Apapa Council Renames Park Lane after Awo’s Daughter

30 Dec 2011

By Omololu Ogunmade

Chairman of Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State, Hon. Joseph Ayodeji, Thursday, renamed the popular Park Lane in Apapa GRA after the deceased daughter of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Otunba Ayodele Olubusola Soyode. Mrs. Soyode passed on early in the year at the age of 67.

While explaining the rationale behind naming the street after her, the chairman said one of the greatest achievements that an Apapa Local Government chairman can record “is to name a street after a virtuous woman.”

According to him, the original plan was to name the street after the first Premier of the Western Region and father of the late Soyode, Awolowo, whom he said also lived on the same street like his daughter while he was alive.

He added, however, that qualities displayed by the deceased and the numerous contributions she made to the development of Apapa Local Government made her worthy to have the street named after her.

“She embraced all of us. She didn’t discriminate. She was always involved in community activities. She would go out during environmental sanitation to talk to people. The street is being renamed after her in recognition of the contributions she made to this area. During environmental sanitation, she would give out food to people,” he recalled.

While responding to the gesture, Soyode’s son, Oladipupo, said the family was very delighted to be so honoured, adding that words were inadequate to convey their happiness to the chairman.

While eulogising his mother, he said: “We know what roads are; we know what roads stand for in the forest; we know what roads are in the cities. It connects people. It leads to progress. It leads to development, openness, that was what our mother stood for in her life time,” he said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/apapa-council-renames-park-lane-after-awo-s-daughter/106091/