Sleep on and continue to enjoy the peace of the Lord at the bossom of your God Omolara Sonoiki omo Oyewole.  It is well with your family and loved ones in Jesus name.

In deed we are pencils in the hands of our Creator, you have embarked on this journey all alone, Mummy Tenny, you are a wonderful woman that worth is incomparable.  

You are so humble and nice to People around you, though we love you but the Almighty loves you most. I remembered when I had Fehintolu you thought me how to take care of her umbilical cord, when i thought there is no solution to the sleepless night, that solution today many mothers benefited from it, Mummy Tenny you are  a very wonderful person. I referred to my experience with you at the health center when the nurses were insulting us but you took the insult for the sake of the Children and complied with them. I will forever miss you,

You have left a big vacuum in the heart of Uncle B, but I pray that the Almighty God will console you and the Children

Forever remembered, forever missed. A little tribute small and tender,

Just to say we still remember. There is a link death cannot sever,

Love and remembrance last forever. A garden of beautiful memories

Sprayed with a million tears. Tenderly we treasure the passed

With memories that will last. Silent memories true and tender,

Just to show we still remember Your memories are as dear today

As in the hour she passed away. Memories are like threads of gold,

They never tarnish or grow old, It’s just a little but means a lot

To say dear friend we haven’t forgot. You  laboured hard for those he loved

Then left us to remember.One thing we will always cherish,

No matter what life sends.A memory of the happiness

Just being friends.


 Sleep on Sleep on Sleep on. 

Omolara,

The news of your departure came to me as a rude shock. You were bubbling with life, healthy and happy but alas! I will never forget your ever smiling face, kind disposition and selfless nature. You always have a kind word for everyone and never for once found a frown on your face. You were beautiful in and out and of a good nature. Your devotion and submission to your husband was exemplary while your relationship with his friends was beautiful. You were a rare gem that can neither be reproduced nor replaced.

I never planned to write since your depature seems unreal but after the wake keep and burial, it dawned on me that you have truly gone HOME. You will definitely be missed by everyone but the consolation lies in the fact that you are now in a better place.

it is heartbreaking and nerve wrecking that a trillion tears cannot bring you back. Lara, it is difficult to bid you farewell but i will rather say sleep on and good night! We will meet again.

It is well!

Iya ile mi as i addressed you. not that we were related in anyway but there was just that deep connection and today i can confirm it is because of the spirit God gave you. you were able to touch lives in a meaningful way.

i met you through a dear senior colleague and brother of mine (Bidemi, bruoddaaaa miii) and we just clicked and i was protecting your territory like it was my job to do.

thank you for being who you were. i am certain a lot of us have learnt a lesson or 2. my sister met you at ikoyi and was only full of praise. in her words, "simple, sophisticated and yet so humble. Gosh i loved the way she attended to me"

i concur to all those comments and even more....not in my wildest dream did i think Nov 8th would be the last time i would see you. i just kept procrastinating that i would visit the shop.

the love and light you brought to the world shall never die even in your absence.

adieu Iya ile mi till we meet again with the rest of the saints.

rest in perfect peace..... 

Hmmmm.... words fail me , but each time i remeber your smile i thank God for your life. You lived, loved with all your heart. very giving and loving in every way.
You touched everyone you came in contact with, either with your smile, kind and soothing words, prayer and your genourousity knew no bounds let me not forget to say humble ...
will miss you dearly my friend , but surely will never forget you..... Omolara
 

Omolara you were too humble and very amiable. I am glad our path crossed. You will forever be missed. Rest peacefully in the bossom of our Lord . Adieu

“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one like you Omolara. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and read just the way you thought of things.”

Omolara Oyewole I brought you a quote from Mark Twain that says “the fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”  Also J.R.R Tolkien says “I wish it need not have happened in my time,". You have lived fully and you have prepared for your home that was why you have made your life a sacrifice of good things for many.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” Omolara you have spent your life well.  “Omolara” Mitch Albom says “Death ends a life, not a relationship… with all I have seen, comments read, stories and tributes from beloved ones...i sat down to tell you. You have impacted destinies within your short stay. How many years will live on earth matters not, but how many life’s touched positively is the greatest.

Your Life has become a tale with fragrance of good smells, odours of frankincense and myrrh, your sacrifice to humanity has become the talk of life, you have preached a gospel of Love, life offerings, dedication and commitment to life’s pursuit.

I bring the confidence of the word of God  according to psalmist to your family that says, before I was young but now am old, I have never seen the  sons and daughters of the righteous forgotten and their offspring’s begged for Bread. Live on in the bosom of your creator.

