AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Mama Veronica Oluwayemi Adebayo (nee Omole)

Birth, Parentage and Marriage

I was born at Akure, Ondo State on the 29th of September 1944. My father and mother were Pa. Matthew Omole from Isokun Street of Ilesa, Osun State and Madam Emily Onifontola Omole of Akure, Ondo State respectively (both parents are deceased). I was the only surviving child of my mother whose life was punctuated with fetal mortality. I was married to Mr. Johnson Adeboye Adebayo of blessed memory and blessed with four children and grandchildren.

Education and Nursing Career

From 1953 to 1958, I attended Queen of Apostles Primary School prior to St. Francis Secondary Modern School from 1959 to 1961. I was an untrained teacher at St. Augustine Primary School at Ipinsa, near Akure from 1962 to 1963 after which I proceeded to St. Louis Combined Hospital, Owo Ondo State (1964 – 1967) for my midwifery training. I was one of the two candidates that obtained credits nationwide in the final midwifery examination held in March 1967.

Immediately after my training, I applied to work with the defunct Western Region of Nigeria and subsequently started work as Staff Midwife at the General Hospital Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State in 1967 and remained active there until my transfer to State Hospital, Osogbo in 1972. In 1977, I was transferred to Oyo State Hospital and was called for general nursing training course at School of Nursing, Eleyele Ibadan in 1978. Immediately after my training, I was posted back to Osogbo in 1980. From 1981 to 1988, I yet had another posting at Oni Memorial Childrens’ Hospital, Ring Road, Ibadan. The years from 1988 to 1991 also witnessed my work role at Jericho Orthopedic Hospital, Ibadan. In 1989, I attended a U.I/U.C.H continuing education programme on Principles and Administration of Management.

Upon creation of Osun State in 1991, I was posted to General Hospital, Ikire until my transfer to Gbongan Comprehensive Centre in 1997 where I voluntarily retired on 31st December 1997- marking thirty years of active service.

I established Duro-Tolu Maternity Home and Child Welfare Clinic on April 9, 1990 at Ijokodo, Ibadan and moved the hospital to its permanent site at Papa II Area, Apete, Ibadan on the 19th of December 2000. The establishment has since been upgraded to Duro-Tolu Medical Centre.

Religious Life

I was baptized at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church Akure in 1958 and confirmed in 1959. I was a communicant in the Catholic Church and also a member of the Lay Readers, Catholic Women Organization (C.W.O) and a volunteered Sunday school teacher till death.

Paternal Panegyrics (Oriki Idile Baba)

Omo Olokeona, Omo Oloni la waara meji, omo olomi asure bu mu. Omo olomi kan O jiere ko wi komo we too leti on. Ogodo lila oni ki ngbediye sin ona ikire da ku ori mi , mi o gbo adie omi. Mo goke mo nrele Ikire ligbe lakala gbejo hanu, jije jije e je usi akala, usi akala gba o rele Ikire kooro. O i polowo epo ni isokun afolowo adin, odu baba ikoko le je kalawo epo nisokun kosolowo adin. Kule ru moju ma beere eku ona kule ru moju ma beereeku o fudese.

Maternal Panegyrics (Oriki Idile Iya)

Omo lufe, omo a sude jeun, Omo alagbagba sewe ijamukuro, a kuku mu yonri a mu rakanboja k oba ayo dijo odun a muniri a remo. Oni pekure ile asamo ni ogba akunliwo lejuamera pekureile basamonu Ogba akun ra wo loo mi. Awodi mi sepe igi ra uponna ameri kuo wo toriya ki mi wo ti Uworokogbasa. Upade dade lule Oba Deji. Olopa kelule Deji o ta gongo dina, Kiniun ke lule Deji e o mi roro nikesan Oba, Omo Olona Obinrin wo totun.