Tribute to Our Mummy Liberty

Mummy Liberty as she was fondly known to us was kind, generous, motherly and prayerful. I learnt my first psalms in Yoruba at her house whenever we were in Liberty for holidays or just spending the night. As a child, I fondly remember Mummy coming back from her shop at Gbagi or wherever she may have been, firstly kneeling down and giving thanks to God, followed by reciting at least 4 or 5 psalms. Favorites of the psalms were 20, 23, 24, 27 and 91 in quick successions. As a child I didn’t know the meaning of the psalms we had learnt to recite by rote. Later on in adulthood, it dawned on me she had equipped us with life skills. I’ve taught and still equipping my children with the same life skills I learnt from mummy Liberty. Her favorite song was “Jesu yi, Jesu mi ni, Jesu yi o, Olorun temi ni”.

By divine providence, Mummy Liberty was always around in the US, at times I gave birth to my sons. She was in the labor room in one corner praying with me and after birth, we’d hand the babies to her and she’d pray and bless them some more. Mummy Liberty was very special to me and my now family, knew. When I relocated to Atlanta, I believed God answered my sincere wish to see Mummy Liberty before she departed us because, I hadn’t seen her for some years. I recall making fresh fish stews for mummy in Atlanta which she enjoyed and also again in Columbus traveling all the way with my husband to go and visit her. Recently on my 50th birthday, mummy lamented not being able to join the service online and when we eventually spoke on the phone, she prayed fervently for me and my family. Such kindness and thoughtfulness is what I will miss Mummy for.

Mummy was very articulate as she would regale us with family stories and songs, as she could still recall, where her father worked and where she was born. Mummy was very wise, dispensing nuggets of wisdom and prayers to whoever was willing to listen. She was an astute business woman and leader. Some of the women she mentored as the Iya Oloja in Gbagi are now women leaders in the same market. Mummy was a generous soul, her home was open to all and sundry. She homed many nephews and nieces at residence in Liberty Road. Liberty was always a beehive of activities with constant daily cooking “ni’sale or enkule” and Mama Agba (her late mother) dishing food for the throngs of visitors that always stopped by to pay homage to mummy.

Sunday afternoon lunches after church at mummy’s Liberty home was usually the norm for us growing up. From old St. James’s rd at Oke-Bola, whenever our late father drove straight on instead of turning right towards Bodija, then we knew it was on to Mummy Liberty’s for Sunday lunch. My late father and Mummy Liberty were very close being the only siblings born to their father, Alonge. She was always calling my father “Sunday, Sunday” and my father always fondly called her “Sister mi, Sister mi” or “Ma Remi” as some family elders called her.

I know Mummy is in heaven right now because she died in Christ. She was always praying, singing spiritual songs, anticipating and still preaching Christ. By the time she was gone, she was ready to meet her creator. She departed us after eating lunch, rested and just took her last breath. Mummy Liberty will be sorely missed as she’s been the matriarch of the Alonge-Oludaiye family since I’ve been alive. It always felt like she would be with us forever, but alas when it’s time to go home no matter how long, it is time. We shall meet again on the resurrection morning. Sun re o. Omo Oludaiye Oba. Omo akaka baba arin. Omo osupa kedere loju orun.

For the late Sunday Alonge family:
Mrs. Omotola Morakinyo (Alonge)