Did You Know?
The origin of the popular Yoruba cliche; 'sebi otimo,elewa Sapon' is neither mythical nor,a coinage.It is a nickname.There was a beans seller in Abeokuta called,''Sebi otimo Elewa Sapon'' which connotatively translates to ''cut your coat according to your cloth,like the Sapon beans seller''.Sapon is one of the popular streets in Abeokuta,Ogun and no doubt,this woman has made the stre...et popular across the south-west.Madam Amudat Janeth Ewusi Odesola was born in 1925 and went to Methodist Primary School,Ijoko before she started trading.Interestingly,this woman was hawking fish before she forayed into selling cooked beans in 1951.She excelled in the business such that dignitaries in the town including the then king patronised her and her fame spread beyond Abeokuta through some journalists who were among her numerous customers.
Interestingly,the nick;Sebi otimo was given to her by her customers because she only sold one big pot of beans per day,she did not cook extra.So,when people asked her why she didn't cook more beans,she would reply;''mo se bi motimo ni'' meaning; 'I'm cutting my coat according to my cloth'.That was how the name became a household name such that she had no choice than to adopt it as brand name.
Sadly,she stopped the business in 1995 after 44 years when faced with frustration from her immediate younger sister as she claimed.This woman only helped her sister's daughter who was battling with child delivery problem but her sister took it for something else, they accused her of witchcraft and fetishism.The same set of people she helped when she was rich.Life became miserable for her,she sold her only house for 1994 for #20,000 in order to survive but all seems to still not be well with this woman as she now leaves in rented apartment in Abeokuta.At 88,she has no strength to work and she is begging for help from well meaning Nigerians to help her clear her hospital bill and help her with funds for her upkeep.She was sent packing from her father's house so,she now lives in a rented apartment which she cannot afford to pay the rent when due.
Enikeni ti iwo ba ni pa lati se iranlowo fun un...

eeyah

Doesn't she have children? At 88, her children ought to be taking care of her. No offence meant, just asking.

mamaoge:
Doesn't she have children? At 88, her children ought to be taking care of her. No offence meant, just asking.

I doubt the authenticity of the story .

See another version of the story here
http://omoodua.com.ng/archive/elewa_sapon_story.php

Alepa:
I doubt the authenticity of the story .
See another version of the story here http://omoodua.com.ng/archive/elewa_sapon_story.php

Confirm from BBC https://www.bbc.com/yoruba/afrika-46423374

fam24:



Confirm from BBC
https://www.bbc.com/yoruba/afrika-46423374

What a beautiful SOUL... reading through your diary, especially the good side of scd makes me see you more special, keep fighting you are a survival.

OkoAnike:



What a beautiful SOUL... reading through your diary, especially the good side of scd makes me see you more special, keep fighting you are a survival.

Thank you