My tribute to my dear and everlasting Mummy.
I am writing this message of tribute on behalf of my immediate family, Charlotte, Abigail and Babatunde Aiyenibe, to express our profound sorrow as we mourn the passing of our beloved “Mummy”, Dr (Mrs) Margaret Ebuntolu Omotowa (Fondly called Mummy), who has made such a magnificent impression on our lives when she met us in May 2017.
I was six years old in 1966 when I first met mummy. She came to visit my parents in Aiyetoro Gbede with her husband in their new Ford Consul Cortina. I was very fascinated with the rear light of this new car, to the extent that I stayed a long time in the rain inspecting it. Mummy found my curiosity amazing and remarked that I shared this similarity with her young son, Dr Bamidele Omotowa (mummy’s first born), who once attempted to prise open their radio, to see who was speaking inside! Since that time, she became my icon and she embraced me as her child.
In the early sixties, Mummy and my mother went to Women Training College (WTC) in Kabba where they became and remained bosom friends ever since. She has supported my family in many ways, facilitating my mother's relocation to Ilorin to join my father in the 1980’s. My father has just moved there to start a new job then. Mummy was at the time already living with her husband in Ilorin. She provided my parents with temporary accommodation in her home when my mother arrived and assisted her to settle down in Ilorin. She used her influence to provide education and training for my siblings. One of my brothers in particular, studied Mathematics in a special training programme arranged through her. I could go on and on with the many positive impact Mummy has on my family and my life, it suffices to simply say, she will be sorely missed.
I moved to UK in 1992 to continue my medical training and Dr Bamidele came to England later to study at Bath University for his PHD. After we met, I remember clearly, how pleased Mummy was to know that we were both studying in England. Dr Bamidele later moved to the US. I Lost contact with Mummy briefly thereafter.
However, in Late April 2017, Mummy surprisingly rang me. I did not know how she got my contact but she did! I was just leaving Edinburgh in Scotland after a brief visit and I was on my way back to Durham, where I now live when I got the call. She told me she was in Edinburgh, where I have just left! I was so excited that I wanted to turn back and visit her immediately but she said I should fix another day for the visit as it was rather late and I was further down my journey from her. The surprise call was the most uplifting gift she gave me. It reconnected me with the memory of my mother who recently died. I met her in Edinburgh on the 1st of May. She visited my family in Durham on the 5th of May and prayed for us and we talked about my late mother. We visited the Durham Cathedral in Durham, she admired the City where her husband studied in the sixties. We drove back to Edinburgh and had a pleasant time together with her grandchildren.
Mummy later went to Dr Bamidele in Idaho in US. We continue to hold telephone conversations at times about my family, especially my role after the death of my mother, few years earlier. She advised me to hold my family together at all costs in my mother’s memory.
In February this year, she called me from Aberdeen to inform me about the good news that she has a grandson. Noah is born to Mr and Mrs. Atinuke Fasina, her youngest daughter in Aberdeen. We planned to celebrate the joyous occasion together with my family in Aberdeen. The Pandemic broke out and hampered the plan.
Mummy’s has always emphasised that her priority for me was to ensure that I maintain solidarity with my family. She believes this is paramount irrespective of our existing differences. I assured her that I shall work hard on the subject and report to her regularly about my progress. I improved relations with my family in Nigeria which was strained after my mother died. When I thought that I have good news about my progress to report to her, this monumental tragedy happened.
In her characteristic way, Mummy left us in a peacefully way, this enables us to have the strength to celebrate her remarkable and extraordinary life. A life full of joyful and memorable moments, providing us hope, as we mourn her passing.
There is only one Mummy, unique, irreplaceable and everlasting in our hearts. It is extremely difficult to come to terms with losing her loving and caring personality. She always tried to do whatever she could to help any and every one. Personally, I have lost the last pillar of support for my family. Our thoughts about her good deeds will strengthen and provide us with the fortitude to bear her loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with the whole Omotowa family at this moment.
“Hàà érin wo!” there is so much to say about Mummy that will not fit into pages of a book. She lived a happy life and enjoyed the fruit of her labour with her children and grandchildren. We enjoined all, whose lives mummy has touched, to celebrate her good life as she would have wished. May almighty God give all of us the fortitude to bear her loss. She is resting peacefully with the lord and that is a consolation for all us to share. Sun ré o Mummy!
May the gentle soul of Dr (Mrs.) Margaret Ebuntolu Omotowa rest in perfect peace – AMEN
Dr Babatunde Aiyenibe
