[size=14pt]Awo’s daughter, Ayo Soyode dies at 66[/size]

Monday, 11 April 2011


Otunba Ayodele Olubusola Soyode, one of the children of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is dead. Otunba Soyode, who died early Sunday morning during a brief illness at the age of 66, was survived by her husband, Mr Tayo Soyode and three children, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, Mr Ladipo Soyode and Dr Femi Soyode and many grandchildren. She attended UMC Demonstration School, Ibadan; St. Annes School, Ibadan; she also attended Ibadan Grammar School, for her higher school certificate (HSC). She earned her first degree from University of Exceter, United Kingdom in 1968 and later proceeded to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where she studied Law. She was called to the Bar in 1974.



Otunba Soyode was partner and later principal partner of Obafemi Awolowo and Co.

Her many awards and chieftaincy titles include First Otunba Obinrin Liyangu Ruling House, Sagamu, Iyalode of Obafemi Awolowo Memorial Anglican Church, Ikenne, Matron of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apapa, Lagos state, and was for many years a Sides Lady at Our Saviours Anglican Church, Ikenne-Remo.

Among important dignitaries that have paid condolence visits to the Ikenne residence of sage were Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, Olori Abosede Sonariwo, the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of Tribune newspapers titles, Reverend Sam Adesua, and Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

Sir Olaniwun Ajayi wrote in the condolence register that, “May God, the Most High comfort Mama and all other bereaved. Eni ehin ko ni saaju mo, Amin,” Olori Sonariwo wrote, “Hun! What a deep loss. May her gentle soul rest in peace”, while Reverend Adesua wrote that “God gives and takes away. Glory be to His holy name. The management and staff of African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc will miss this great and loving director. May her gentle soul rest eternally with her Saviour”

Chief Ayo Adebanjo wrote, “May God, the great comforter be with Awo dynasty at this hour of great sorrow. Ao nii rinatehinwa mo. May the soul of Ayo rest in peace.”

Oyo state governor, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, while condoling with Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, husband of the deceased, Tayo and children and the entire Awolowo family on he death of one of them, prayed that God would comfort them.

Reacting through his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Prince Dotun Oyelade, Alao-Akala described the deceased as a gentle lady who would be missed by all for her contributions to humanity.

Reacting, Chief Ebenezer Babatope said: “I am shocked and bewildered at the news of the death of Mrs Ayo Soyode, the daughter of the late sage, Papa Obafemi Awolowo.

”She was a woman who stood by the political principles and ideals of her late father. Ayo never wavered in her beliefs in the supreme welfare of the poor people of Nigeria. I sincerely mourn with Mama HID Awolowo on this tragic loss. I commiserate with our father, Mr Tayo Soyode, the husband of the deceased and the good children she left behind. She was a kind-hearted woman. May her soul rest in peace.”

Nigerian Tribune carries a black masthead today because of the painful loss of our invaluable Director, Otunba Ayodele Soyode, who passed on early yesterday.

A Tribute
DEATH, said William Shakespeare, is a necessary end: it will come when it will come. No one has a perfect understanding of the psychology of death, but among the Yoruba, it is, at least, both an inevitable end and a means for the living to learn enduring lessons. The Yoruba value death in a ripe old age, but they are quick to add that it is not the number of one’s years on earth but what one has accomplished in life that is important. And so the Yoruba pray: may death meet us doing good works.

News filtered through, early on Sunday morning, that the Awolowo dynasty had lost one of its shining lights, Otunba Ayodele Olubusola Soyode (Nee Awolowo), one of the children of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The sad and sudden transition threw many into shock, while others refused to accept the reality of the event. The tears have not ceased flowing, but memories of her good deeds, although they have not mellowed the pains of the sudden and sad loss, at least, continue to strengthen the Awolowo family across the nation; staff and management of the African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, publishers of the Tribune titles and all those who knew the woman of substance and the cause she fought all her life.

Otunba Olubusola Soyode, who departed this sinful world early on Sunday morning, at the age of 66 years, is survived by all those who, at one point or the other, interacted with her and continue to mourn her loss; her heartthrob of many years, Mr Tayo Soyode, and three children, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, Mr Ladipo Soyode and Dr Femi Soyode.

We must all return to the earth from which we came, but it is too early to capture the loss. It is when situations arise over which she could have taken charge and changed the story that the deep significance of her sudden departure will begin to dawn on all. However, as the funeral rites continue, everyone continues to say that Mummy Apapa, as she is still fondly called by all, was a woman of soft heart; in fact, so soft that many naturally tended to take advantage of her gentle soul.

Sadly, they say, we shall no longer be able to consult Mama on many of the things that made her the darling of the nation, but we take solace in the fact that she has left behind her own flesh and blood who have not only charted a bright path in life, but have imbibed her culture of care for all and discrimination to none. Mummy Apapa is survived by quality children, and so hers is a fulfilled life.

When fire goes, ash covers its face: it was Mummy Apapa who, as a Principal Partner, kept the Obafemi Awolowo chambers in Apapa, Lagos, alive and alight with the same passion for the downtrodden which drove the sage till he breathed his last. In trying moments, both for the nuclear family and the African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc family, Mummy Apapa, many have continued to say, stood firm and never wavered. She also forgave many their trespasses against her.

