•City People Reveals What They Said About Her
Everyone calls her Mummy Omotayo. Mama is the founder of Omotayo Maternity Home. Dame Moyofore Eunice Kayode was born in Dec 6 1940 in Ipetu. Obokun local government. Origin of lIare. Daughter of late Mr Paul Oguntoyinbo Fakande and late Alice Lola Fakande. She is 1 of 6 children. Born into a Methodist Church family She started her primary school education in lIare and finished in Bukuru, Jos, Plateau State.
She went to Methodist girls school in Ilesha. After her secondary school education, she started her general nursing training at Wesley Guild Hospital. After completion, she did her post-registration midwifery training. On completion, she started working as a midwife in Wesley Guild Hospital. She met her late husband Chief Samuel Olusegun-Kayode- Adededeji around 1960. They got married on August 1 1968 in Ibadan. She worked at St Mary’s Hospital Eleta Ibadan until she resigned in 1975/76. She started her own maternity-Omotayo Maternity in 1976. The business is now 45 years. She was given an award- MFR by President Sheu Shagari for her enormous contribution to maternal and child health in Ibadan. She is a committed member of the Methodist Church, especially Oke-Ado Branch.
She is also a Knight of John Wesley She retired in 2012 at the age of 71. She loved playing football right from primary school and a die-hard fan of ICC shooting stars. She watched live football at the Stadium until her late 50’s. She loves playing the piano. Loves listening to Christian music. She loved taking pictures. She lost her husband in April 2013. She has 4 children and many grandchildren. She is a very family-oriented woman. Selfless and extremely hard working. She is blessed with good health. That, we cannot thank God enough for.
WURA IYEBIYE. ORISA MI!!
I am very pleased to write this. Mummy can read it . Not just mine, a lot by families and friends.Alive and well. I am persuaded that Dec 6 will be a birthday that mummy will remember for the rest of her very long life. I am the first child of 4. Daddy and mummy told me many of their life struggles I am glad they shared them! I sweat a lot. As in, sweat drips like water!! As a baby I will not sleep at night because of the heat Mummy said she felt on top of the world the day they bought a portable electric fan just because of me. whenever NEPA took light my parents took turns to fan me manually. While one was
asleep the other was fanning me. I have thanked my parents severally for this. Mummy, I still sweat a lot and each time I do, my soul thanks you. What a sacrifice- if I no sleep my mother no go sleep. She no dey tire!! My upbringing was a very tough one. Mummy and my late dad were disciplinarians in the strictest sense of the word. Mo ma jegba o!!!! I took the role of taking responsibility for my 3 siblings right from our primary school. Cooking, laundry …. everything!! I started pounding yam before my toth birthday. Pounding yam was daily .Mummy and daddy had Iyan for lunch daily!! My 2 brothers pounded yam and of course our baby Temitope. I guess this came naturally. I washed my parents bathroom daily!! I spent some of my summer vacation with my Aunty Bose Tayo. Aunty Bose will pick me at Bodija International School on the last day of the session ‘.1 think I usually stayed with her until September. Funke arrived. Mummy said “Bose ma need a lot of help so, Peju you’ll be there often. That was the way it was. It was fun and quite an experience for me.
Back to home setting I called my 3 siblings one day in tears and told them that I am persuaded that mummy and my late dad were not my biological parents. Someone must have given me to them as a gift. I went on further and told them that it was impossible to make your own child OMOODO.
I never knew my siblings would tell our parents. Theydid!! My parents called me and asked me if what Seyi, Dipo and Tope said was true. I replied, yes. Daddy said, “Mama Peju, iwo ni ko fun omo ni lesi”. Mummy replied “Peju, to ba ni awa Ko la bi e, awa
Ko na ni. “and they both said get out of our room”. Case closed. That was it until Dec 6 1996 on our wedding engagement when I insisted that I got a slot to speak. On my knees, I thanked my parents for being bringing me up in such a very strict way. It paid off. Mummy, I want to thank you again today. Ese gan ni.
Whenever we were beaten with pankere or Koboko, we had to say Thank you. Mummy was hardworking, selfless, respectful, hardworking, God fearing, leader, role model. Mummy has an excellent sense of humour. Mummy is pleasantly troublesome. No dull moment with her. Mummy does not complain. Extremely adaptable. She goes with the flow. Her simplicity is out of this world. Ariwo o se. Empty barrel lasan lasan lo ma hun pariwo. Hmmmmm, my mother does not joke with her in-laws especially my late maternal grandmother. I saw all she did. I am proud to say that this reflected in my relationship with my late mother in law Mrs Omoladun Agunbiade. Mummy, thank you for preparing me for marriage. The relationship between my mother and my husband is such that brings a smile to my face every time they interact. My husband, Mr Oluseyi Agunbiade connects with my mother in a very special way. This means a lotto me. Mummy, e se o. Thank you for preparing me for this tough life!!
On Omotayo Maternity- mummy’s 5th child. Mummy’s last born!! She laboured!! She does not joke with Omotayo. She called Omotayo her “Oko gari! Thank you for believing in me to inherit Omotayo.”Wura mi, it remains an honour that I inherited Omotayo Maternity. It feels natural for me. Despite the challenges of keeping the business going, I am persuaded that I was conceived for this noble profession. No doubt about it.
