…Held Ligu Ogbodo-Adebowale Family Meeting At 10a.m
…Attended Centenary Birthday Committee Meeting At 1p.m
…Ate Pounded Cocoyam With Egusi Soup At 2.30pm
…Went To Sleep At 3p.m
THE Yeye Oodua, Chief Mrs Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo died yesterday afternoon shortly after a meal of pounded cocoyam with egusi soup at her Ikenne residence.
Mama had woken up as usual at about 8a.m. and got ready for the day.
By 10a.m., she hosted the monthly meeting of the Ligu-Ogbodo-Adebowale family of Ikenne Remo.
She was holding court in the larger sitting room in the house when the Managing Director, African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Mr. Edward Dickson, arrived the Awolowos’ Ikenne home for a meeting of Mama HID Awolowo’s Centenary Committee and had responded warmly to Dickson’s greetings.
All of Mama’s children, grandchildren and some great grand children also arrived for the meeting.
While preparing for the meeting, Mama’s eldest daughter, Revd Mrs. Tola Oyediran said Mama had expressed her wish to be part of the meeting for her 100 years birthday on November 25, 2015.
Shortly after the centenary celebration meeting began at the Efunyela hall, Mama was brought in and the whole family rose up honouring her with a rousing song:“ Mama o, Mama o, Mama o, Olorun da mama si fun wa…”
Mama beamed with smiles, expressing gratitude to her children with prayers in Yoruba – “E kuipalemo o, eyin naa a dagba – thanks for the preparation, you will all live long.”
She listened to various presentations for about five minutes before asking to be excused to go and rest for a while.
After retiring to her room, she demanded for her lunch of pounded cocoyam with egusi soup. While eating, she asked one of her Personal Assistants to eat with her, but the PA said she would eat after Mama had been satisfied.
Mama even commented on the beautiful slippers the PA was putting on and requested that she got one for her later.
After lunch, she rested on the bed a while. But suddenly, she called out that she would like to be raised up and one of the young men who helped her up was an orphan that Mama had funded his education to Master’s level in the university.
When those lifting her up saw that she was gasping for breath, they quickly sent for Revd Oyediran and Dr Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, her two surviving children. Mama stopped breathing thereafter.
Mama is survived by two children, 20 grandchildren and 34 great grand children.