Her Early Years!

Folabi Yetunde Lukanmbi was born in Abeokuta, October 21, 1945 to Florence Ibidunni Osinaike (née Bamgbelu) and Samuel Idowu Osinaike.  She was the 7th child of her parents.  Very early in her life, she moved with her mother to Kaduna, in the then Northern State of Nigeria, where she spent her early years, and attended "Our Lady Of Apostles Catholic Primary School", Kaduna.  For her post-primary (Secondary School) education, she travelled down to Southwestern Nigeria for her secondary education at Queens' School, Ede, (as it was known at the time), near Ibadan, Western State, Nigeria, completing this in 1963. Post-Secondary education was at the Federal School of Science, Lagos after which she secured a job at Nigerian Breweries Limited (NBL), Iganmu Lagos.  "Mum" or "Mummy", as we called her, was NBL's  first female Brew Analyst.   

Her Marriage!

A virtuous woman indeed. She met her love, Fiyinfolu Adedotun LUKANMBI (also known to us simply as "Daddy") attending St. Paul's Cathedral, Breadfruit St., Lagos Island (commonly simply known as "St. Paul's Breadfruit"), where she served as a Sides Lady (Usher) and they got married September 27, 1969.  Fortune took them to Ibadan, then in the then Western State, Nigeria, where daddy began working at the University College Hospital.  Soon after they got married, they were blessed with their first child, Doyinmola (Doyin).  Adebowale (Debo) followed 2 years later. Mummy and Daddy remained together until May of 2003 when daddy went ahead to be with The Lord.   

Her Career!

Mummy's Banking career began in 1970 with the then Standard Bank in Ibadan where she served until she and her husband decided to both go to the UK to each further their education.  Although she was awarded a scholarship to study Physiotherapy in 1974 in the UK, she missed the acceptance deadline for that year's admission and so decided to attend the South East London College, London, UK, where she now began her Banking Programme.  On successful completion of her program in 1979, and now an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of the United Kingdom, she returned to Nigeria and took up an appointment again with her previous employer, Standard Bank of Nigeria, which was now called First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FBN). Mummy held positions of increasing responsibility in First Bank until 1991, when she decided to further expand her scope and skills to keep up with the emerging and exciting opportunities in Nigeria's banking landscape at the time.  Before that point, however, in 1989, she took a year off work at First Bank to attend the University of Ibadan's Master's program in Banking $ Finance (MBF), graduating in 1990 with an MSc. degree in Banking and Finance. She returned to work in First Bank briefly before taking up an appointment with the pioneer management team of Gateway Bank of Nigeria Limited in 1991 as pioneer Chief Inspector, progressing over years in the organization with increasing levels of Management responsibility, maintaining an impeccable record until her retirement at the age of 55 in December, 2000.  

Mrs. Lukanmbi was very active in various professional and non-professional groups in her career. At various times she was a member of the Committe of Chief Inspectors of Banks in Nigeria, and President of Soroptimist International in her community. She and her Queen's School classmates formed a social group called "Queen's 63", from the platform of which they held social events and supported social causes. She was actively involved in the activities of the Chartered  Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and, in 1992, was recognised and honored by the Institute with her investiture as a Fellow of the Chartered  Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (FCIB). In addition, she was the first President of the Association of Professional Women Bankers of Nigeria (APWB) and remained active in both the Institute and the Association until her death.   

Her Walk with The Lord!

Proverbs 4:18  "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day".  Her last words as she was wheeled into the hospital theatre were "I'm perfect, I'm ready, I'm perfect".   ...Mummy lived her life for Christ and Church. She loved to sing, loved to give and loved to cook! ...Yes, she absolutely lovvved to cook and share her cooking with everyone and anyone!! In her early days, she was an active member of "St. Paul's Breadfruit" cathedral, (at the intersection of Broad and Breadfruit Streets on Lagos Island), and later a very active member of the Choir, as an 'Alto', at the All Saints' Church Jericho, Ibadan. She was also Treasurer of the church for many years.  As the years progressed her zeal for the things of God increased.  She sought after more of the Meat of the Word of God and, for a brief period, began attending the New Covenant Church, Cocoa House, Ibadan before her job took her out of Ibadan.  She joined the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the early 1990s and became a 'worker' in His vineyard! Her commitment to "dwell"in the house of The Lord ...all the days of her life...made her, later, choose to build her home and live in the residential area of the RCCG Redemption camp where she took great delight in going to pray, worship and sing with ease at the altar of the Lord. It was from this location , when The Lord had perfected her in His sight, that The Lord took her on her last earthly journey, to bring and welcome her home ‎to Heaven, to His glorious bossom.  

Mummy Lukanmbi was an Assistant Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and an active member of the RCCG National Mass Choir. She was a member of the executive team of the elders' group at the RCCG, City of David, known as the "Wisdom Group", until her death in December, 2014.  She also lectured and gave classes at the Bible College.    

Mummy completed her assignment here on earth and went to be with The Lord on December 8, 2014.  With so many people calling her "Mummy" and acknowledging her as a mother to many, one may sometimes wonder how many children she actually had. In any conversation with her, however, it would quickly and easily become clear that she was, biologically, mother to Doyinmola and her husband Olumide Akinyemi and to Debo Lukanmbi. The Lord has, further, blessed her with 3 (three) wonderful grandchildren so far - Afimifoluwasho ("Afimi" or "Fifi"), Tiwajuopelo ("Juopelo" or "Joppy") and Oreoluwasinmidele ("Sinmidele" or "Tuns"). She is, also, survived by brothers and sisters amongst whom are Mrs. Folashade Olusoga, Mr. Ibikunle Olufemi-Emmanuel, Mr. Abimbola Osinaike, Mrs. Taiwo Osinowo and Mrs. Kehinde Olaniran.  In addition, she is survived by several nieces, nephews, cousins and in-laws.  

A faithful and loyal Servant of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, Mum departed in active service.  She was actively, daily, preparing for the 2014 annual Holy Ghost Congress at the Redemption Camp in her last days on earth. While she may have planned to attend the activities here on earth at a certain level of glory, the events following the unanticipated vehicle accident on November 11, 2014, which eventually led her transition to the Lord's Glory on the 8th of December, 2014 simply prepared her and has taken her to a greater level of Glory with the Lord than she could ever have planned for.  Her legacy, which she has left with everyone who has come in any contact with her, is to serve The Lord with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength. This will forever be upheld by those she left.  
Praise The Lord!