₦airaland Forum

Mrs. Lucy Onabanjo, widow of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, Second Republic governor of Ogun State, will  be 90 years   old tomorrow. Even at old age, her skin  still shines and  eyes  see clearly,  though with glasses. Her  voice remains strong. She is smart and alert to the environment.

The nonagerian shared with Sunday Vanguard the story of her life before and after she met her husband, a prolific writer who wrote a popular column under the sobriquet, Aiyekooto.
She explained why she cast her vote for President Muhammadu Buhari during the last elections despite his headship of the military regime that jailed her husband after soldiers sacked the Second Republic civilian administration in 1983.
Mrs. Onabanjo, who fielded questions at her Fidipote Street, Ijebyu-Ode residence, also spoke on  preparations for her 90th birthday.


On October 26, you are going to be 90. How do   you feel?


At 90, I feel healthy and beautiful and cute, no problem. I am well.  I enjoy everything, my food,   children, not much different from when I was 70, 80 I am still alert.


How was  childhood,  growing up like?


Not too tough. I grew up in a family of about 25 sisters and brothers.  I am about the last child   of  my father. My father was a rich man, he married about 15 wives. At the time I was born, my father was a bit old. So I went to Lagos with one of my sisters.  That time my father couldn’t afford to send about five of us to school because he was old and there wasn’t much money. All our elder sisters and brothers were married  and had left the family house. So the five of us had to depend on our mother. The first child of my mother took me to Lagos, and sent me to St Mary’s (Catholic) Convent School. I attended the school up to Standard Six. Standard  Six of those days was   like the university of today. After studying there, I applied to be a nurse at Lantoro in Abeokuta. And they said I couldn’t be a nurse but a good teacher.  So, I went to St. Agnes Teacher Training College in Broad Street to  train as a teacher.


How old were you when you met your late husband?


You have to do the subtraction, because I don’t put any thing in mind. But, he died 25 years ago, you can subtract that from my age.


How did you meet him?


I taught in Lagos, about three schools, all Catholic. I taught in Zaria. After that, I came   back to Lagos where I went to St. Agnes Teacher College.  After that, I got married. I was still living with my sister whose husband also had a nephew staying with us. At that time, my late husband was at Baptist   Academy in Lagos, and this nephew of my sister’s husband also went to the   school; so, that was how   we met through the nephew. It was not only him then, I had many other suitors, educated ones. Through the intervention of the nephew, many things happened and we got married.

Being trained by nuns, did you ever consider not getting married?


They were there   to educate us in the   way of the Lord. I never thought of not getting married.
What attracted you to your  husband?
He was very brilliant; he spoke queen’s English. That attracted me   to him . And that time I wasn’t a baby, I too had ego. At that time, you couldn’t be in school and say you are walking around with boys.


How was life as the wife of a journalist?

The Lord has made me a contented person; I didn’t have friends even among the teachers in the schools where I taught. All I was concerned with was ‘Good Morning ma’, and ‘good morning sir’, and everybody would go his way. Because I was a contented person, being married to a journalist was nothing to me. He was a good husband, but I hardly enjoyed his company.

When   we were in Lagos, he was in the North  writing about corruption in the government of the day. If he leaves Zaria today, he will go to Sokoto or somewhere else tomorrow. He knew everywhere in Nigeria at the tip of his fingers. He was hardly at home, but the Lord gave me good children; so they were always with me. I never felt it, if he was around or not. But any time he was around once in a while, we would go on holidays in Cotonou, Accra; that was what   I enjoyed about him.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Onabanjo-Lucy.jpg
•Mrs. Lucy Onabanjo

What was it like being the wife of a governor?


Being a governor under Baba Awolowo at that time meant hardwork. I did not enjoy anything as the wife of a governor. When my husband won the election and Papa Awolowo was denied the presidency, I went to Mama Awolowo at Park Lane, Lagos to ask her to pray for us because things would have been easier if Papa Awolowo had been president and my husband as governor – my husband was not prayerful but had a good heart and loved his people.


Did you regret marrying a journalist?


I never complained about him. He had so many trials as governor, because the powers-that-be never liked   him.  He was Awolowo’s  favourite, going from place to place so that Baba could   win the 1979 and 1983 presidential  election. So, I stood by him. I prepared his  food myself. I never allowed any house keeper to cook for him because I knew  he was not a healthy man and he was always thinking    about Nigeria.


Life without Baba, how has it been?


I am   a Christian. I have Christ. Life   without   him is     not very difficult because, when he was alive, as I told you, he was  always very busy. One day, I did not know the military will strike to truncate the Second Republic, I asked him, ‘when we finish this assignment in Ogun Govt House, where   will we   go   next? Lagos or Ijebu?’He said  Ijebu  where we were born and grew up. I agreed.  At that time, I wanted   a small bungalow with plenty of   flowers and  grass at the back.

I am   satisfied with what God has done for   me. Most of the time now, I go to church;  once in a while, I go to Lagos for medical check up.  I was not seeing my husband regularly when he was alive. So what is the difference? Since he passed on, I put my trust in my God and He is always with me.


How do you feel seeing the leader of the   military regime that jailed your husband as President now?


