Exactly 28 years after the passage of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, late matriarch of the Awolowo family, Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo will today, November 25, be buried beside her husband in the family compound in Ikenne, Ogun state.
HID Awolowo died on Saturday, September 19 shortly after a meeting with her family members, at the age of 99.
If death hadn’t come knocking, late HID Awolowo would have been celebrating her 100 years birthday today.
However, going by the legacy she has left behind, the exit of the Yeye Oodua, as she also popularly known, is one that calls for celebration.
Until her death, Mama was a successful businesswoman and astute politician. She played an active role in the politics of Western Nigeria and was famously referred to her as his “jewel of inestimable value” by her late husband.
She became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957 and was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria.She was also the Chairman of African Newspapers of Nigeria Limited, publishers of the Nigerian Tribune established in November, 1949 by her husband.
Following this jewel of inestimable value, the Ikene residence of the Matriarch has since become the focus with people, men and women from all shades of life trooping in to register their condolences.
The recognition looks very much imminent as Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo will be buried today in a white damask apparel which she bought for herself about 36 years ago and a gold casket.
The inter-denominational service held at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Kehinde Sofola Way, Ikenne, was graced by former heads of state, past and current governors, politicians, captains of industry, religious leaders and others. Even the common man on the street was not left out of the carnival-like funeral ceremony in the church and other places in the city.
Those that attended the interdenominational service were former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, ex- Head of the Interim National Government (ING), Chief Ernest Shonekan, ex-Chief of General Staff, Oladipo Diya, and the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi.
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