Aunty Oto,
I remember she fondly, she was always so warm and welcoming. I remember visiting her home on numerous occasions to see my friend Tayo, and she was always really nice. GrandmaO & GrandmaB two peas in a pie, they sure made the perfect pair.
One thing I will always remember the most is the love Grandma O had for the Lord.. She loved the Lord..
Rest now till we meet again. Aunty Oto, we miss and love you always
Ada

Remembering Dearest Auntie Oto, today her birthday......
Forever resting in God's perfect peace

A RARE GEM IS GONE

Just seeing this! Losing a rare gem like Mama Mary Otolorin Lijadu is quite a sad development. This will definitely linger for a long while.

The last time I saw Mama was 2010 when she presented an autographed copy of her autobiographical account, 'A Childhood Journey' to me. Earlier before the publication of the book, she had contacted me to enlist my editorial intervention, which I offered with unrestrained enthusiasm. I was particularly bowled over with her consuming passion, at her age as of then, to document her thrilling thoughts.

Unfortunately, I lost her mobile contacts. Worse still, I couldn't figure out her Surulere-Lagos residential address again, as I visited her only once. What a great grandma! Every second with her was clearly an educative moment. She was an embodiment of knowledge. It was painful for me to have lost touch with her.

Just last week, I stumbled on her book in my shelf, and I decided to surf the net to know if there could be means of reaching out to her since there's no mobile contact of hers on the book. I was shocked to see her memorial page. Nigeria and Africa have lost a great and illustrious daughter.

I commiserate with the family: Papa Yemi Lijadu and the glorious children and grandchildren of Mama Lijadu. May God rest her beautiful soul and take good care of her surviving family members in Jesus name .

Kunle Balogun,
General Editor,
The Craft Writers Consult,
Ibadan, Nigeria.

Remembering you aunty. God loves you. Enjoy His presence and pray for us please! You are forever in our hearts.

Continue to rest in peace dear Auntie Oto!!! Much luv forever in our hearts.

Auntie I miss you still and think of you often.

Grandma O you live on in our hearts and minds forever. Thank you for everything, I am missing you like this all happened yesterday. Love you grandma.

Remembering my beautiful praying Mum and Angel

GrandMa O, your ❤️ly memories will continually be in our heart forever.

Continue to rest in perfect peace.

- Peter, Lucy & Pedro

Aunty (Oto), Aunty Paris was my Dad's (Uncle Sobo, deceased) youngest sister and their love and devotion to each other was legendary.

My earliest memories of her was of this wonderful, elegant , fun-filled aunt from Paris that was always popping in to spend time with us and would always bring beautiful gifts.

Her love and commitment to her Family was a rock solid pillar that stood unshakeable and endured throughout her lifetime.

Although she was a disciplined and highly principled person, she was also a warm, compassionate and loving person who would often go out of her way to be kind and helpful.

This stood her out as a practicing Christian who sought to emulate the Christian virtues of loving our neighbors as ourselves.

She took her faith very seriously and she was always dependable as a sister to Daddy and Sister-in Law to my Mother.

Through the mountains and valleys of life she could always be counted on to temper Justice with Mercy and whenever you approached her , her calm and measured outlook on life would reassure you that God was still on his holy throne in heaven and everything would turn out fine.

She had that calm and unflappable manner that reflected her deep and abiding faith in Jesus Christ which would then encourage you to also trust in God's unceasing goodness and Love

She enriched our lives immensely in so many innumerable ways for which we will always be eternally grateful to God, our Almighty Father.

Dearest aunty, I miss you! I wish I had made time to see you more often but I didn’t know death would come so swiftly at that time! However I miss our talks on the phone and the fact that you would reach out to me and call from time to time. I appreciated that so much. Our chats about the church, about your health (you would play down the “little aches and pains” even though I knew sometimes they were a little more than that) and our talks about practical ways to manage “this age thing”. Always cheerful and concerned about others. You’d ask after Gbenga my brother (your boyfriend) all the time, even dropping in on him whenever you came into Alaka estate in the early days after mummy passed because you knew he was probably a little lost after her death. Continue to rest in perfect peace. I think of you often with love.

Aunty Oto,

We miss you loads, our lovely gem! We remember you always, whilst you were with us in your earth suit.
May Aunty Oto continue to rest in peace in the bosom of our Lord Jesus, dancing with the angels! Amen!

We love you loads!
Muna, Dennis and family xxxxx

Aunty Oto, wow 2 years already. Any day that I pass infront of your house and I glance and wish you were alive for me to visit but I just remember that you had answered the Clarion which we all must answer one day. Two Easters now without freejon. Continue to rest in the bosom of the Lord Jesus Christ Amen.
Kunle Bajomo

Dearest Aunty,


May your kind and lovely soul continue to rest in peace.

Deola Asabia. Xxxx

2 years already GrandMa O and the memory is still like yesterday. Miss u alot and continue to rest in perfect peace.