During the  last elections, I voted for Buhari because I knew he will bring change  to   this county, he will fight corruption. That era, which saw him jailing my husband, has  passed;  it was left to him and   Idiagbon to ponder in their minds and  to decide whether what they did was right. After  the   jail issue, Idiagbon died. I wish Buhari  well.


How do you want to be remembered?


That a little child was born  in Ijebu-Ode, that her   name was Mrs. Lucy Adebowale Onabanjo, that the married a journalist and had four children; one died, and, after that, she spent the remaining  part of  her life in happiness because she had trust    in the Lord while believing in  good   health and  neighbourliness. People  should   remember that my reward was on earth.  I never waited for the reward in heaven. I   am going straight to heaven and not looking for any reward in heaven,I   have already got one.

Do you encourage your children to venture into politics?


None of them is interested in politics . I have two girls   and two boys.  I told you the   fourth   girl died; she did a little bit of politics   because she loved   talking.


What is your message for widows?


I won’t compare Nigeria with other countries. People always talk about America. That country (America) is well established and provides for her people. The situation is different in Nigeria. Our widows  should try to lay their hands on something, petty trading if they don’t want to re-marry; they  shouldn’t be begging but if government is willing to give them succour, that will be nice. But, in Nigeria, government  is not doing anything for any widow.


How are you preparing for your birthday?


I will go to church and thank God for being merciful to me. I will dance. I am   a good dancer, but as I grow old, I no longer  dance well. I  have told my daughter to get somebody to come and massage my   legs so  that I can dance on my 90th birthday. Ask  my priest  on  the   best dancer and he will tell you her name   is Mrs. Onabanjo. There is a small event centre   near the   church, that’s where we will go for  reception. We will eat and talk. If I show you the program  pamphlet   for the church service,   you will be surprised.    I don’t leave room for tributes. I don’t want anybody to write any tribute  for me anybody who knows me well that I love most are rhymes, simple Halleluya hymns.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/10/lucy-bisi-onabanjo-i-voted-for-buhari-despite-jailing-my-husband/

Lalasticlala

That's a true heart of forgiveness. God bless her this beautiful Sunday




Though I'll have to add that u were scammed believing in the change mantra.

This is a wise woman. Unlike some that will say they can't forgive Buhari for jailing their father, husband or relative. If you can forgive these people for being corrupt, why can't you forgive Buhari for doing the needful.

Right or not Buhari has no time to ponder on that. Your husband whom the wrong was done to may not be proud of you if he were to be alive today.

Still looking great

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Patriotic Mama.. Having to put the country first in situations like this is not easy. Happy Birthday in advance.

She's a true Christian who upholds the tenent of the Christian faith which is love and forgiveness, unlike those crying about heresay injustice done to them from ages they were not even born. These same set of people are the first to attend morning mass, go for confession, conduct serial home worship cell and beat band around inviting us to come for crusade,they will even named their business outfit after God, yet they harbours within them deep hatred and unforgiving spirit.
"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies"- Nelson Mandela

Why tell us?

Thank you ma. You ll always be remembered for this.

Lalasticlala, ishilove, this old woman should be celebrated.

These are the words of wisdom our youths should heed to. mama. God bless you.

Waiting dis one dey talk self

GOATandYAMtheory:
Thank you ma. You ll always be remembered for this.
Lalasticlala, ishilove, this old woman should be celebrated.

During the last elections, I voted for Buhari because I knew he will bring change to this county, he will fight corruption.
Everybody knows this, even AU but the wailers will surely find a way to turn the obvious truth around... Anyways "Happy mourning" to all wailers ... Wike down lets see how many states PDP will hold on to by 2019



Lol and Wike bows to the LION Of ND, the only MINISTER of COMMON SENSE

Sai Baba

To forgive is Devine

Good one from her.
Nobody is perfect.
Among Nigeria politicians Buhari is the upright one.

In a nutshell
U self enter one chance..

It simply shows how useless GEJ and his Team were.

Mtchewwwww, make we come do wetin nahhh

All Gunners For Life!

Aufbauh:
She's a true Christian who upholds the tenent of the Christian faith which is love and forgiveness, unlike those crying about heresay injustice done to them from ages they were not even born. These same set of people are the first to attend morning mass, go for confession, conduct serial home worship cell and beat band around inviting us to come for crusade,they will even named their business outfit after God, yet they harbours within them deep hatred and unforgiving spirit.
"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies"- Nelson Mandela

Ok I hear

Make buhari appointed her as minister

delta234:
Mtchewwwww, make we come do wetin nahhh

K

ok

Aufbauh:
She's a true Christian who upholds the tenent of the Christian faith which is love and forgiveness, unlike those crying about heresay injustice done to them from ages they were not even born. These same set of people are the first to attend morning mass, go for confession, conduct serial home worship cell and beat band around inviting us to come for crusade,they will even named their business outfit after God, yet they harbours within them deep hatred and unforgiving spirit.
"Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies"- Nelson Mandela

True word. They are not true Christians but church goers.

CR77:
Waiting dis one dey talk self

Are you gay? Why are you stalking me

Oh.

As if I care about your reason. We all know idiabon her husband was actually a thief.