THE EXCEPTIONAL MRS IYABO OYEFUNKE AUGUSTINE AYODELE JIMOH

From a very young age, I have always loved the camera and photographic works. The work of arts, especially photographic work capturing moments and events of time, particularly appealed to me. So, at very early in my life, I started acquiring or possessing cameras of various makes and grades according to the size of my financial pockets. Over the years, I have bought and owned both the amateur cameras as well as the digital ones of whatever makes and brands and even though I am not a professional in this field, I could take a useful shot of a photographic event that could be useful tomorrow.

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I can. I have. And this is my passion. My passion is to capture events through the lens of the camera and the ink of the pen.

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This is my true passion.

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And apart from my deep love for the camera and photographic work, I sincerely love records keeping, especially of events and moments that are important and iconic in one’s life and this was, truly what principally drove me to make that solemn promise that I would be covering all the memorials of Mr Ayodele Augustine Jimoh, not for any material or personal gain, but as a sacrifice for his deep love for the Church of God through the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah – Lagos, for his selfless services and giving to the Parish.

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However, there were series of events that culminated into this solemn promise.

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Firstly and like I had already chronicled in ‘The Gifted and Most Cheerful Mrs Obiageli ‘Oby’ Anosike’ on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in a totally unexpected manner, I was, on Saturday, January 30, 2016, selected or better still, appointed as the Secretary, Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) by the then Parish Priest, Very Reverend Father Ethelbert Ukpabi, Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah – Lagos to take over the sensitive Secretariat of the Council and this appointment as Council Secretary, much against my expectation and wish, truly brought me into the full glare of how a Parish of a Catholic Church is run and administered and for the three years (Saturday, January 30, 2016 – December 02, 2018) that I served in this role, I thoroughly enjoyed my role in this huge responsibility especially with a Vice Chairman, Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) as calm, peaceful; accommodating and intelligent as Mr Olufemi Charles Oke which I have since chronicled on Thursday, April 12, 2018 in ‘Mr Femi Oke: The Gentle Generous Giant.’

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It was in this responsibility, while we were preparing for the 2016 Easter Tridium programs starting with Holy Thursday (the Lord’s Last Supper) that the then Parish Priest, Father Ukpabi instructed me as Council Secretary to include one certain Mr Jimoh on the list of Parishioners whose feet would be washed during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, March 24, 2016, but much I could try, I could not find him as no one could really tell me who he was.

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In this dilemma, I reported back to Father Ukpabi who instructed that I should not bother, but I should replace his name with another Parishioner. Sadly, and unknown to me that he was already indisposed and in the hospital at that time.

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It was therefore a huge shock to me when, during the April 2016 Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) Meeting held on Saturday, April 30, 2016, Father Ukpabi informed Council of the death of one of our dedicated and active Parishioners, Mr Augustine Ayodele Jimoh who died on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 at the age of fifty-three (53) years. And this was why my big sister in the Parish, Barrister Maureen Nwankwo called for my assistance after the Council Meeting to go with other Council Members to the home of the Jimohs to receive his eldest daughter, Miss Osiewundo Maryclare Jimoh who was on her way back from school so that we could break the sad news of the death of her father to her and this was how I encountered the Jimohs for the very first time.

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However, when we got to the home of the Jimohs on Saturday, April 30, 2016, I was shocked to find that his wife is Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh and quickly, I recall the friendly encounter that I had with her on Good Friday, March 25, 2016 during the re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross, the Lord’s Passion.

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At the Eight Station, I had met about three of them, women standing and in reference to the reading from the Gospel of St Luke 23:27-31 where Jesus said to the women of Jerusalem as He consoled them; ‘And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women who bewailed and lamented Him. But Jesus turning to them said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘blessed are the barrens, and the wombs that never bore, and the breast that never gave suck.’ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘fall on us’ and to the hills ‘cover us,’ for if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? Then I said to the three women: ‘blessed are the barrens, and the wombs that never bore, and the breast that never gave suck’ and sharply, but calmly, she responded to me ‘these wombs bore oooo.’ I can never forget such a profound statement, a statement made from deep faith in her God and truly, this was the first real encounter that I had with the Jimohs unknowingly through her before the sad event of Tuesday, April 26, 2016 that took me to their home for the first real encounter with a humble and peaceful family.