Finally, don’t let us read the good works of Omolara just like that, let us emulate the good works, sacrifice to life, commitment to destiny fulfilment, love, and sacrifice to the church of God and to remember what will be said of you when you are gone.

Omolara Olaide omo Oyewole aya  Abidemi Sonoiki… sun ni aya olorun eleda re.

Adepoju Fowokan

To God be the glory for the wnderful journey of lfe. you were a  sister with care,acomodating and a helper. 

If for nothing to miss you for!I wll surely miss your absence at my wedding with all the advice from you. 

We bless God for your life. 

Sun re ooooooo. 

'Lara,

I saw you last after a very long time at an engagement on 2nd May, 2015. It did not occur to me that we will never meet or see again. You were full of life, smiles and looking radiant.  O death, where is thy sting?

Well, God knows why He allowed it to happen.  We cannot query Him neither can we judge why He allowed it but He knows and understands. 

We are consoled that those who died in Him, He will surely take to Himself when the trumpet shall sound.  And to your immediate family, I commit them unto the hands of the Almighty God, the help of the helpless and the hope for those who are helpless , He will always be there to comfort them.

Sleep well dear Sister.

Hmmmmm!! Words alone cannot express how we are going to miss u. It is so sad that you are going so soon. Keep resting till we meet to depart no more. 

We can shed tears that Lara is gone, or we can smile because she has lived. We can close our eyes and pray that she'll come back,  or we can open our eyes and see all she's left. Our hearts can be empty because we can't see her, or we can be full of the love we shared.  We can turn our back on tomorrow and live yesterday, or we can be happy for tomorrow because of the yesterday we spent with her. We can remember her only that she's gone, or cherish her memory and let it live on in our hearts. We can cry and close our mind, be empty and turn our backs, or we can do what she'd want: smile, open our eyes, love and go on knowing she would forever be in our hearts. 

Sleep well my old friend- OMOLARA OYEWOLE SONOIKI

Lara, l recalled vividly our times together at the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye now Olabisi Onabanjo University. MySelf, Esther, Funmi and your good self. I remembered the good times, night study for examination, the laughter, the fightings, eating together in the same cooking pot etc.


How l wish you are very much around to share this memories again but DEATH has put a stop to your journey here on earth, Words alone cannot describe your person, you are an epitome of truth, fairness and good example of who to call a friend. I say GOOD NIGHT because one day we will all depart from this sinful world. May the Almighty Lord keep the family you left behind and YOUR GENTLE AND KIND SOUL REST IN THE BOSSOM OF GOD.


Lara once again l say GOOD NIGHT.


BUKONLA OLUKOYA (Now Awokoya)  

About three decades ago, three little love birds: Lola Oworu, Kemi Odewole and Lara Oyewole met in the bid to lay their future beds of destiny properly by acquiring secondary education at the one and no other OLASS in the heart of Ijebu-Ode, LARA, my housemate , my room mate,my fashion mate because we did our first nail and face painting together, my bunk mate for the whole six years in school was temporarily separated from me due to to pursuits of tertiary education at different institutions.The memory of adolescence shared together lingered on and it was as if we were physically together.

Now the news of permanent separation by the wicked death sounds incredible. You will forever be in my heart. I thought you will be invited to my son's wedding ceremony some day, the one whose naming ceremony you attended about a decade ago with your Heartthrob and two children. Lara, i love you so much and the moments we shared together at the school handball team,Prime Instructors - Maryland, Shamsideen - Ikorodu, and eating at mummy's shop around Ilupeju will forever remain fresh.

In submission to the Almighty God, i wish to say GOODNIGHT until the resurrection morning.

 O di gba, titi ti a ma fi gbade lese JESU.

 Omolara, sun re e o.

Oyelola Oworu Ajakaye.

Omolara Oyewole like i fondly call you. I did not believe you were gone even though a lot of people called me to break the news to me.  I was waiiting for your brother to confirm to me (only then did i believe that you were actaully gone)   Uhmmmm Lara we started way back in secondary school, OLASS Ijebu Ode.  We were 3, You, Lola Oworu_Ajakaye and i.  I recalled then when we had to visit your sister, Sister Kemi Oyewole in Ogun State University and we were caught on the way that we left the hostel without permission.....we were in it together. You were simple and gentle.  I told few of my colleagues that i'd brought to your shop to buy stuffs, they were all shocked and they reminisince your simplicity.  You were such a darling........i can go on and on and on.  Love you even in death. We will never forget your sweetness, May the Lord give succor to the beautiful kids & husband you left behind. Adieu dear friend.

