It has been a year since the death of Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, the wife of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. To mark the first year anniversary, the Awolowo family organised a lecture and inaugurated the advisory council of the HID Awolowo Foundation. LEKE SALAUDEEN was there.
Nigerians from all walks of life converged on Ikenne, Ogun State, last week for the first year remembrance of the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief HID Awolowo who died on September 19, 2015. HID had remained relevant in Nigeria politics because of her loyalty and dedication that sustained the political vision of her spouse – the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. She was always there for Awo through good times and turbulent periods.
She did so not only by ensuring happy, loving and peaceful home but also by active participation in political campaigns and activities. Indeed, she contested the 1964 Federal elections as the Action Group candidate in Awo’s constituency. The late sage acknowledged her invaluable contributions when he attributed his success in life to three factors – the grace of God, a Spartan self discipline, and a good wife. He went on to describe her as his “jewel of inestimable value.”
Being the first anniversary, three major events took place: A memorial service was held at the family chapel; a lecture entitled: “The Nigerian woman in the footprints of HID” was delivered by a human rights activist, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, and the inauguration of the HID Awolowo Foundation.
In his sermon, the Archbishop of Lagos Anglican Diocese, Dr Michael Olusina Fape, said the remembrance service would not have been held if Mama had not contributed her to the development of Nigeria, which, according to him, had made her to be a reference point, even in death. Dr Fape explained why the family decided to celebrate HID in death, saying he was a woman who knew God; a woman who held forth in the family and political circles of her late husband for 30 years after his exit and a woman who handed a good name to her children.
The cleric praised the family for setting up a foundation in honour of their matriarch. He said the initiative would further perpetuate the memories of what she stood for in her lifetime.
“We appreciate God for keeping watch over everybody an the gathering here to remember a virtuous woman , a matriarch of Awolowo dynasty, Chief( Mrs) HID Awolowo, who transited to the great beyond exactly a year ago,” he said.
To the children, Dr Fape reminded them: “When you mention HID, it resonates. When you mention HID, people know it for good. Whether you like it or not, the onus is on you to make sure that the good names of your parents do not evaporate. It is a big challenge and you may not know, but reality will dawn on you more and more now that Mama is gone.”
The issue that dominated discussion at the lecture session was the virtues of HID Awolowo and how the present generation could emulate her qualities.
The chairperson of the event, Mrs Ayo Obe, set the ball rolling when she said the late sage described HID as “his jewel of inestimable value” because of her sterling qualities as a woman that was ready to stand by her husband in times of joy and adversities. Mrs Obe, a human right activist/lawyer, said Mrs Awolowo was an example of a woman who was ready to sacrifice her comfort not for the sake of her immediate family alone, but for the downtrodden. She said what Mama achieved in her life-time should be celebrated.
In her presentation, Dr Odumakin lamented that there was a dearth of new generation HID in the society due to survival instinct occasioned by economic factors. She said the ideal family had been lost because of social limitations and shrinking space for women expression.
Dr Odumakin enjoined the present generation of women to learn from Mama Awolowo’s qualities, such as being a pillar of support, an ideal, consistent, industrious and highly respected woman, which made her husband to refer to her as his “jewel of inestimable value”. She noted that the Awolowo family was a typical example of a model family this generation must emulate.
She said: “If we want a prototype of standard family life, a family with great value, we will be so wasteful to be looking far for an example. Here is just for us, the great family- Awolowo! This generation, therefore, needs to learn and copy this model family, Awolowo. There is a dearth today, however, of this model of Awolowo family. We have been inundated instead with stories of domestic violence and resulting dangers for innocent children in the family.
“The dearth of a new generation of HIDs is due largely to economic factors, shrinking space for women expression and social limitations. While a proportion of women is wandering for survival due to economic hardship, others are facing various forms of gender abuses and domestic violence, today. The family idea is under serious assault.”
In her welcome address, Executive Secretary of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu explained the rationale for setting up another foundation in memory of her mother. Her words: “Our reasons for this are simple. First of all, given her remarkable life, she deserves all the recognition that can come her way.