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This was truly how I met the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh, a woman who is truly exceptional in the true sense of the word.

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I recall that at the April 2016 Council Meeting, Father Ethelbert had equally informed Council that the late Mr Jimoh was, over the years, almost singlehandedly responsible for the diesel usage at the Parish while requesting that his name should never be mentioned anywhere for this, but in silent prayers.

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In fact, I was made to understand later that no one really knew them in the Parish as they would always quietly come into the Church and left quietly the way they came after each Mass, yet he gave, gave willingly, generously and greatly to the good of the Parish.

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Incredible!

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Driven by this singular sacrifice of late Mr Jimoh therefore, I decided to cover his Requiem Mass on Tuesday, May 11, 2016 at the 06:00pm Mass and subsequently, the First Year Anniversary of his death on Sunday, April 30, 2017 where his younger brother, Reverend Father Anselm Jimoh was the Chief Celebrant and Homilist and I posted the photographs on the social media platform of Facebook as my own little tribute to him for the great, but quiet strides that he made in his short time on earth, especially, his generous contributions to the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah - Lagos

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However, I was completely saddened during the May 2016 Council Meeting of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) held on Saturday, May 28, 2016, when Father Ukpabi informed Council that it was only the then Associate Parish Priest, Reverend Father Paul Bastos and Reverend Sister Anthonia Adebanjo that represented the Parish at the burial of Mr Jimoh and when Father Bastos stated that he does not think that he should be the one to give a report on the burial as there was no Parishioner from the Parish at the funeral activities at Igarra, Edo State that started on Thursday, May 12, 2016 with the Service of Songs/Vigil at Technical College Road, Off Auchi/Ibilo Road by 05:00pm and Funeral Mass/Interment and Thanksgiving on Friday, May 13, 2016 at St John The Apostle Catholic Church, Utua Quarters by 10:00am, not minding his huge and generous contributions to the Parish, I regretted my inability to attend his funeral ceremony, even though things were very strange with me at that time.

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I truly felt bad that I could not attend any of the funeral activities at Igarra, Edo State because as a true son of Afenmai Land, Mr Jimoh is my big brother, hence I made that solemn promise that I would be covering all the memorials of his death, the first being the First Year Anniversary held on Sunday, April 30, 2017, but I could not afford to print out the copies of the photographs, but only posted it on Facebook even though his lovely wife, the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh was not on the social media platform of Facebook at that time.

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However, and with a gentle and willing smile, I was surprised when Mrs Jimoh persistently and consistently asked me for the output of the photographs and in February 2017, almost a year after the death of her husband, I printed out the photographs of the Requiem Mass for her, but when she requested to know how much it costs, I simply said that ‘it is from my family to hers.’

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For a moment, she looked at me in bewilderment, but quickly she said to me ‘Mr Osabomeh, I hope that I have not put an unnecessary financial burden on you for asking for the printout of the photographs?

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And this was how my beautiful relationship with the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh began, a relationship that has been one sided, one sided because of the great impacts that Mrs Jimoh has made in my life and continuing to make.

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For instance, my light was going out in Year 2018, but was blown into flame, full flame by the generous heart of Mrs Jimoh when I received that alert on Thursday, February 08, 2018 and as my dearest and beautiful sister, Olori Nwunye Benneth (Nee Eseigbe) would always say, ‘the alert sounded like a thunderstorm’ as the ‘money shook my phone’ off my hands. And I became totally speechless because I never told her of my situation nor did I do anything for her, yet she acted, acted so generously for me and my family.

