The youngest daughter of the late HID
Awolowo, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, said her mother breathed her last
in her arms on Saturday.
She disclosed this on Sunday while talking to journalists at the Ikenne, country home of the Awolowos.
She said her mother’s death was unexpected, stressing that the family was planning her centenary birthday celebration.
Awolowo-Dosunmu told reporters at the
family home in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, that the late business woman was
devoted to God until her death.
Awolowo-Dosunmu,
a former Ambassador of Nigeria to Holland, said that the family was
happy over the accolades her late mother had been receiving following
her passage on Saturday afternoon.
She said her mother impacted positively
on the lives of both the high and the low, promising that her legacy
would be kept by the family.
“She was in high spirits before she left us and didn’t give us room to suspect the contrary as she kept praying for us.
“Whether she had a premonition about her
death, we will never know for sure as she kept singing and praising God.
It was her voice while praying that we heard last.
“That moment was huge and we are glad to receive her final blessings. Mama eventually breathed her last in my arms,’’ she said.
Asked what she would miss most about her mother, Awolowo-Dosunmu said, “I will miss her wise counsel and motherly care.’’
She expressed sadness that the late Mrs. Awolowo could not live to mark her 100th birthday scheduled for November 25.
“This is very sudden for us. If anyone
had told us that Mama would breathe her last yesterday (on Saturday), we
would have argued till thy kingdom come.
“I am still trying to come to terms with
the fact that she’s gone. I feel very disappointed and wished she had
the opportunity to see how much she meant to everyone.
“She was a kind and loving mother. I never thought Mama could leave us so suddenly.
“There was no sign. She attended the
meeting in preparation for her centenary birthday. I was disappointed
that the preparation for her 100th birthday was cut short.”
Asked whether her supposed centenary
birthday coming up on November 25, would be used for her burial
celebration, Awolowo-Dosunmu said the family had yet to decide on the
format or the day she would be buried.
No comments:
Post a Comment