Arin always had a radiant smile for me - Ebiyemi
In my adult life I remember my younger cousin, Arin, always welcoming me with her beautiful smile. During the last 2 years we have had several opportunities to come together as a family. Starting with our celebration of Mummy’s (Arin’s mother) 90th birthday on June 22, 2019, at Ibadan, followed by Mummy’s funeral in February last year, several weddings of Matie’s great grandchildren, and major milestone birthdays, including Arin’s 60th last October. These events were mostly happy occasions with hugs and smiles, providing opportunities for us to celebrate, enjoy and reinforce our love for each other as Matie’s grandchildren. Arin was always part of the planning of these events, a process that further enriched and enhanced our relationship. For Arin’s 60th birthday, we gathered at her apartment on the 14th floor of one of the towers of Eko Court Complex in Victoria Island that provided some spectacular views of Ikoyi, from the Falomo bridge on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean view on the other. Arin, the 4th child of my favorite aunty, was now a senior and ready to enjoy life to the fullest! So, I was in total shock when Amaju (my younger brother) woke me on Monday morning (June 7) to announce that she had passed on, and I should come over to his house to help break the news to her older sister, Funmi.
Arin’s mother, Mrs. Esther Adeniyi, (Mummy, as she is affectionately called by all Matie’s grandchildren) was the youngest of 4 children of our grandmother (nee Amaleghemifor Ikomi) known to us affectionately as Matie. The others were my father, Chief Japhet Oritsetimeyin Pinnick (Papa to us all), followed by Mrs. Kaone Edukugho and Mrs. Hannah Eda. The strong bond and love between these four siblings were passed down to all Matie’s grandchildren in magnitude and intensity. As a result, a good number of Matie’s grandchildren adopted Mummy’s home in Ibadan as a primary or secondary residence, bringing quite a few of us under one roof during our formative years.
I became more aware of Arin in 1967, as a 7-year-old girl, after Daddy (Arin’s father) had driven to Oshogbo, to collect Adidi (my older sister) and I from the Baptist Girl’s High School and Children’s Boarding School respectively, during the period of the civil war when the Biafran Army had advanced to Ore. From that time, Ibadan (Jericho GRA and later Total Garden) became my primary or secondary residence until I graduated from UI in 1978. Most of us in the Jericho household were at least 5 years older than Arin, so she kept mostly to herself or stayed quietly with the older girls. She stayed out of trouble and diligently managed her daily chores assigned by Mummy. Over the next few years of my stay at our Jericho GRA home, Arin’s chores graduated to managing Mummy’s grocery shop, an experience that would stand her in good stead later in life as a businesswoman. If you knew our Mummy, this was one of the greatest votes of confidence a child could receive from her. Arin did well at this task, notwithstanding occasional pressures, from Segun (her immediate older brother) and me, to get her to part with some tasty treats from the shop shelves.
I was a member of the Adeniyi household throughout my school days until my graduation from UI, and after Daddy and Mummy moved to their personal home at Lakanmi close, near Total Garden. This attachment to the household continued as I started working and had a family. I would regularly visit Ibadan for supplies (including indulging in special Itsekiri dishes). I was at UI when Arin was preparing for her qualifying examinations to get into a university, and Mummy arranged for me to help Arin with her revisions once or twice a week. For me, that was a great deal, since it meant, I would get fed sumptuous home food regularly, so I jumped at it. Arin, being a clever student did not need much help, and passed her exams with fly colors and secured admission to University of Ife.
Arin’s early departure leaves a huge vacuum in our family. She was pro-family and was actively present at almost every family celebration. She was with me in Owerri for my traditional engagement to Victoria, in Koko for my mother’s funeral, and at my daughter’s introduction, to mention a few. She was always supportive and radiated love in all family undertakings. I will miss that beautiful and welcoming smile. We thank Almighty God for the gift of bringing this beautiful soul into our lives, and for the opportunity to spend the time we had with her. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace, and may Almighty, all powerful and ever-living God, grant my cousins, siblings, and their families the fortitude to bear this great loss. Amen.
Ebiyemi Pinnick