It was one burial that shook Lagos a few days ago. It was the burial of Mrs. Elizabeth Modupeola Adetunji (nee Wilhelm). She died at 87.
The children of Mama gave their mum a befitting burial. The burial rites started on Saturday, 15th October 2022 with the Family Remembrance Day, which was for family members only. The Christian Wake-Keep/Evening of Tributes followed on Wednesday 19th October, 2022 at the Anglican Church of Nativity, Parkview, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The Funeral Service was on same church and this was followed by Reception at Harbour Print Event Centre in Victoria Island. The burial was a colourful event as both the children of the deceased and their guests wore lovely colours, all shades of Lilac, Purple and Magenta.
Mrs. Modupeola Elizabeth Adetunji (nee Wilhelm) was fondly called Sister Mi and Granny Babes. She was born on April 22nd 1935 to the family of Pa. Edmund Mofolorunsho Wilhelm and Madam Esther Dolapo Wilhelm (both deceased).
She was a native of Isale Ake Abeokuta and came from the lineage of the great Pa. Andrew Dasaolu Wilhelm, who served as the interpreter for the renowned Reverend Henry Townsend, an influential English Christian Missionary who went across various African countries and eventually settled amongst the Yoruba people in Abeokuta towards the second half of the 19th century. The tremendous support of Pa. Dasaolu Wilhelm led to the construction of the first church in Nigeria called, ‘The Cathedral Church of St. Peters, Ake Abeokuta’.lt is therefore no surprise at all that, throughout her lifetime, Mrs Adetunji (nee Wilhelm) remained a strong woman of prayer- a covenant that had been established in the family for many generations.
She was the first of four children and had other siblings namely: Late Mr. Olufemi Wilhelm; Mr. Sunday Wilhelm; and the baby of the house, who is now herself a grandmother, Mrs.lyabo Oshiba. She spent part of her early years living with her paternal grandmother in Abeokuta where she attended the Abeokuta Girls’ Secondary Modern School (now referred to as Abeokuta Girls’ Grammar School). Rumour has it that, the young Miss Wilhelm (as she then was) was admitted to St. Anne’s School in Ibadan but her grandmother, whom she lived with at that time, admonished her saying, ‘Duro si bi ti ba e fi e si’ (which means, ‘stay where your father has placed you’). In those days, the fath was akin to an emperor and his words were feared. For that reason, Miss Wilhelm conti ued at the Abeokuta Girls’ Secondary Modern School.
Legend stories also have it that, in her early years, Miss Wilhelm celebrated her birthdays every Easter Monday, regardless of the date Easter Monday fell on. This was because her grandmother, who was an illiterate woman, only remembered that she was born on a date that happened to be an Easter Monday. And so, every Easter Monday was her birthday for as long as she lived with her grandmother. Yet, she had such fond memories of her early years with her grandmother. Later on, her mother, Madam Dolapo Wilhelm, moved her to live in Lagos, and she was then told that her birthday was April 22nd.
Upon her return to Lagos, Miss Wilhelm got enrolled at the Aunty Ayo Girls Modern Academy Ikoyi, a school founded by the formidable Mrs. T.A Manuwa in 1946. She thereafter proceeded, on her father’s instructions, to the Government Teacher Training College, lIesha, Osun State (now known as the Federal Science and Technical College), where she obtained a Grade II and III teaching certificate. Regrettably, the government has now scrapped teacher training colleges, following the adoption of a policy stipulating that the National Certificate in Education (NCE) be the lowest teaching qualification in Nigeria. Much to her dismay, Mrs Adetunji never got an opportunity to obtain a university degree, despite the fact that she was extremely brilliant. Till her last days, she recited off hand, quotes from Shakespeare novels verbatim and vividly recalled events and dates as far back as her early years. In those days, it was more usual for parents to invest more in the male child. Nonetheless, the Lord God compensated her greatly because the heights she could not attain, in that she was limited by lack of opportunities, she went on to surpass them through her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Today, her children and grandchildren have university degrees obtained from some of the most prestigious universities in the world.