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Prior to this, I had on Thursday, March 02, 2017 and Wednesday, July 26, 2017 received similar alerts from her and whenever I reflect on these days and others, I am always lost in speech because I do not know what I have done for her to deserve all these financial assistances.

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Yet, she has continued to share a meal, her meal with us generously!

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Sincerely, in our daily lives, we have people that have continued to help us live through life and the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh is one of such because my acquaintance with her has been significant and exceptional in so many ways.

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One thing that is very exceptional about Mrs Jimoh is her heart, her heart of prayer, prayer for everyone, her heart of thanksgiving, total and sincere thanksgiving to God and her heart of generosity, generosity towards everyone especially strangers and her heart of love, loving everyone like hers.

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In every way, she expresses her thanksgiving for little favours done to and for her. In truth, she possesses an exceptional and grateful heart.

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For instance, after the death of her husband, Mr Jimoh on Tuesday, April 26, 2016 when everyone thought that she would go into herself, she became very active in the life of the Church through the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah – Lagos where the spirit of God has continued to be with her, and she has not been afraid in proclaiming Christ through her good deeds, her heart.

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Sincerely, the Word of God is very active and powerful, it penetrates our hearts and bears good fruits, if only we accept it. Mrs Jimoh has accepted the Word of God, and this is bearing fruits, good fruits in her life through her good deeds.

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May the Word of God, through the grace of God, continue to dwell in your heart to bear more fruits through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Honestly, the death of her beloved husband, Mr Jimoh has not dampened her enthusiasm in any way, but rather has deepen her commitment and desire to serve her Lord and Master, Jesus Christ sincerely and truly especially through people, the children of God.

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In a very special way, Mrs Jimoh is a friend of all, but in a more special way, a friend of the Servants of God, His Priests. She is always looking for the slightest opportunity to serve God in His Priests. Like the true mother that she is, she is always looking for them to comfort them, truly and sincerely.

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For instance, I have known Very Reverend Father Stephen Ogbe OP since Year 2006 or so. Father Ogbe is the Director, Society for Vocation Support (SVS), St Dominic’s Community and it was in this role that my very good friend and brother, Mr Ikechukwu James Obike recommended me to him to help the Society for Vocation Support (SVS) to drive for funds through the large Catholic Community in the then Oceanic Bank International Plc and since then, we have been good friends. Father Ogbe visited me variously at my previous offices at Alausa and Kaduna in 2008 and 2009 respectively. He is such a good man. May our Mother Mary, the Queen of the Clergy continue to hold him in her maternal love even as he continues in his Ministry in the vineyard of his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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I was therefore pleasantly surprised when, during the Year 2018 Annual Family Harvest and Graduation Thanksgiving of the Jimoh Family held on Sunday, August 05, 2018 at the 06:30am Mass, Father Ogbe appeared at our Parish, Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah as the Chief Celebrant and Homilist and when in my usual characteristics I challenged Mrs Jimoh after the Mass where she knew my Father Ogbe from, she simply responded ‘my Father or your Father?’ If only you know how long I have known Father Ogbe, you will not be asking me ‘where did I know your Father Ogbe from?’

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Sincerely, she has a special relationship with Priests as they both speak the same language, the language of service, service in the vineyard of God.

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Truly, Christians are called to be different, ‘to be the light of the world, the light shining in the dark.’ Mrs Jimoh is a true and an exceptional Christian as she has continued to be the light to the world that Christians are called to be through her sincere services in the Lord’s vineyard.

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Yet, she never drinks in the applause of the moment!

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Mrs Jimoh is simply exceptional in her attributes of kindness, compassion and love. She understands the language of kindness. She knows the feeling of compassion. And she feels the courage to love because she believes God has placed us in a particular position or role to look after people and in this position or role or responsibility, we must learn to have compassion on the people, especially strangers.

