"She was everything to me. When I was a toddler, I was so sickly, and it got to a stage that people advised her to throw this baby away. But her love and compassion made her nurture me until adulthood. God Almighty answered her prayers, and I survived."

Iyiola Oladokun, a former deputy governor of Oyo State, has a remarkable story of survival. As a toddler, he was so sickly that people advised his late mother, Mrs Alice Oladokun, to abandon him. But instead of giving up, Mrs Oladokun chose to nurture him with love and compassion, and Oladokun credits his survival to her unwavering faith and care.

Mrs Oladokun, who died at the age of 101 in February this year, was a beer seller and a socialite in their community. According to Oladokun, his mother was a generous and accommodating person who welcomed anyone he introduced to her as a friend. She also sacrificed her social life to ensure he received a good education.

"She sacrificed her social life for my education to the extent that whenever she was invited to social events, she would simply say, 'I will join you later.' I give glory to God because she eventually returned to her social life, and God sustained her until her last day," Oladokun said.

Oladokun, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, spoke about his late mother at her burial service in Ado-Awaye, Oyo State. He commended her for the values she instilled in him, which he believes have contributed to his success.

"You see the kind of personality I became, as well as the values reflected in my wife and children. This is a reflection of the life Mama lived during her 101 years," Reverend Edward Alabi of Molete Baptist Church, Ibadan, said in his tribute.

Oladokun also expressed hope that the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area would soon regain their freedom. He believes that God Almighty will intervene and grant freedom to everyone in captivity so they can reunite with their families in good health.

Key Facts

  • Iyiola Oladokun was advised by people to be abandoned as a toddler due to his sickly state.
  • His mother, Mrs Alice Oladokun, chose to nurture him with love and compassion, and credits her survival to her unwavering faith and care.
  • Mrs Oladokun died at the age of 101 in February this year.
  • She was a beer seller and a socialite in their community.
  • Oladokun credits his success to the values his mother instilled in him.