Mummy mi, please continue to pray for me because I am still trying to fit into your shoes. Tears falling as to type this. Mummy, it has not been easy being the first child but thank you for teaching me how to deal with Oluseyi, Baba and Temitope. I also want to seize this opportunity to thank them for accepting me. “Sister” that is what they call me! Emi Olapeju with so many flaws but loved and accepted. Mummy, we disagree a lot, we fight a lot. But mummy, as you are getting older, we are getting closer. I am smiling.
Thank you mummy for bringing us up so well. We did not lack anything!! Nothing!! Mama Peju. Ese gan ni o. E ku Ito ju wa. A mo ni oore o. Mama Peju, mo ma sanjo loruko Jesu. Eunice Moyoforeoluwa Ilove you. I wish you a very happy birthday. Mummy, I refused to write a tribute for and about daddy when he passed on. Fun kini na? Can a dead person read? As you read this, I want you to be rest assured
that you will live Long o. Mummy you will not die until we are persuaded that we have taken good care of you. Eo ni rare o, Oju yin 0 ni Ribi o. E shi ma jeun OMO o. OMO na kuku ni Oruko ti daddy yin so yin. Once again ,wura mi, orisa mi, happy birthday to you.
Olapeju Agunbiade
Celebrating Mummy at 80.
Mummy, thank you for your love and wisdom. I cherish the relationship we have. May you celebrate more birthdays in good health.
Yourson
Oluseyi Agunbiade
Happy Birthday to you Mummy. I appreciate God for granting you long life and health. I celebrate you for the sacrifices you have made over the years to improve the lives of family and friends. Your commitment to the church and the healthcare profession is commendable. Most significantly, thank you for raising us with love and virtue. You have been an exemplary wife and mother. Wishing you many more’ wonderful years!!!.
Oladipo Kayode- Adedeji
TRIBUTE FROM DIMEJI KAYODE-ADEDEJI
If I should start writing about Mummy, I will turn out as an author with a whole book on her, because mummy to me is a mother in a million. Mummy is a God sent. I am saying this because I have opportunity to leave with her, and I am saying this publicly that my staying with her, is blessings for me.
Honestly, I don’t regret, even for a second to have lived with her, because she is always up and doing in making sure we are comfortable. Mummy to me is a mother every child would want to have as a mother. In the course of my staying with her I learnt number of good lessons, which include; need to be caring, loving and showing affection, as well as putting smiles on faces of people.
I am a beneficiary of those gestures, I emulate these, and it is working for me till date. Mummy is my benefactor, and I want to say this publicly, whatever successes and achievements I have in life, all those achievements cannot be detached from Mummy, because she was and still there for me, and am happy about this. I will continue to pray for longetivity and sound health for her. Mummy you have worked hard in making life meaningful for us, and God grace you will continued to reap fruits of your labour. Mummy, I love you, I love you, I love you. Once again happy birthday
Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji
Grandma, thank u for accepting me as your daughter, you stopped work the day triplets were born and has been our support ever since. E pe fun wa loruko jesu Happy birthday ma
Oluwakemi Kayode -Adedeji
Mama, I am unable to put In words all I have to say or express. I want to thank you for your sacrifice and unending love to all of us your children but most especially Kemi, Ireoluwa,Oreoluwa and Ooreoluwa. Ori Idobale ni mo wa. E ma pe fun wa . Mo ma sanjo. Happy birthday mama. Love you very much.
Mr Oluseyi Kayode-Adedeji
Mama at Bo!!! I feel blessed to have a mother like you. Mother with a very very large heart. A fountain of wisdom. Mama I pray that God continues to grant you good health. You sacrificed so much for us to ensure we got the best in everything. Mama, I want you to enjoy this day to the fullest. Mummy, you know I love you very much.
Your Temitope
I met Mummy Eunice Kayode for the first time in 1990. Funny enough, not in her clinic at Oke Ado area but in a place I consider to be odd- Adamasigba Stadium. She came to watch Shooting Stars Football match against the defunct International Brewery Ltd (IBL), lIesa. What arose my curiosity as a journalist was her gentle analysis of the game, mentioning the names of players on both sides including the key positions they play on the field in her gentle voice. Her predictions of the game on that day, her love and passion for football in general were too amassing. Conducting an interview for her much later in her hospital was with great delight. She volunteered to conduct some primary health checks on me and thereafter offered some basic advise on food and exercises I must do on daily basis. My visit thereafter became a routine until I relocated to London in 1995. Later in life when I met her children in London, it was then I realised that the attitude of care and concern for humanity runs in the family, it is indeed the combination of home training and hereditary. Mummy is the mother of all, her biological children knows this which is the reason for our presence here today to jointly celebrate a woman of virtue at Bo. While wishing Mummy happy birthday, it is my prayer that the rest of her life will be the best. Mummy wa, e jeun omo pe. Happy celebration ma.
Prince Diran Odeyemi
A Journalist and PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary
Tribute for Mummy Omotayo. I was born at Omotayo Hospital 40+ years ago. From the story my father told me he said I was part of the first set of babies given birth to at Omotayo Hospital. He even told me that if not for mama Omotayo I might not have been born alive because my mother’s labour was so long and was very worrying but with the help of God and mama Omotayo my mum was able to put to bed successfully without a cesarean operation. Now that am a father I am happy to say that my wife delivered in Omotayo Hospital too. My children were delivered by Aunty Peju. The last one was Nov 20 2021. Happy Both birthday Mummy
Omotayo.
QS Olusegun Ogunyemi (MNIQS).
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