Thursday" this week. I may miss out on next week too and the reason for my extra-busy schedules will be known to you all in due course.

Though superbly busy but that will not deter me from paying a tribute to late Chief Gani Fawehimi a renown, die-hard human right lawyer and activist who passed on to the great beyond on the 5th of September, 2009 at the age of 71. I was going to do a post on his Punch interview that I read in 2007 before now where he talked about his family and his love for his mother but that has never being done. I may still go that lane one day.

Gani Fawehinmi during his sojourn on this earth represented a different symbol to different people but the foremost in the minds of many is that of social crusader, human right activist and challenger of the military rules for which he was jailed so many times that one lost counts. When I heard of his battle with cancer last year and the news of his return from UK where he had gone for treamtent, I said to myslef that he is a fighter and he would be with us many years to come. But no, he departed so suddenly!

One thing that I took away from Gani's commitment to social justice was his passion. So great was that PASSION that it shone through in all he did. It was there all along when he kept digging into the death of Dele Giwa, it was there in all the cases he handled, it was there when he challenged the govenrment. It was always there, his unduanted PASSION!

 

His commitment, his interest in social justice all stood him out of the crowd, his ingenuity too! It was this commitment to social justice that led him to Obafemi Awolowo Univeristy in 1981 when a student: Bukola Arogundade was beheaded in Ife town by unknown assailants. The school had being thrown into pandemonium and his present reassured students of hope that they thought was lost. He then made a strong statement in which he made reference to a need to have a "MOVEMENT FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE" by the students. He sparked their brains and that gave birth to " Movement for Social Justice" a social-political movment which I later became a member of under which umbrella I served as political leaders and social crusader and activist in while I was in O.A.U.

Chief Gani Fawehinmi in his life time gave so many great ideologies to so many people. He will be greatly missed, he will forever be remembered. His name and deeds will never die. He will forever be mentioned and revered like the likes of Martin Luther King jnr, Rosa Park, Ghandi and Obafemi Awolowo.

Good night the great social crusader! Good night Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN).

For further reading:

1. TRIBUTE TO A MIGHTY OAK - GANI FAWEHINMI 22 April 1938 - 05 September 2009 by Pat Utomi
2. CHIEF GANI FAWEHINMI IS NOT DEAD by Chinedu Vincent Akuta
3. Onyeka Owenu interview with Gani Fawehinmi

Interview Thursday: Celebrating a martyr of democracy- Alhaja Kudirat Abiola

She believed in justice. She knew something has to be done for the winner of June 12, 1993 election to be announced. She joined the likes of Anthony Ehahoro, Wole Soyinka to say no to the annulment of June 12 election where it was clear that her late husband, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola (MKO) was the winner. The military led goverment of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) annuled June 12,1993 election.

In 1994, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the unannounced president - elect of Nigeria rose to defend and fight for democracy when her late husband was incarcerated and kept in solitary confinement for claiming his presidential mandate. She stepped forward in bravery, she was convinced that the military actions amounted to a violation of fundamental human rights of Nigerians to elect their government.

Alhaja Kudirat Abiola joined the pro-democracy groups that marched for freedom in Lagos in December 1995 amongst other brave steps she took to rally for support for the release of her husband as well as the announcement of June 12 presidential election winner.

She never lived to see the daylight of democracy. She never lived to see victory as she was brutality murdered on June 4th, 1996 a few days to the anniversary of June 12, a commemorative date when Nigerians resolved to vote out the military dictatorship. Her life was brutality ended by assassin's bullets. The assassins of the then goverment, the assassins that paid to destroy the dream of democracy.

But Alhaja Kudirat Abiola lived on. Her daughter Hafsat Abiola-Costello started the Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) organisation in 1998 to continue the work left unfinished. KIND was launched in USA in 1998 where it joined other organisations in the Nigerian pro-democracy movement to end military rule in Nigeria.

KIND (www.kind.org) was established in Nigeria in 1999 following the restoration of democracy. And since inseption KIND has provided opportunities for the Nigerian girls and women to be full participants in the continent's social, economic and political development. Amongst KIND programs are Make Women Safe Campaign: V-Monologue play for violence against women awareness and eradication, KUDRA Leadership Programme and Junior Kudra.

13 years gone by, but she has become a legend, a heroine, she has inspired a lot of Nigerians, she has helped a lot of women and girls live their dreams via KIND. Rest in peace Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. You live on...

