My first memory of Auntie Oto was when she came to Tremadoc, our home in London, as she and the family were en route to Paris. Tayo was a babe in arms and Bunmi a toddler.
Wole and Femi stayed with us for short school holidays and on their way to and from Paris during the longer holidays. Auntie would visit  and like so many have said, was always armed with snacks - Nigerian snacks 

Auntie Oto was key to my life in Lagos. She accompanied Mummy to see Kehinde and me off at the airport that day in August 1975 as we left the UK. Auntie Oto , Bunmi and Tayo flew out that evening. Our flight was delayed overnight and there was no one at the airport to pick us up. I went to the Nigeria Airways office because I knew my sister worked for Nigeria Airways at the time. I had a letter with Uncle Yinka’s address on it and the man at Nigeria Airways organised a taxi to take us to Victoria Island. Coming from England I had no idea how potentially dangerous this was.
Auntie Oto had arrived in Lagos early that morning and arrived with her car just as we were about to get in the taxi. She took us to Uncle Sobo’s house in Yaba first, then her driver took us to Uncle Yinka’s office. We were safe and as we settled in Nigeria it was always comforting to know that Auntie Oto, Bunmi and Tayo weren’t far away, especially when I missed my life in London and my parents.

 There is no way I can write this without acknowledging how instrumental  Auntie Oto  was in my Lagos education. I was to live in Ibadan with Auntie Joke and her family then one day  was brought back to Lagos. Why? Because Auntie had arranged entrance tests for Our Lady of Apostles and Holy Child. I got into both, and Auntie helped me to choose which one I would go to. I chose Holy Child because of the uniform, (particularly the cap).
My time at HC was one of my best life experiences and shaped the woman I have become. They say it takes a village to raise a child and Auntie Oto was a key part of my village. For that I owe her great thanks. 
Abientot, dear gentle Auntie. Rest in perfect peace. Much love Taiwo Dayo-Payne

Letter of Condolence from Holy Child College Old Girls Association

From l MUSON (Musical Society of Nigeria)

Mother loved her alma mater Holy Child College with passion.  The bonds of sisterhood and friendship she formed with her classmates from the Foundation set like Mrs Onasanya, Mrs. Agbaje, Mrs Anga, Mrs Marie Irikefe, Mrs Tola Thomas and students from slightly later sets like Mrs Francesca Emmanuel, Mrs. Angela Branco and
Dr (Mrs) Yemi Cole were extraordinary.  

They were sisters.  More than sisters.  I will never forget Auntie Marie Irikefe, Auntie Francesca Emmanuel and Auntie Tola Thomas all arriving in Paris suddenly sometime in the early seventies when Mother fell ill.  They took over the running of the house for several weeks until she was better.  Everything ran seamlessly and they replicated precisely all the things Mother used to do for us including our daily afternoon Parisian pastry treat known as “le goûter!. For us it was a delicious “pain au chocolat” set out on the dining table at 4.00 pm exactly.  It was an amazing example of true friendship for us to witness as children.  They supported each other and helped one another selflessly. This amazing love and solidarity continued throughout their lives.  They always supported each other and helped one another

I believe the tune of the Holy Child College school song is indelibly ingrained in the minds of my brothers and I.  We have heard Mother and her friends sing it so many times from the time we were born.

Mother loved Holy Child and I have a little story to illustrate her devotion.  When I finished my undergraduate degree despite registering at the Inner Temple to do my Bar Finals,  I decided to come to Nigeria to go to Law School..  I had not lived in Nigeria since I was 3 or 4 years old.  It was a home-coming of sorts.  I arrived at the airport and was met by Mother with her ever-faithful driver, Toyin and her Ford car.  Luggage in boot we headed home and swung into a pleasant compound with trees and flowers.  Exhausted from the long flight I sighed with relief as I thought we had finally arrived home.  I was wrong.  We were not home.  It was Holy Child College we had come to.  I hopped out of the car somewhat confused  but Mother ushered me firmly into the chapel saying:
”Get down on your knees and let us pray and thank God for you completing your degree and for your safe arrival home!• 
I couldn’t help smiling to myself.  So we were not home yet. But in many ways Holy Child College was home for Mother and it remained an important and significant anchor-point for her educational, professional and religious development throughout her life.  We, her children, have benefitted greatly from the first-class education, encouragement and nurturing she received from the Holy Child nuns and from the friendships she made while there. Up Holy Child! 

From a young age, Grandma O always reminded me that I had a right to form my own opinions as long as those opinions didn’t harm others. She taught me that society could not dictate my values according to trends, identity comes from within. 