The young Miss Wilhelm later got married to the love of her life, Late Mr. Adepoju Akanni Adetunji on September 5, 1963. Despite the circumstances, her husband remained ‘her Tunji as she never took off her wedding band as a sign of complete loyalty and commitment to him. Mr. Adetunji was from the royal lineage of the Adetunji family in Ibadan, Oyo State. He was an extremely charming, free-spirited, party-loving and sweet-talking gentleman, who had the gift of the gab to sweep any woman off her feet, as he did to the then Miss Wilhelm whom he fondly called ‘darling’. He was the Sole Administrator of lIesha Local Government in the Military regime. He had the power, fame and authority of today’s State Governor. He loved the finer things of life. The marriage produced four children namely: Mrs. Olayinka Ogunde, a formidable media and PR consultant, who has pioneered ground-breaking changes in the Education sector and is highly regarded as the doyen of education marketing in Nigeria; Ms. Folashade Adetunji, the first Nigerian female to obtain a First Class from the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos and who later went on to study at the University of Cambridge and Harvard University respectively; Engineer Segun Adetunji, a well-respected civil and structural engineer who has worked on various construction projects within and outside Nigeria; and Mr. Olumide Adetunji, a successful lawyer who is currently the General Counsel and Executive Director (Legal) of a Crown Corporation in Canada.
With her Grade II and III teaching certificate, Mrs Adetunji had a thriving teaching career. She taught at various primary schools including: St. Jude’s Anglican Primary School, Ebute-Metta; African Church Princess Girls School, Abule -Oja, Yaba and Otapete Methodist School, lIesha Osun State. She was the Headmistress of Hoare’s Memorial Primary School, Yaba. She was the first Headmistress of the Adekunle Anglican Primary School, Makoko and later retired in December 1993. In fact, she gave the school its name, Adekunle Anglican Primary School, which it bears till date, and also set up the school, supported by her younger colleagues, Mrs. Akinbo, Mr. Sowale and other persons.
She was a diligent and disciplined woman of integrity – in fact, rumour has it that her husband would jokingly tell her then that, ‘you are too honest for my liking’. In spite of the great difficulties she encountered raising four (4) children singlehandedly (with the help Of God and her loving parents), she remained steadfast in her values. She was not ashamed to move back, with her four (4) children, into her parents’ home in Bariga, so she could save on housing costs. The home in Bariga holds several memories because it was there that she raised her four (4) children, who have all become successful, from her meagre income as a primary school teacher. Despite having public funds at her disposal as a Headmistress, there was not a single time she diverted same for her personal use – so many testimonies from her colleagues whom she worked with at that time corroborate this fact.
Her life was also one of constant sacrifice and forgiveness. She never owned any luxuries- in fact, she never built a house and neither did she own a car. While her other colleagues bought cars from the car loans given by the Nigerian government then, Mrs. Adetunji chose to invest the car loans into her children’s welfare and education. She chose to decrease that her children might increase. She understood that her purpose in life was not to acquire material things but to birth and sacrificially nurture a generation that would go on to do greater exploits. She did not have much, but she gave all. She gave not only to her children but also impacted and touched the lives of many around her.
The love of her life, ‘her Tunji’, eventually came back into her life, decades after, when all the children were grown and independent. He was still as charming but a lot more sober and older. She forgave him wholeheartedly and never harboured any iota of bitterness against him. She ensured that her children took care of all his needs till he died and also gave him a befitting burial in Ibadan.
And now in death are these scriptures fulfilled – ‘Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof and ‘The Glory of the Latter House shall be greater than of the Former’. A journey that started with one young girl from Isale Ake Abeokuta, navigating through the challenges of life as a primary school teacher and single mother of four (4) children living in Bariga, ended so gloriously on September 3rd 2022, in the arms of her children in Lekki Lagos State – which coincided with the birthday of her son, Mr. Oluwemimo Ogunde SAN, thereby, cementing his place as the first born of the family.
In the end, she lacked nothing. Indeed, her life is a testament to the fact that a person who fears the Lord, it is she that will be praised. Praise the Lord!