During the interview that Hafsat Abiola Funke Olaode published in ThisDay feb 19 2006 has published by Naijablog, she had these to say about KIND, V-Monologue and her late mum:

What is the link between KIND and V-Monologues?
KIND is an organisation which works to promote women and democracy in Africa. Our focus is really on young women because we found that young women and women generally in the Nigerian society go underground when they face any kind of violence. And when they face any kind of violence they become frightened. Because we want to empower women, we have to address some of the obstacles facing in the society. The major obstacle is violence and KIND has set out to address it. You know many NGOs hold rallies, lectures and so on which KIND does regularly. But we continue to look for instruments/vehicles that we can still use to pass the massage across more effectively. That is why we are bringing V-Monologues here. It is part of our culture in Nigeria to gather and listen to stories (tales by moonlight) in our villages. It is also part of our culture to gather and watch plays. It is interesting and beautiful when Africans are watching play. As the play is being performed, you can gauge their response with everyone singing, talking shouting at the same time. I realise that people get involved in plays and I felt that instead of organising a lecture where as many as half of the audience would fall asleep, it would be better to do something that is dynamic, engaging, interesting, and exciting. That is why we are bringing the play V-Monologues.

KIND was established after you mum’s death 10 years ago. Are the aims and objectives of setting up the organisation being achieved?
Well, 10 years is a good time to reflect and say how much KIND has done. I feel happy to say that KIND has achieved a lot in the last 10 years. We did a lot to immortalise my mother, Kudriat Abiola’s name; From the street-naming that we did in New York to efforts within Nigeria to promote young women’s leadership. This year, our leadership programme for young women is expanding because of the support from the European Union and COIDAID. CODIDAID is a Dutch foundation. The two of them are funding us to reach about 1,300 women over the next two years. We are really excited because it brings KIND programmes to a new level. And with this expansion, KIND as an NGO would be the largest trainer of young women in the country. It is wonderful and if my mum were alive, she would be happy to see us training young people in entrepreneurship, financial management, leadership skills, genital and women’s right.

LONG LIVE KIND, REST IN PEACE OUR SHERO.

THE MYSTERY OF THEIR DEATH

God help me if I can explain how I am feeling right now. I am about to stop believing in miracle. I am about to stop believing in healing or that there must be a reason bad things happen to good people. I am so confused and on unhappy now. In October 2008 I made a post about the untimely death of Evangelist Taye Ajiboye who had a hole discovered on his heart too late. He passed away in July 2008.

He must have prayed alongside with his twin brother Pastor Kehinde Ajiboye. They must have believed God will heal them as they healed others but he died too. He passed away 3 days ago and this was the first news I received before I made it out of the house this morning! Pastor Kehinde Ajiboye passed away 9 Months after the death of his twin brother.

I am sad beyond words. Did he missed his brother too much he couldn't bear to stay alive? Did he have a hole in his heart too like his identical brother? He passed away at 41. They spent 40 years of closeness, oneness and trust in God together.... here I am mourning as I say REST IN PEACE TWIN BROTHERS!

And he is gone...

I am sorry if I have not being so forthcoming in responding to Chioma's interview comments. I have being so blue lately. Being so unhappy about so many things and the king of it all came a few days ago. I lost someone. He's being gone since June 6, 2008 and I was not told till last week!

I found out by accident, as someone called to tell me about the passing of my step mother which I already knew ( mama was old) then she asked if I knew about the other death too. The other death? This took me by surprise. How? When? Why him? Yes, I know we will all die. Time and age are of no essence in so many cases but this death was as shocking to me as the passing of Pastor Bimbo Odukoya. A lot of people even believers asked God why He let pastor Bimbo Odukayo, a very viable vessel in His vineyard die untimely.

Now I have being asking why? I don't know who I am asking in particular or why I am asking. I am just in a state that word cannot describe. Yes, I called the family and when I finally got through to them, they said they did not tell me because I have being falling sick off and on for a while and they didn't not want to upset me. I am so sad, still very sad.

They are (were) twins. So identical, inseparably so. They did everything together. Before I got to know them deeply, I always wonder how to tell them apart. They grew to love God. They started a ministry that has blessed me. Though they are in my home town, I still send my tithe down. When my mother took ill before she passed away, they were there, interceeding on her behalf. They are/were so full of life. They have got purpose to lift His name above any other name. They could get a very lucrative job but they prefer serving God. They turned 40 last February. I visited home a few days before their birthday. I still saw them in thier togetherness. Dressing alike, laughing alike, loving people under thier care. I was so happy to see them.

From June up till the time I knew about his demise, I have being calling them and my other pastor that works with them. They always assure me that everyone was fine. I have being speaking with one of the twins but I never knew the other was gone! Gone! Left! Dead! Why?

He could at least stay to be 70! God could do that! But why did Evangelist Taye Ajiboye have to go so soon? How will his twin ever cope? Yes, he is coping still loving God. But I am sure his heart is bleeding. My heart is bleeding. It will continue to bleed for a long time to come.

REST IN PEACE EVANGELIST TAYE AJIBOYE. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE GONE. I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU HAVE TO GO... WHY OH WHY?!