Peter, Lucy & Pedro

Oto, i have missed chatting with you on your summer holidays to Manchester and listening to what you were doing. .I still have happy memories of our chats.
Norma Dove-Edwin
 

Oh dear Aunty Oto how great and super your birthday would have been today but God the author and finisher of a faith knows best. This notwithstanding I will enjoy my glass of wine and those burudi,chin chin etc that you entertain us with in memory of you. Continue to rest in peace in the bosom of our Lord Jesus. God will continue to protect Femi,Bunmi,Tayo and all your darling ones in Jesus name Amen.
Kunle Bajomo

Oh dear Aunty Oto how great and super your birthday would have been today but God the author and finisher of a faith knows best. This notwithstanding I will enjoy my glass of wine and those burudi,chin chin etc that you entertain us with in memory of you. Continue to rest in peace in the bosom of our Lord Jesus. God will continue to protect Femi,Bunmi,Tayo and all your darling ones in Jesus name Amen.
Kunle Bajomo

Dear Aunty,
How I wish you were here with us to celebrate this birthday. I shall celebrate quietly whilst thinking of you, your kindness and your ever cheerful demeanour to all and sundry who were fortunate enough to meet you whilst you were with us.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Aunty. Continue to rest in perfect peace.

May her gentle soul continue to Rest In perpetual peace
On behalf of Jibolu-Taiwo Family of EgbaLand I pray that the Family she left behind May the lord continue to console them all IJMN
SofelaSowemimo
General Secretary

It's been one year, my dear Aunty Oto left us and a very short one indeed. Every now and again, I get reminded, by my spouse, that the last of your advocate has gone; so be more careful (Olubawi e ti lo, ko sora e) Aunty Oto was the last of the titans. She was like the intercessor alive for most of us. If i missed my rosary, I can bet she would have said one for me. I know she is with our Lord, and still doing same for us her children. I imagined her chatting with my mum in hausa up above, as they both did while here.
May she continue to enjoy her new life above resting, and smiling in peace. Amen
Seyi Martins.

May you continually rest in perfect peace GrandMa O. We love you always.

Dear Femi, Aima, Bunmi and Tayo,

One year already and just like yesterday.

May Aunty Oto continue to rest in perfect peace and may God bless you all. Amen

Continue to rest in peace Grandma O.

May her gentle soul Rest In perpetual peace IJMN

To Auntie Oto
You called me on my birthday to wish me a happy birthday and even went on to sing happy birthday , not done, you said you remembered another song which you also sang, I did not know it was your farewell to me.

Thank you for having taken me as a family member not an in-law. I appreciate your regular phone calls. Your reminiscing about your younger days opened me up into your life.

I pray that your sons, 'daughters' and grandchildren find the strength to bear your loss.

Our ever elegant Auntie Oto, go well Auntie and may you find eternal life. Amen.

She will be missed though fondly remembered.
May her soul rest in peace

Femi and Aima
Obiozo and I send our deepest condolences on your loss.
Please take comfort in the knowledge that she is truly in the bosom of the Lord. Please live in the memory of the wonderful times she had with all of you. And now she is at home in her Father's House.

My deepest and sincerest condolences to the family. Losing a Mum is one of the hardest things but living through the beautiful memories and sharing them with family and friends is one of the most beautiful things. Mrs Lijadu was a woman of grace and has left her mark in the sands of time. May God comfort you all. May Mamas sweet gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Suzanne & Sonny Iroche

My family and I are truly saddened at the sudden loss of our dear Auntie Oto. Our condolences to her loved ones. She will be missed.

Dear Aunty Oto, I had the privilege to meet you on a few occasions and still remember how much you embodied the quintessential loving and caring mother . Your passage on earth will forever be remembered and celebrated by all of us. May your soul rest in peace. Alain Nkontchou

A mother to a great son. May her gentle soul rest in peace

Dear Aunty Oto was one of the closest friends of my Mum, Marie Irikefe, as they were both founding members of Holy Child College, which held a very important place in both their lives. The strength of that sisterhood bond that they shared was evidenced by the fact that every single summer, when Aunty Oto arrived in England for her summer sojourn, she would call me unfailingly several times during her stay and bring me up to date with all her news. She was absolutely consistent in keeping in touch even though my Mum had long since passed away in 1982!
Aunty Oto was the true embodiment of a lady - in every sense of the word. She was kind, gentle, softly spoken with her very unique sounding voice and had a laugh that made you laugh along with her even if you were not feeling that way inclined.
I was very proud to have her meet my husband and children on one of her summer trips and took her to visit with my mother in law so I could show her the beautiful rose gardens at my mother in law's house. She never stopped asking after my mother in law after that visit. Such was her love of nature and the wonder of God's creation. 
Aunty Oto was small but mighty for sure!! The biggest heart I have ever met in someone of such diminutive stature. She will be sorely missed by so many of us who she took under her wing and looked out for and genuinely loved.
Aunty we all love you and will miss you terribly. I take comfort in the knowledge that our loss in heaven's gain and you are resting peacefully in the arms of the Lord.
Rest in peace eternal my beautiful Aunty Oto.
With much love
Gloria Irikefe-Lawson 

I am sad to say goodbye but also happy because I know we shall meet again.
You left us with beautiful memories of your love and warm smiles which you brought to our lives during your summer visits to Bramhall. I always looked forward to hearing stories of your travels. Your final journey now is to our Father where we shall meet again one day. We loved you but God loved you more

My condolences. It was always a pleasure to meet your lovely mother, usually at Muson. She was a warm lady. I most especially remember how fond my late mother was of her and their history. May her soul rest in perfect peace.

