Tribute to the Young Girl of late Gabriel Akinola Deko's (0060, Swanston, 1930) at 90.

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MOTHER Theresa with her heart of gold had helped to decode and define what true love and care stand for. Caring for others was her code of living, and that made her world renown. I see no difference between Mother Theresa and Chief Mrs. Caroline Ebun Akin-Deko, who I fondly call mummy. She literally groomed me, and other children who she did not bear, into adulthood and greatness. A good mother to adore at all times, mama’s heart for love and care is simply legendry.

Mama is now 90! She has aged gracefully by my conviction. Today comes with an opportunity to reflect on those memorable days and years when I grew up under her tutelage, all along imbued with the discipline, sense of humility, hard work and forthrightness which she imparted into me and other children she nurtured.

I would have regarded myself as an ingrate on failure to tell the world how this wonderfully blessed woman made me who I am today, just by virtue of being a cousin to my uncle, the late Chief Gabriel Akin-Deko; a politician and diplomat of note. I became a member of Akin-Deko’s family through that link during my growing up days.

It all started when I left Idanre; my rusty and rocky hometown on January 6, 1970 to the then largest city in West Africa, Ibadan. My mission was to look for a job after earning a Higher School Certificate at Ilesa Grammar School, Osun State. I had obtained the permission from my revered catechist father, the late Mr. Daniel Akinseye Olamiti, for the trip outside home. With that, I could not help imagine getting prosperous one day to be able to support him after retirement and in old age.

I arrived Ibadan to the warm embrace of an imposing building of my uncle situated by the precinct of the Liberty Stadium. The house bore an inscription; LIBERTY LODGE. Indeed, liberty reigned and ruled in the house.

I did not meet my uncle when I arrived. He had embarked on one of his numerous official trips abroad. Mummy who I met for the first time that day gave me a warm welcome. The trappings of opulence also overwhelmed me when I stepped into the house, a commanding difference from my family’s rented abode back in Idanre.

Mummy helped me into the house with my luggage and took me to a room, then occupied by my late cousin Kolawole Akin-Deko. “You will be sharing the room with your cousin,” she blurted immediately. I could not believe my ears. From then on, Kola and I shared the same bed for years! Kola had a look that was quite deceptive. His natural calmness portrayed him as an easygoing person. Far from it! He was the most egregious, outgoing and extroverted person I had ever known. He was strong willed and every bit a radical. A village boy that I was almost learnt how to be a little crook by the endless antics I learnt from Kola on self-effusiveness.

Learning the antics

An incident I will not forget occurred one Friday, when Kola insisted we must attend a friend’s disco party. We had to sneak out in my uncle’s Mercedes car WD 606 by quietly pushing it out from the garage. We returned home in the wee hour of the day. Then, mummy’s shrilling voice greeted us instantly. We knew we were in soup. Apart from giving us knocks on the head, she tongue lashed us very thoroughly with a punishment of missing two vital meals.

I discovered later that I was not the only relation who was housed at the Liberty Lodge. There were ten of us from Idanre and Owo. All the same, I seemed to be the only one showered with preferential treatments by mummy’s magnanimity. I ate on the dining table with her biological children, went to church and prayed daily with them. I was fully integrated into Akin-Deko’s family. Mummy taught me table manners, personal hygiene and above all, how to develop oneself for a better future. She built in me confidence to be self-reliant. She was a beautiful woman to behold and she is still today aging gracefully. She held the house firmly. Her words were our command. She ensured strict discipline to the discomfort of some of us not used to strict home regulations.

Whenever she was out to work, we felt relaxed, but as soon as we heard the hooting of her car, we would all scurry into convenient places so pretentiously that she would commend us for being good children, on arrival. Mummy treated all of us with iron hands which we feel today as most soothing and moulding.

Now, casting a look back those memorable years gives me a feeling of nostalgia and the importance of parental mentoring to children which I savoured to the fullest from Mummy. It is hard to conclude that she was really not my biological mother, given her approach, and the equal treatments she gave to all the children under her care. I have every reason to be grateful to God for making me to undergo years of tutelage from the Mother Theresa of our time.

Mama may you continue to live your full life in good health. From your own testimony, you have asked; “Who is this FAVOUR?” FAVOUR is just one of the attributes of the ALL SUFFICIENT GOD who has made today possible and given me the confidence to face all my tomorrow”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUMMY!!!

Olamiti, a respected journalist writes from Abuja

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