Madam Ruth Oloruntomola Adebayo was born in 1926 to late Chief Obayan Ipimoroti Aiyenigba and Late Madam Mary Aiyenigba of Aiyede-Ogale in Ijumu L.G.A. of Kogi State. Oloruntomola was the third child in a family of nineteen children. She was five years old when a relation by name late Madam Inoko Omobasi Ogedengba brought her to Kabba.

In 1946, Oloruntomola got married to her first husband late Mr. Johnson Ajayi Michael of Aiyetoro-Gbede in Ijumu L.G.A. They had madam Rafatu Omoye Aminu, and shortly after that, her husband died and mama became a widow.

Mama re-married to late Chief Joseph Hinmikaiye Adebayo (a.k.a. Olelebioke) after she relocated to Kabba. The marriage was blessed with eight children.

Mama was a trader of note. Her trading activities took her to local markets in Isanlu, Aiyetoro-Gbede, Iyara, Ogidi, Odogi, Pategi and Yauri-Kebbi State. This made her to learn and speak some local languages.

Mama trained her children in the fear of the Lord and to actively participate in domestic chores. It is evident that mama-ibeji took adequate care of her late husband. She prepared delicious meals for him. As Ruth, she exhibited to the core the biblical character of Ruth in the Bible. Her desire to remain in the family compound till she answered the call to eternal glory is ever fresh in our memory.

She had no formal education but used all her resources as a petty trader to train her children from Primary Schools to Tertiary Institutions. She was a God-fearing woman and even on her sick bed, she reminded us of her desire to be the chairperson of her Society’s Annual Thanksgiving Service slated for December 2011. Her desire for smooth marital relationship between her children and their spouses made her not to regularly visit them in their matrimonial homes.

Your dream to have a house of your own never materialized though you always reminded your children to have one built in your name. As a farmer, she continued with the legacy left behind by her late husband and had a banana and plantain plantations.

Mama lived a simple life-style worthy of emulation and never had extravagant tastes. We remembered a time, she told the children to stop buying her clothing materials and opted to wear the ones in her wardrobe.

Mama’s social life is worth-mentioning. As the Leader of the Lemila family Wife’s Association, she encouraged the members to be God-fearing, have respect for their spouses and endeavour to take adequate care of their children.

Mama, we are not mourning your death as such for it is a glorious death and celebration of life. You lived a good life and died a peaceful death. If we were to mourn your death, it would have been some 24 years ago, when you luckily survived a ghastly motor accident in which six passengers died instantly, nobody believed you could survive.

Your desire for peaceful co-existence in the family can never be forgotten. We saw in your character a cool-headed person, who could hardly want to offend anybody. You always burst into tears when words would not be able to express your feelings and emotions.  

You were a peace-maker, philanthropist and a role model who worked tirelessly for the common good of all mankind. You left a good legacy behind. You were an epitome of honesty and integrity. Your children, grand-children, great-grand children who you loved to be always around you will greatly miss you.

Rest in peace and may God give us all the strength and fortitude to bear this great loss. Till we meet to part no more.

SUN REE O OLORUNTOMOLA.