It's so sad to know you have passed on.... no one can question God..... but we thank Him for the life you lived and the opportunity you had to touch lives positively. May the good Lord grant your family and loved ones the grace to bear this great loss.... May He grant you eternal rest... Adieu.

Thanks to thy Lord Christ for the short but eventful Life. I know Abidemi will never be same all life through but pray the Lord continue to FILL the vacuum. May thy good Lord grants your Soul eternal peace. 'Teniola, 'Nifemi and 'Foyin thy Lord shall keep you IJN. To the Deceased Siblings and Mum, it's Well. Omoluabi.

I was in your shop in 2011 with my newborn and hubby to pick few suits for my resumption after maternity leave. Alas, immediately you saw me, you left what you were doing . Greeted, hugged me amd carried my baby. Despite that i was in your shop to buy things , you gave my baby gift (owo omo). I still can't believe you were gone, God knows the best.

On Wednesday 17th of May, 2015. I went for our very early breakfast fellowship and it was an awesome time with God. On my way back to the office, I received a call and heard the news of your demise; I screamed and burst into tears and for a very long time, my colleagues could not console me! This was unexpected because for every time we chatted and spoke, you would encourage me and always offered me good advises and prayers. However, death has a weight of finality.

When someone you love dies, one gets the feeling that the world should stop – take a solemn moment – remember one who has walked this earth and touched our lives.  I cannot imagine anyone not pay their respects to Aunty Larami Sonoiki!

I’d like to honour my Aunt with a brief reflection. Words cannot capture the fullness of her life albeit how short it was to us. She gave birth to three children and ‘mothered’ many more.

Faith brought us together when I was in my teens as we attended the same church and ever since we had remain closed. We were in the choir together then and she had a sonorous voice. We both sang soprano! When I heard she was getting married, I had to leave school to make sure I robbed on her wedding day. One thing was different though, to us as choristers, the meal was just not ok because choir meals in Methodist Church Opebi was always a grandeur (I heard the whole story preceding the wedding preparation later from Bro. Bidemi Sonoiki and indeed God has been awesome to the family). I was invited by my fiancé then to Ore-Ofe C& S Church for their choir anniversary and low and behold, I met her at the entrance, It had been a long time since we last saw one another, I never knew she attended the church, she asked in her usual calm manner who invited me and I said it was ‘Deji Owomoyela and that I intended to marry him and instantly I got her blessings. We had remained close ever since and inseparable(not minding the age gap).  
She had good taste hence the set gold standard for Dressense Boutique Ventures. She beautified many lives with her clothing line as well as her wealth and generous heart. She never saw being rich as an honour, she saw it as the grace of God which she often told me hence her humanitarian help to all around her.  She was an amazing angel! Has it ever crossed our minds that God usually takes the best ones early; maybe it’s because of His immense love for them!

She called me in March and asked me to visit her Ikoyi shop for some dresses and suits, I wondered why? I stalled it and just before she travelled in April, she called me again, I still did not go and when she got to the US, she kept on chatting with me to go, finally I told my husband I had to go ‘cos Aunt Lara had been “disturbing” me and it wouldn’t look nice again. Trust my sis like I fondly called her…they were glamorous suits and very expensive. One of the price tags was left on a dress, I guess the sales girl forgot to remove it and I screamed when I saw it! It was huge. That was Aunt Lara! I could go on and on from our youth together , our experience as choristers in our youthful days, our many discussions about life, her experience and her journey so far before she got to this financial height, her stories with each pregnancy she had, the child birthing stage and so on but it won’t bring her back.

I had the grace to see her on May 2nd at an engagement and we hugged for a long time, as I opened my mouth and said “thank you for the…” she just covered my mouth with her hands and gave me another bear hug, a very tight one, I never knew that would be the last of our many hugs and kisses. I guess that was her way of saying goodbye to me.

All these however did not define the extent of her accomplishments. She birthed Dressense and brought it to an international standard with different outlets, she was also our “Iya Ewe” for all the children in our church and she really took care of them. There was no children anniversary in church that her full impact was not felt even before she was bestowed the title of “Iya Ewe”.  She took special attention to my kids and always remembered them in any of her trips abroad.

Aunt Larami may not have topped 5’; but there’s no doubt that she stood tall in our lives! God already had this planned out, someday we will all begin to understand why?