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Truly, the identity of Mrs Jimoh gives us what compassion is all about. It gives us what love is meant to do. It gives us what and how kindness is defined and should be defined in our lives.

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This is the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh that I have come to know since that sad Tuesday, April 26, 2016 when we went for a condolence visit, but became a mother, not only to me, but to my family.

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In a condolence visit, we got a good mother, an exceptional woman. We got Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Ayodele Jimoh!

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So let me quickly add here, Mrs Jimoh is a true mother in the true sense of the word. An exceptional woman.

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Year 2019 was one of my most significant birthdays and as I marked this day quietly on Thursday, April 11, 2019, I received a birthday greeting card from her and typical of the African man, I wanted to just keep the card away, but intuitively, I decided to open it to at least see the wordings of her wishes on my birthday, but surprisingly, I found an amount included inside the card that was double for each of the decade that I have spent so far on earth, leaving me and my emotions in a vigorous frenzy where an overwhelming emotions, thoughts, and feelings of gratitude flooded into every part of my body.

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Sincerely, I was just confused of what happened to me on that day. I was simply in a state of disbelief, momentarily. Honestly, on that day, I could not find the appropriate words to express my emotions and thoughts and like I had already chronicled in ‘Mr Chijioke Blaise Ugwuibe: A Willing Servant of God’ on Thursday, May 06, 2021, certainly, there are gifts, no matter how little, that one can never forget in one’s lifetime. This was one of such a gift and it will continue to rekindle in my heart, mind and soul forever.’

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Thank you, Mrs Jimoh, for your kindness and generosity. Thank you for true friendship.

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Unfortunately, something happened at the Parish on Sunday, April 28, 2019 during the Third-year Anniversary of the death of our Daddy, Mr Jimoh which was a follow up to the sad event of Galilee Day Celebration, Monday, April 22, 2019 that sets out the imperfection in man and sadly, I could not hold on, faithfully to my promise to always cover all the memorials of his death.

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While it will not be necessary for me to recount all that transpired on those fateful days, particularly on Sunday, April 28, 2019, but looking back now, I realized that I should have handled that moment better especially when Mrs Jimoh called me on Friday, August 30, 2019 to cover their Annual Family Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 01, 2019 which I declined, afraid that I may be acting against the firm instructions that I had received on Sunday, April 28, 2019.

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That moment will hunt me forever. It will hurt me forever. However, none of us is perfect. Just as we do not always live up to our family responsibilities, we will sometimes fail to live up to the daily challenges of even doing our Father’s will and even when that happens, there is no room for fear because our heavenly Father is not only loving, but merciful and compassionate as well. He will always forgive us our shortcomings and give us another opportunity, every opportunity to try again.

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And this was exactly what Mrs Jimoh did for me because after what seems a very long break in our physical communication, I was surprised when my telephone rang and that call came from her on Thursday, July 15, 2021 at about 02:00pm and after a short conversation that lasted for about two (2) minutes and twenty-nine (29) seconds, I realized how far I have been away from her because her message was simple: it was about my welfare and that of my family.

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In that conversation, she asked me …. ‘You do no longer come to the Parish again? Hope there are no problems? But whatever there are, please know that home is home.’

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Tears simply dropped from my eyes because her call reminded me how exceptional she has been to me and my family because on Sunday, July 18, 2021, she completed the message of her telephone call to me two (2) days earlier when after the 06:30am Mass at the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah – Lagos, she handed over to my dearest wife, Mrs Racheal Osabomeh (Nee Enaruna) various items that include the following; four (4) pieces of six (6) yards of quality Kampala materials, twenty-five (25) kilogram of rice, five (5) litres of vegetable oil, etc.

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I can never forget that moment because at that time, I was limited in my ability to take care of myself and to provide for my family and like the exceptional mother that she has continued been to us, she felt our lack from a distance and acted, acted genuinely and sincerely, but more, exceptionally and since that day, she never took her supporting hands off or away from me and my family again.

