The remains of Sheila, the widow of late foremost education icon, Dr. Tai Solarin was yesterday interred beside her late husband in their Ikenne home after a funeral service which had in attendance eminent personalities from across the country. The interdenominational funeral service was held on an open ground within the Mayflower School, which the late Sheila co-founded with her husband in 1956.

It was presided over by the Presbyter, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Ilishan Circuit, The Very Reverend Joseph Osifuwa. The heavy down pour which preceded the funeral service, however, nearly denied Sheila the full glamour of the day. The funeral programme for Sheila, who died October 21st, 2012, at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo at the age of 88 commenced at exactly 11am.

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Her remains were conveyed to the venue in a grey Mercedes Benz with registration number TOS 9. Eminent personalities from within and outside Nigeria converged on the Ikenne-Remo home of the Solarins to bid their matriach farewell.

They included the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the immediate past governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel, former Ambassador to Netherlands, Ambassador (Mrs.) Tokunbo Awolowo- Dosunmu as well as the Afenifere chieftain, Sir. Olaniwun Ajayi.

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Others were Mrs Bola Obasanjo, the wife of the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Senator Biyi Durojaiye. In his short sermon at the funeral, the presiding Minister, Reverend Joseph Osifuwa admonished the gathering to live a purposeful life worthy of emulation. The cleric emphasised that the gathering was not to mourn but to celebrate the good deeds of the late woman she described as a “woman of many parts.”

Reading from the book of 2nd Timothy 4: 7-8, the man of God charged everybody present to always remember that they would give account of their deeds to God notwithstanding the number of years they spend on earth. Osifuwa, who stressed that Sheila and her husband used their lifetime to serve humanity with all that God endowed them, equally charged those in attendance, particularly those in positions of authority, to use their positions to better the lots of the less privileged in the society.

“She left so many indelible works which people must draw inspiration from. Many come into this world without impacting on those who came in contact with them. “Mama agreed with her husband to fulfil the mission that God gave them by giving qualitative education to thousands of Nigerians.

She contributed positively to the develop-ment of education in Nigeria and for many years to come, we shall continue to appreciate her contribution to the education industry in Ogun State. “Madam Sheila knew the purpose for which she was sent to this world and she fulfilled the purpose. Are you pursuing the purpose of which you are created?

She kept the light and the fire burning many years after the demise of her husband till the end. “She has lived her life. She has made her impact and she is leaving her footprints in the sands of time.

She and her husband have done their part. What will you be remembered for?” the cleric asked. In his remarks, Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who eulogised the late Sheila, said that she was committed to the provision of qualitative education not only in Ogun State, but Nigeria at large. Amosun described the deceased as an icon who built her world around Nigeria. The governor stated that the state government as a mark of respect would build one of the 26 model schools in memory of the late educationist.

“As a non-native, she has endeared herself to the society. She was committed to the provision of qualitative education. The Mayflower School she co-founded with her late husband has continued to stand out among schools in the country.

“She built her world around Nigeria and she served the country with all her might. She is our hero and in honouring her, we have decided to build a model school within the school,” the governor said. Former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel described the late Mrs. Solarin as a disciplinarian who did her best in life. Daniel said the entire world would be better for all to live only if Nigerians could emulate the virtue of late Sheila.

“I want other people to emulate her attitude so that life will be better for all of us,” he said. In his own tribute, Sir Olanihun Ajayi described her as a mother of mothers and a rare breed. “She was a mother of mothers. Sheila made her mark.

We hardly can say anything about her without mentioning her late husband, Tai. They were a rare breed. They came, they saw and they conquered.”
http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/saturday-mirror/living/sheila-solarin-goes-home/