“Following Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo transition exactly one year ago, today, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation’s governing bodies quickly took a decision to honour her in perpetuity by setting up a foundation in her name, under the aegis of the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.
“Secondly, here we have, clearly, a ‘team made in heaven’. Chief Awolowo was, without doubt, the visionary and leader of the team. But Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo was his incomparable enabler and enhancer. Together they braved phenomenal challenges and, today, the consensus is that they won, ultimately”.
Extolling HID’s virtues, Dr Awolowo-Dosumu said: “Her loyalty and dedication to spouse and family, even and especially in the face of severe trials, her perseverance in the struggle for the supremacy of truth and social justice, her extra-ordinary industry and entrepreneurship, and her indomitable spirit in the face of formidable odds stood her out She was strong. She was smart and she was kind.
“These are the attributes that should be acclaimed and celebrated now more than ever, even if evidence all around us appears to suggest that it is no longer enough to possess such noble qualities. We must, nonetheless, keep hope alive. Ths is the fundamental reason this initiative is not only necessary, but also timely. In the words of Bishop Desmond Tutu, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
On the objectives of the HID Awolowo Foundation, the executive secretary said the Foundation was “poised for advocacy and, if necessary, intervention on issues that inspire women, promote values and build the nation. Our focus will be to underline the careers of role models like Yeye Oodua HID Awolowo in a bid to reset the values of younger Nigerians who already, I fear, appear to be morally adrift.
Other objectives include: to foster the legacy of HID and to disseminate literature and materials relating to her civic virtues and commitment to nation building; to imbue in women the qualities of leadership and doggedness demonstrated by the matriarch and to advocate for the empowerment of women in all spheres of life; to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship and managerial acumen in young Nigerians, especially women, and to inculcate in Nigerian citizens virtues and qualities relating to family stability with which she was famously associated with, having been described by her husband as his “jewel of inestimable value”.
The high point of the event was the inauguration of the HID Awolowo Foundation Advisory Council by Prof. Oladipo Akinkungbe, who held brief for Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Chairman, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation.
The 17-member council has Senator Daisy Danjuma as chairman.
Other members include Prof. Wale Adebanwi, Mrs Yemi Alabi, Chief Tunji Ayanlaja (SAN), Yeye Olunfunke Daniel, Mrs Toyin Fape, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Prof. Segun Gbadegesin, Mrs Fatima Waziri Ibrahim, Lady Maiden Ibru, Ms Lana Mandilas, Mrs Eriwu Molajo, Dr Insa Nolte, Dr (Mrs ) Femi Ogunsanya, Mrs Fola Olumide, Dr (Mrs) Jayne Soboiki and Mrs Folusho Olaniyan (Secretary).
Senator Danjuma, in her acceptance speech, commended the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation “for finding us fit and proper to serve as members of the HID Awolowo Foundation Advisory Council. I am happy with the calibre of men and women in the council.
“What the life of Mama Awolowo taught us particularly men is that you need a good woman to live long and to be able to cope with your job. Mama stood solidly by the side of her husband in his struggle to make life worth living for common people. That is why Papa Awo described her as his jewel of inestimable value.
“Nigerians need to refocus on home value. We should go back to the drawing board. We have misplaced values; it’s time to get back on the track. We should start to mentor young girls through advocacy, seminars and workshops to ensure our moral values are brought back. It’s time to wake up and imbibe HID’s virtues”.
She promised that the foundation would mentor the younger generation of girls to become responsible women in the society like the late Mrs Awolowo.
Dignitaries on the occasion included the Obi of Onitsha and patron of Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; Prof Oladipo Akinkugbe; Chief Ebenezer Babatope; former deputy governor of Lagos State, Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu; Prof. A.B.O. Oyediran, Chief Idowu Sofola; Dr Femi Majekodunmi; Senator Femi Okurounmu, Prof Theophilus Ogunlesi , Prince Bola Ajibola, Princess Adenrele Adeniran Ogunsanya, Prof. Ayo Olukotun and Senator Tony Adefuye.