As God’s greatest gift becomes life’s greatest sorrow, today’s precious moment turn into tears of tomorrow, but while our hearts grow heavy, grief stricken and weary, we know that with time, the dark skies will be clearing as Heaven’s gates welcome a familiar face! God’s glorious light will forever shine upon you dearest aunt and as your ashes rest peacefully here on earth, your soul will live eternally in an angelic re-birth. I will miss you, my family will miss you, EbunOluwa never really got to know you but she felt your love. I still tear around at the sound of your name but I take solace in knowing that one day we will meet again. I know you are watching over us all, your wonderful and loving husband,your  pretty children, your families and friends from your place up in the clouds.

My heart will heal with each passing night and a new day and I sincerely hope that what you begin to see in me and my family now will make you proud.

Sleep on in the Lord’s bosom

Oyenike EbunOluwa Owomoyela

Hmmmmnnn, where do i start from Olori Omolara Sonoiki? is it from our gisting galore in January 2015 during aunty Toyin's birthday prayers at their house or to the coup of calling me out to dance in the evening during the party? or is it our last telephone conversation when i went to buy stuff from your shop?

Can i forget the teasing and taunting of Uncle Tola sputting up boyishly all for Olori's 40th birthday?  hmmmmn.  

The pain is still too fresh in my heart. you were so full of life!
Olori Omolara,you were the ideal wife any man could wish for. why did you have to leave this world now? i guess God knows best. 
I can still see the smile on Bidemi's face when i told him  of our new found confidence sharing,he will miss you sooooo.

You were such an astute business woman yet a very loving wife. i remember your last birthday cake to Bidemi,you had a bar code with My priceless husband on it...I teased you and saved the picture to also use at a later date....hmmmmn,if only i knew the time was drawing near..

I pray God Almighty will give Bidemi,the children,your parents and us your friends the fortitude to bear this loss. I pray God grant you eternal peace...

Adieu,my friend,my friend's wife----Olori Omolara Sonoiki  

I didn't want to acknowledge your passing and therefore refused to contribute to the various messages posted by our mutual friends on Facebook.  Alas! I have to write this with flowing tears (literally).  I am consoled by my chanced re-union with you long after we left OLASS; where we were dorm room mates for 6 years.  

I had been to your shop a couple of times not knowing you own it.  I was drawn to the shop by your unique taste compared to your competitors.  I was visiting your shop one day and you came in.  You started the day in prayer and you only realized I was there after you were done praying and we kept in touch until I left the country.

I remain proud of the industrious woman you had become.  Beautiful both on the outside and within.   You blossomed beautifully from the young girl I knew you to be and became a woman any husband, daughter, son, friend  can be proud of.  As painful as this is, I take solace in knowing you finished the race strong and now among the holy ones called the "cloud of witnesses", urging the rest of us to finish strong, the race set before us................

Omolara Sonoiki (Nee Oyewole),

What can I say or how do I pay tribute to you? 

Still like yesterday when you came with Bidemi enroute America to say hello to me and my family. You never told me the goodbyes of that day (14/5/2015) were final farewell. Hmmm! How I miss you and will forever miss you. 

True you were my immediate younger sister but more than that you were a friend, a confidant and a pillar of hope; always there for me and every one of us. You showed so much humility and compassion for those around you and would strive to make those around you feel loved. 

You were strong through the pains; you were determined and fought with all that was in you. Your hope and faith in God in your last days were endearing. Your encounter with God and the journey He took you through on Tuesday 9th June are a great consolation to me that you saw Christ before death. You asked for forgiveness from all whom you may have wronged and pleaded with God for mercy and restoration so you could proclaim His goodness to the world and take care of your children. Alas, God heard you and brought you back, I guess to make amends but not for so long. He took right back but He knows best. 

I prayed with you that Tuesday morning with Bidemi and Dr Oyewole and your Amen were faint but assuring, I was very hopeful despite the report that God will restore you only to call again and be told you were being wheeled into ICU and then the text message that followed........ Hmmmmmm! What a life. 

Anyway, I thank God almighty who gave you to me as sister and took you to be with Him when He felt good. To HIM alone is all the glory. 

OMOLARA MI sleep on beloved little sister till we meet to part no more. 

Omolara aya Abidemi Sonoiki (A true and loving husband indeed) 
Omolara Iya OluwaTeniola, OluwaNifemi & OluwaFoyinsolami
Omolara aburo Bunmi, Gbenga & Kemi
Omolara egbon Dolapo & Deola
Omolara omo Foluke 

Omolara mi, I will forever love you and cherish you. 

Adieu!!!!

'Kemi Ayeni (Oyewole)