THE NATION FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015
18
SOCIETY
•The children: from left, Olufemi; Kolawole and his wife, Susanne; and Temitope
•The widower, Chief Moradeyo
The remains of Yeye Aare Jagunmolu of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Chief Mopelola Margaret Moradeyo, were interred penultimate Wednesday at Ikoyi Vaults and Gardens, Lagos, after a funeral service at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mazamaza. OLATUNDE ODEBIYI reports.
‘She was a virtuous woman’
I
T was solemn as the remains of the Yeye Aare Jagunmolu of Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, Chief Mopelola Margaret Moradeyo, were interred penultimate Wednesday in Lagos. Chief Moradeyo died on February 10. She was 74. At her Mazamaza, Lagos home, sympathisers gathered in number to condole with the widower, Chief Israel Olufemi Moradeyo, and the children, before leaving for the funeral service at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Mazamaza. There, her remains were laid in a white casket in a room decorated in white and purple. She was dressed in white buba and iro with purple gele, ipele, neck beads and a pair of eye glasses. The Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Mazamaza auditorium and gallery were filled. Guests also sat under tents in the church. Many were either in white or the uniformed purple ankara fabric chosen for the occasion. The widower, wore white Agbada with a gold cap; his sons, Kola and Femi, were also in white; his daughter, Temitope wore pink lace. The officiating priest, Canon Taiwo Olugbitan, asked the congregation to stand while some priests moved to the church’s entrance to receive the casket bearing her remains, from the TOS pall bearers. In his sermon, Ven Festus Ademola said there is life and there is death. “What you do with your life is crucial because we do not have life by our own power but God gave us life so that
•Deceased’s son-in-law, Leke Ogunbowale
•Deceased’s daughter-in-law, Mrs Idowu Moradeyo
•Elder sister of the deceased Olusola Kugbola and her husband Chief Emmanuel
we can serve him. Quoting the scripture, the cleric said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all other things will be added to you.” He added: “Death is inevitable, it is not a respecter of persons and it is the open door to eternity. The way you live now will determine where you will spend your eternity.” The church choir sang the late Chief Moradeyo’s favourite hymn: “Through the love of God our Saviour” and the “Hallelujah chorus.” Her remains were buried at Ikoyi Vaults and Gardens about 2:39 pm. At the reception at the Syrian Club in Ikoyi, beautiful young women dressed in gold led guests to seats. Faith Music Band entertained guests. The widower, in a tribute said if he had a second chance, he would marry his late wife again. He said: “She was my inestimable jewel, my heartbeat, my joy, my strength; only God Almighty can fill the vacuum she left in my life. “She was a mother in a million to our children and me. A courageous fighter who cheated death many times within the last 15 years until God’s will prevailed. I miss our togetherness, the laughter, the grief we cheerfully suffered and the grace of God we enjoyed in the last 50 years of our togetherness. She fought a good fight.”
BIRTHDAY
Her first son Kola described his mother as a gracious woman. “Her advice, words of wisdom and encouragement gave me so much strength. Her daily phone calls to pray for me and the grand children will be greatly missed. Her outlook in life was positive and wanted people around her to be happy,” he said. Her second son Femi was moved to tears as he spoke about his mother. He said her death is painful. “It is so sad but, I think she has gone for the better because she had had health challenges for about 15 years. “She was loving and caring, nice to a fault, God-fearing, kind and she is never bothered. Even at the end of her life, she was still in high spirit and she would continue to pray, she was a strong woman. “I will miss her phone calls. She would call me up to five times a day just to pray and ask how the family is; but since she died no one has called me five times a day,” he said. Her daughter Mrs Temitope Ogunbowale described her mother as kind, loving and prayerful. “She took everyone like her own, fought like a soldier and was a titan. She had always been strong, taught me to be kind, respectful and hard working. “She was a strong woman who was kind to a fault,” she said.
•Mrs Comfort Orelaja (left) and Mrs Shola Abiona
•Dr Iyabode Koleoso (left) and Chief Olufunbi Adelami PHOTOS: RAHMAN SANUSI
A family member, Mrs Christiana Oladunni, described Mrs Moradeyo’s death as a shock, adding that she was a wonderful mother and everything to her. “Despite the challenges she had,
she had time to call on every member of the family.” Her younger sister Mrs Modupe Ogunsolu said the late Mrs Moradeyo was caring, loving and would be greatly missed.
SWEARING IN
Rev Mike Ohiorenoya and his wife Mary cutting his 67th birthday cake at Covenanters’ Vintage Church, Lagos •Imo State Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere (middle) with the newly sworn Chairmen of Local Government and House of Assembly Commissions from left: Chinyere Uwandu; Chairman, Oguta Local Government Emeka Okoronkwo and Commissioner Imo State Local Government Service Commission. Dr Nonye Obodo