Her life and her work showed me that women are a vital force in creating social change. Grandma O was a woman of great impact but didn’t boast about it. Her work was education and by spreading knowledge, her work was empowerment of young children, especially young girls.

The world often tries to control women. When women pursue their careers, people shame them for not being family oriented and when women are family oriented, people complain that women are incapable of professional work.

Around the world in 2020, female politicians are still criticized over their physical appearances more than their policies. The world tries to undermine female leadership but grandma resisted this. Grandma O always defended a woman’s right to choose a life she carved out for herself without shame.

She always stressed the importance of education to me and reinforced the fact that women do not need to be defined by their proximity to men. To be a woman is to be whole, capable of achievement and capable of independence.

Gradma o had a deep love for humanity and her potential for empathy was so deep that I wondered how her optimistic light was not extinguished by the failings and frustrations of life in Nigeria.

This empathy was evident in her service at schools within Nigeria and abroad, where she prioritized her mission to educate over making large sums of money. At the playgroup she founded, she would often teach students whose parents could not afford the quality of education she could provide. She was a true blessing to her community.

I will never forget the importance of Grandma O’s nurturing and empowerment. I will treasure her love and wisdom forever.

Granma O worked at the Ministry of Education shortly after her return from her postgraduate studies at Reading University.  She was an Inspector of Schools among other duties. One of her favorite nieces, Auntie Tilewa, told us that, in Lagos of the 60’s, headmasters and headmistresses of school trembled when they heard Mrs Oto Lijadu was coming for inspection.  In her gentle way she was nonetheless strict and unwavering in her enforcement of rules and standards.  Students, teachers and principals would be on their best behaviour.  They had to be!

She later worked as the first Nigerian Education Officer at the British Council.  In that capacity, she assisted many parents in selecting appropriate schools for their children offering a cup of tea, biscuits and sympathetic advice. Later on, she established her own nursery school in Surulere where she helped to  nurture many young minds into confident and responsible young boys and girls. She was notoriously generous in waiving school fees for any parents experiencing financial difficulties.  She had a big heart!

During her years in Paris in the 60’s and 70’s while our Grandad worked at UNESCO ( United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Granma O taught at the famous Marymount International School where she made many good friends and was loved by her students and fellow teachers.   Upon returning to Nigeria in the mid-70’s became the President of OMEP (Organisation Mondiale pour l’Education Prescolaire - World Organisation for Preschool Education).  She travelled the world representing Nigeria and made many friends and professional acquaintances along the way. Her professional life was centred around her love of children.  She simply adored children and they adored her in return.She always emphasized the importance of play in young children as the basis of developing their concentration and a systematic, constructive approach to tasks and solving problems. In a modern technical world she felt not enough attention is paid to young children’s day how and where they can play.  The singer/songwriterCat Stevens asked the same question in his song: “ Where do the children play?”

- Femi Lijadu

Grandma O inspired me so much in terms of my personal growth and while I went through my primary and secondary education.

She always encouraged me to pursue my love for literature due to her investment in the arts. Grandma O radiated creativity. As Kemi mentioned in another post, in grandma's last years she could recite full monologues from Shakespeare's plays without hesitating. 

While I studied The Merchant of Venice for my IGCSE exams we would read and analyse parts of the play together. Grandma O validated me by showing me that the humanities are vital to nation-building. With this culture of seeing humanities as unserious, why are we surprised that most of Nigeria's working population have trouble communicating information in a grammatically accurate and fluid way? 

Grandma O always listened too, and never talked down to me, despite her wisdom in age. Whenever she spoke to me I always felt that she was guiding and advising me, not shaming me or intimidating me. I always appreciated this and it made me feel safe to express my feelings and ideas to her. It's quite rare in Nigerian society for adults of her generation and the next to practice active listening. I will always appreciate this alongside her many other qualities.

Grandma O was incredible and I am so grateful for her key role in my intellectual journey. She was a woman who believed in herself and never compromised her values for anyone. I am honoured to be a part of her legacy and like her, I hope to never stop learning as the years go by.

Tribute from Gbolly & Habiba Balogun

Whilst doing my A-Levels at Kings College, Lagos, I would frequently visit Aunty at her offices on ?Broad Street, Lagos, the British Consular offices. I vividly remember she would always ask after my studies and offer me a cup of tea.

She would encourage me and give me words of advice on life in general, and we would have discussions about my family etc.

I always admired her wit, and courage. In my opinion she was ahead of her time in many respects, her wisdom and knowledge of life. After I left Kings, we lost contact but she was always in my memory.

She would be fondly missed. Aunty continue with your humor and wit, do not change for anything, and enjoy your rest in the bosom of the Lord