It is a reality but
still feels so unreal that I won’t see my dear friend “Mummy Yemisi” on this
side of eternity anymore. I sat in the same classroom for five years and was in
the same boarding house with Pastor Yemisi at Christ’s School Ado – Ekiti; where
we had our secondary school education. She had that air of maturity around her,
to stay on top of issues; even in 1973 when we met. She also had that look that
makes one feel that all will be well; even before the ever comforting words
were uttered. Needless to say, I loved
hanging out with her for positivity; especially when one didn't feel like
smiling - such as when provision lockers were almost empty before another
monthly visiting day's supply.With her,
there would be no need to cry and be homesick; as a child, she had always had a
way and the words to make me feel all would be alright.
Yemisi was fun to be
with and our friendship continued after school. In fact, everything I remember
about her makes me laugh even when the tears flowed. I still remember vividly, visiting family
members together in Ado in our school uniform; jolly trotting back to girls
section. I also remember a particular brief visit to her in Lagos, some days of
attending ceremonies in Aramoko and a visit to Ilorin in our college years. I cannot recall a single incident of anger in
all of those times as she had a gift of disarming anger and diffusing tension.
That smile on her ebony face would make one forget the intention to accuse her
of stuff. I believe she had the gift of wisdom too; she knew how to handle
situations. You can imagine your own friend CALMLY shushing you not to call her
by her nickname; without a blink. Incidentally, that happened when she came
with her husband to conduct the burial ceremony of a church member in the
quarters where I was residing. These were days before the mobile phones became
common in Lagos. We had not seen each other for a while, but she knew what to
do and how to do it; as she sighted me. She handled that so well that I was
forced to behave and not shout out. I
also observed wisdom applied in her conduct with women of various ages on
another church occasion and just blessed the name of the Lord for her gifts.
I never said this to Pastor Yemisi, but her friendly
association over the years has had a positive influence on me. Her calls in her
busy ministry days were just as great as our school days conversations at the beginning;
full of words of hope and prayers. I can only thank God again for knowing her
and pray that God of all comfort consoles her entire family.