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I will forever be grateful for a moment as that. I will forever be grateful to the exceptional Mrs Iyabo Oyefunke Augustine Jimoh.

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Yet, in their Annual Family Thanksgiving held on Sunday, August 08, 2021, my heart bled as I could not participate freely and fully as I used to do. Even though I brought my family to honour this solemn event, I was a bit distant, distant by mind, distant by spirit and distant physically as I could not hold my camera and I could not hear the clicks of its shutters to capture the beautiful moments of this solemn event and this will hurt me for a long time to come, yet; time heal all hurts. It will heal mine. It will heal me.

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It will.

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Truly, in life, there is always a moment of regret, and for as long as I live, I will forever regret that moment, that moment of Sunday, September 01, 2019 when I failed to turn up for the Annual Family Harvest Thanksgiving of the Jimohs.

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And I will forever remember this, and I will never forget. Yes, I will never forget.

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Sincerely, I now realized that I could have shown more gratitude to Mrs Jimoh by honouring her invitation to cover the 2019 Annual Family Harvest Thanksgiving on Sunday, September 01, 2019 irrespective of the instructions that I was given because simply put, ingratitude is a vice.

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I can only ask for forgiveness, but before I could even do this, Mrs Jimoh has already forgiven me by her sincere actions and honest attitude towards me and my family. And through these, she therefore gave me a new hope and opportunity to turn over a new leaf, a new beginning of a new friendship with her in Christ Jesus our Lord and Master.

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Honestly, in the life of Mrs Jimoh, we only see the goodness, the love of God in action.

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This story that I tell today, the day that we celebrate our one (1) year anniversary as friends on the social media platform of Facebook therefore illustrates well the life of Mrs Jimoh as it helps to tell us or say or demonstrate something about her personality as she has continued to humbly and quietly carry out her services and works in the Lord’s vineyard without pointing herself out, but rather, pointing to Jesus Christ as her Lord and Master.

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She totally abhors vain glory, preferring rather that her Lord and Master Jesus Christ should always be glorified as she would rather remain anonymous and quiet without proclaiming herself in her works in the Lord’s vineyard, but rather, continuing to point to her Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

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Truly, it is said that in the natural, a magnet draws any iron product to itself. In the same vein, kindness and compassion are the magnets that draw us to others.

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Mrs Jimoh is a magnet in compassion. She is a magnet in kindness. She is a magnet in love.

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She is a positive magnet in the lives of many.

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On Sunday, November 29, 2021 at the 10:00am Mass, the Catholic Church of the Annunciation, Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah held her Annual Harvest/Bazaar with the theme ‘Harvest of Gratitude, be thankful to God for our good and to the glory of God.’ However, I came late with my wife to the ceremony, but hardly had I arrived when Mrs Jimoh sighted me and handed over to me the plate of food that she was served and already eating and requested that I call on my wife to come and collect hers.

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On that day, I was simply touched again by her magnet of compassion, generosity, kindness and love. And at the end of the program, I could only, but genuinely and thankfully send her a chat ‘thank you for always looking out for me and my family even in the crowd. We are truly grateful to have you as our good mother.’

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Simply, she is a magnet of compassion, generosity, kindness and love.

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Sincerely, one important lesson that I have continued to learn from Mrs Jimoh, is the lesson of true hospitality.

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And Sunday, November 29, 2021 is one of the confirmations of Mrs Jimoh’s genuine hospitality as she is always allowing God to use her to help others. Selflessly, she has continued to use all that God has entrusted into her for the good of others where her sincere message is love. Her constant message is selflessness. And her honest message is charity.

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This is what makes her story exceptional as she is simply exceptional in all ways.

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I simply love the way she calls out to me in greeting: ‘Mr Osabomeh, how una dey?’ This is deep, thoughtful, caring and loving. She is an exceptional mother.