After an academic foundation in Ibadan, Mummy Apapa obtained her first degree at the University of Exeter, United Kingdom (UK) in 1968, from where she proceeded to the then University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), where she studied Law. She was called to the Bar in 1974.

A woman of many parts, Otunba Ayodele Olubusola Soyode obtained the unique honour of being the first Otunba Obinrin of the Liyangu Ruling House, Sagamu. A dedicated church woman, she was, for many years, a Sides Lady at Our Saviours Anglican Church, Ikenne. She was also the Iyalode of the Obafemi Awolowo Memorial Anglican Church, Ikenne and Matron of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apapa, Lagos State.

For the Christian, death can have no pride. It cannot reach into the soul. It is merely a means to re-unite with the Lord, who created us for eternal fellowship with Himself. It is this faith in God that is holding the Awolowo and Soyode families at this critical period.

The nation has lost a jewel, but the nation’s loss is heaven’s gain. Those of us who are still breathing should think sober thoughts and make right with our Maker.

There is a lesson in our pain. May Mummy Apapa’s gentle soul rest in the Lord till that day when we shall all rise again, the Resurrection Morning, when death’s prison bars are broken.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/20239-elect-credible-leaders-jonathan-tells-youths

chai !!!!

this is sad indeed

the daughter of such a great person

may Allah grant her eternal peace

m

Musiwa,:

may are soul rest in peace.  Mama may God give you strenght to bear the[b] lost.[/b]

May God give who the strength?. Becomerich no go kill person here.

A parent's worse nightmare is to outlive one of their children. My heart goes out to her mother.

ohhhhh no. soooo sad, not while her mother is still alive.

I dey laugh O!

may her gentle soul rest in peace - amen

when the mama refused to die nko @ 90+

alex101:

I dey laugh O!

What is funny to laugh about? Are you just read that from the papers?

EzeUche:

A parent's worse nightmare is to outlive one of their children. My heart goes out to her mother.

Me too am very sad seeing her mother still alive and yet she is gone. So sad!!

alex101:

I dey laugh O!

Please are you laughing those who are mourning?
Fellow nairalanders it time we begin to check the head of some posters among us.

EzeUche:

A parent's worse nightmare is to outlive one of their children. My heart goes out to her mother.

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

Why not go and kill her and afterwards,you eat her dead body. mumu

May her soul RIP

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

Why don't you arrange to put gamalin20 in her tea.

May her soul rest in peace.

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

Abeg make una no bite me o.i was only offering the woman my two cents.it is better for her to just die than have to bury her children. she is already close to her grave, let her just do the honorable thing and jump inside. or should she wait till she has to bury another child?

May her lovely soul Rest In Perfect Peace. Amen

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

What the hell is wrong with you? I spit on your comment foolish one. A very disgusting comment to say. It is on God's time when someone is ready to go home to meet our ancestors.

rest in peace,

so sad, rip

alex101:

I dey laugh O!

babaowo:

when the mama refused to die nko @ 90+

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

i wonder where some people put their brains when coming to this place _{hisses and walks away}

REST IN PEACE MADAM.

EzeUche:

A parent's worse nightmare is to outlive one of their children. My heart goes out to her mother.

My thought exactly. May God console Mama himself.

babaowo:

when the mama refused to die nko @ 90+

And that justified her burying her daughter? U need ur brain examined.

Tcrack:

the old woman has herself to blame. when she knew she dint want to bury her children, she should have died in time. what is she waiting for anyway? thats what you get when you refuse to die.

You should be taking to Yaba Apa Osi for proper sanity check

My condolence goes to the entire Awolowo family. May God grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss of one them

MAY HER SOUL FIND REST IN THE BOSOM OF HER MAKER.

May her soul rest in peace, Amen.
May God comfort her family in Jesus Name, Amen.

I thought about her mother, HID Awolowo and noticed some coincidences in her life.

1963. Segun Awolowo dies

1987. Obafemi Awolo dies (24 years after the death of their first son)

2011 Ayodele Soyode dies (24 years after the death of her father, and 48 years after Segun.)

is it by suicide like her daddy?

Condolence to the family of our great leader.

This was just forwarded to my phone: Today in Kaduna PDP disbursed N1.9billion in their bid to win saturday presidential election as follows: 1. LGA returning officers N5mil each 2. LGA Admin Sec. N3mil each 3. INEC directors N3mil each 4. All DPOs N500,000 each 5. All SSS LGA N500,000 each 6. Other INEC officials N2mil The monies were disbursed at Malali and U/rimi btw 10am to 1pm by 1. Alh Hussaini Jallo 2. Alh Hamisu Mairago 3. Alh Lawal ismail 4. Alh Mukhtar Yero (Deputy Gov.) PDP have a budget of N3bil per state against saturday election. Kindly inform INEC, EFCC, PRESS and Observers. Pls use ur phone to snap and record all dealings. Protect your vote. Vote Wisely

May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace.

amen.

rip

tcrack must be on crack