My sincere condolences to the Lijadu Family. Rest in Peace Mrs. Mary Lijadu.

Dear Auntie Oto,

Your beautiful smile will always be remembered and I shall hold on to fond memories of you.

May the good Lord bless your gentle soul.

To her immediate family, Joy and I send our deepest condolences during this difficult time.

Rest in perfect peace dearest auntie.

Auntie Otolorin , may your gentle soul Rest In perpetual peace ☮️
Good night

We commiserate with our brother on the passing of his dear mother into eternity. He has inherited her grace ,calmness and gentle amiable nature. She was consistently gracious and kind at each encounter with her.
May her gentle soul Rest In Peace and may the Lord comfort Femi and all her and loved ones.

Aunty Oto was such a caring and gentle soul. She always made you feel special because she gave you her undivided attention and was interested in your wellbeing whether family or otherwise. I recall how she always asked about my older children whom she knew when they were much younger and gave me a copy of her book on prayers for children for them. She refused any donation, she just wanted me to share the prayers with my children. Even though I did not see her often whenever I did it was always the same, as if time had not passed. She had a beautiful soul and so I know that she is resting in the bosom of her Father in heaven. I hope this will give her family solace as we believe that as Christians life is changed not ended and we will meet again. Rest on aunty, you have done the will of your Father.

I met Oto many years ago through Beryl Ediale who was her in-law. She was very close to the Nigerian West Indian Association. She was a very lovely, caring lady with so much humility. Once you interacted with her you knew she was a Christian who loved God. May her gentle soul Rest in Peace. Amen.

On behalf of my entire family we register our condolence to the family of LIJADU for the loss of a rare gem Madam Mary Otolorin Lijadu... May Almighty Allah overlook her shortcomings and grant her paradise. Amen
Adieu Grandma o...

Our dear Aunty Oto, what can we say? You were beautiful inside out! A devout Catholic! You could fit in with people of any age group. You always had stories to tell and all the children wherever you were would gather around to hear your stories. I remember when my parents were still here, you would visit almost every evening. I can still hear my Dad’s voice shouting “Otority!!!” and then we would hear that infectious laugh with a twinkle in your eyes! You were there for us when our parents passed. You still called us from time to time and we would talk and talk for ages.

We pray that you rest in perfect peace. We know you are with Jesus who you loved so much.

Hon. Justice Kumbi Oyefeso
For and on behalf of the Maj. Gen. D K Sho-Silva Family

May Mama Gentle soul rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Lord. May God Almighty grant those she left behind the strength to bear the loss. Amen.

Grandma O was a gentle graceful loving lady. Full of kindness. May she rest in peace. She will be greatly missed. She was truly loved and will not be forgotten. Femi, Aima and the whole Lijadu /Martins family may the Lord comfort and strengthen you.

Rest in Peace, Ma.
May your gentle soul find eternal rest in the arms of your Maker.

-Adeyinka Lawal

Grandma O always had a beautiful smile and a kind word for everyone. We are all blessed for having known her. 

May her soul rest in perfect peace. 

Femi, Aima and the entire Lijadu family, please accept our deepest sympathies.

Didi and Kele Ndiomu.

“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.”
(Ernest Hemingway)

Grandma O lived a memorable distinguished life. You will be missed. We thank God for having known you. 

Rest in Peace my sister. 


Izarene Adams & family

In Memoriam: Mrs. Mary Otolorin Lijadu

To me, Mrs. Oto Lijadu will always remain the "Chair of the Beautiful Mother's Group"; a select group of women who epitomized what it is to be hospitable and truly welcoming to a talkative bunch of young lawyers preparing to be called to the Bar.

After meeting and spending time with her in Lagos during the early 1980s, I still have warm memories of the gentle, gracious lady she was. Her easy conversational manner was one spiced with interesting anecdotes and questions designed to deepen the quality of conversation. With great food and jugs of cold fresh-squeezed orange juice, she set a standard of excellence that one could only hope to emulate.

Standards like hers don't come easy.
"Mrs. L." was thoughtful, kind and protective. She had a discipline of mind and a strength of heart that surely came from a firm gaze on the cross and deep love of Christ. All these qualities translated into an unaffected excellence and a life lived with grace and love.

May the Holy Spirit bless and comfort you, Femi, along with your brothers and all members of the Lijadu and Martins families. Please take heart during this time, in the faith that your dear mother's spirit is light and joyful in eternity. She has now taken her place with The Lord!

May the soul of Mrs. Mary Oto Lijadu rest in perfect peace and may light perpetual shine on her. Amen.

Dr. (Mrs.) Lola Odubekun
Law School Class of 1981

Auntie Oto was such a gracious and graceful person. She was always warm and welcoming with a lovely smile. She will be sorely missed by her family and friends. May her soul rest in perfect peace and may God and their sweet memories of her provide comfort and solace to the family.