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At about 08:19:13am on Thursday, July 27, 2017, I sent her a Short Message Service (SMS) ‘you have always reached out for our hands, a simple act, yet so profound. Thank you for touching our lives’ and like a speed of light, she humbly responded at about 08:20:48am ‘we thank God Almighty for little opportunity to touch lives. God bless you.’

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Similarly, on Thursday, July 29, 2021 she sent a post to me with the caption ‘the strongest people make time to help others, even if they are struggling with their own problems’ and I could only respond, ‘this is so true’ because when Mrs Jimoh chose to help us, she was fighting her own battles, yet she has elected to continue to help us despite her own challenges.

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Sincerely, it is not rich people that help people, it is only good people and whenever someone helped us and continue to help us, we should not feel that they did because they have so much, but it is simply because they possess and have a good heart.

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Mrs Jimoh have and possess a good heart and how she has managed to continue to gather the children, her many children, all of us, so lovely under her wings, is not only admirable, but commendable and exemplary.

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She is such an exceptional woman, a virtuous woman and her virtuous life is seen, constantly, in her charity and charitable acts.

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Truly, the sweetest moment in life comes not with the greeting you receive, but with the thoughts that someone wishes the best for you every day.

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Mrs Jimoh wishes the best for me and my family every day and we are grateful.

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For instance, when on Saturday, June 29, 2019 the Society for Vocation Support (SVS), St Dominic’s Catholic Church, Yaba gathered at St Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja – Lagos in an ‘Appreciation Thanksgiving’ for Benefactors and Partners of the Dominican Vocation Projects ‘Celebrating You, Our Proud Pillar of Support,’ it was a proud moment for me as I saw the exceptional Mrs Jimoh at the Accounting/Finance Desk, serving willingly and enthusiastically, taking details of names of Donors and proceedings of the event, financially.

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It was truly such a personal proud moment for me because prior to this day, our friend and brother and Priest, Reverend Father Stephen Ogbe, OP, Director, Society for Vocation Support (SVS) called to engage me for the photographic coverage of the event, then I realized there and there that even though Father Ogbe is a friend and brother, it could only have been the exceptional Mrs Jimoh that could be behind this engagement.

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And I was grateful. And I will forever be grateful for such a recommendation. I will forever be grateful for such compassion. I will forever be grateful for such generosity and kindness towards me and my family.

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Sincerely speaking, there are many positive things to say about the exceptional Mrs Jimoh, but for lack of adequate space.

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Mrs Jimoh is a good dresser, but simple and elegant. She simply loves clothes, and she loves to dress, yet simply and majorly in the proud African prints and fabrics!

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Truly, she is a good dresser, simple, but elegant and gorgeous. At her age, she would make a better model than these younger generation of models.

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Simply speaking, she is dripping in finesse!

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On this day that we celebrate our one (1) year as friends on the social media platform of Facebook, my sincere prayer for you and your most amazing family is that our Mother Mary will continue to hold you in her maternal love. She will continue to intercede for you.

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God has blessed you with a beautiful family. May He fulfil the joy of your heart. In your children, you will find fulfilment. In Miss Jimoh Osiewundo Mary Clare, your patience will be full and complete. In Master Jimoh Enoguyi Augustine, Jnr, you will continue to have all that you need. And in Miss Jimoh Ozavogu Mary Anne, all human beings will continue to be great assets for you.

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And let me conclude this little and inadequate piece with these affectionate salutation and prayer: ‘Our exceptional mother, God will bless you.’ ‘His countenance will continue to shine upon you and yours.’ ‘He will continue to favour you.’ May the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, continue to fill you with Himself. May He continue to fill you and your most amazing family with His gifts, the gifts of life. And may you never cease in trusting in the intercession of our Mother Mary. May the fruits of the Holy Spirit continue to increase within you.

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Thank you for being an exceptional mother to and for us. We love you; we do.

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Gracias!

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Na me

Your son and brother

Mark Osabomeh

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Monday, June 20, 2022