By divine intervention, Tolorunloju Osasebo Arhunmwunde Osunde was born as the fourth child of her mother, Mrs Alice Osunde (nee Okundia), to Mr Zaccheus Osunde, both of whom are of Edo heritage, within a polygamous family.
Her name “TOLORUNLOJU” expressed the Omnipotence of God above any other power without which she would not have been born alive. She was the first surviving female child of the family unit. It is therefore understandable that she was her father's little girl. For many young children, this would have made them spoilt but not for Tolorunloju. She led a good and disciplined life, as an example for her junior ones.
She had her primary education at Ago Ijaiye Methodist Primary School, Ebute Metta, Lagos. The school was about five minutes walking distance from their family home at Number 44 Apapa Road. She carried herself well, earning and deserving of respect. With her wit, size, strength and boldness she could always stand up for herself and others against any bullies.
She had her Secondary Education at Egbado High School, Igbogila in Yewa North Local Government, Ogun State where she obtained her Secondary School Certificate.
She got employed as an Administration Officer in 1971 in the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, along Awolowo Road, Victoria Island, Lagos. She later got transferred to the Port Harcourt office where she eventually retired in 1996 after many meritorious years of Service to the Company.
Our perfect God ordered Abiona's employment in the same company, in 1972. He remarks that it was not difficult to discern that she was to be the bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. They got married on 30th December 1972. The marriage was blessed with three beautiful girls and two handsome boys. Unfortunately, the eldest girl went to be with the Lord at age twelve. She was proud of her surviving children, who are doing well in their individually chosen fields.
She was a loving, nurturing, kind and supportive mother to both her biological children and several others who crossed her path. She let anyone with worries in - no matter how substantial, into her home and heart. She gave the same nurturing advise to everyone, biological and otherwise and made everyone feel just as loved, valid and welcome in her home.
She was very active in church activities, serving in different departments, using her skills, resources, time and gifts for the advancement of spiritual and numerical growth amongst members and winning new converts. One area she had great success was in the words of Apostle Paul to his spiritual son Titus as recorded in Titus 2:3-5
“Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.”
In following these instructions, she mentored, counselled, advised, guided and supported younger women, particularly those in her husband's Church Group. She would advocate to younger parents the importance of finding creative ways to correct children in their formative years within the context of a loving home. The impact of these principles was evident in the gratitude and testimonials received from many parents.
She was very hard working throughout her lifetime. Following retirement, she established a poultry farm and managed successful beauty salons amongst many other smaller business ventures. She was humble and never thought anything was beneath her.
As a wife of a manager in an oil company, she did not consider it discreditable to commercially sell ice blocks, despite societal pressure and opinions.
She was very open to share her lived experiences as useful lessons and admonitions to others. Jointly with her husband, she also quietly ran informal counselling sessions for couples who were having marital challenges.
We join her to thank God for helping her not to bury her talents but to have them multiplied.
We are grateful to God for giving us such a phenomenal wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend. Surely, she will be missed by us all and in His ministry.
