Life & Times
It was a sunshine filled day in the ancient town of Ora Igbomina. Men were on the Farms working, tilling the ground in preparation for the planting of Yam, Maize and other crops which sustained their households. The Women engaged in the usual chores of harvesting Pepper and Okro from nearby farms while preparing dinners awaiting the arrival of their Husbands and Sons from the Farms. Children ran several errands purchasing groceries and fetching water while their mongrels followed closely on their heels to the market square which doubles as the Gospel center of this quiet village being one of the rural communities to have accepted Christianity, Every household engage in early Morning Prayer Sessions and often rise at the toll of the Church Bells at dawn to offer Prayers before setting out on daily commercial activities.
Amidst all these hustles and bustles a pregnant Woman was seized in the throes of Labor. The Elderly Woman of the large
household filled with extended family relations was summoned. She gave her Bible to the Madam Ode Abikoye and offered Prayers while asking her to keep walking around in the expansive Royal compound. Pa Solomon Abikoye was summoned from the Farm. Not long after his arrival, a healthy, beautiful bouncing baby girl, MADAM OLADUNNI VICTORIA ADEDEJI, was delivered as a pride to the Abikoye and Awoyemi families.
Her childhood was peaceful and growing up within the largely educated Christian community greatly influenced Mama's
development. Her Father, Pa Solomon Abikoye a devout Christian and very successful merchant in Ora Igbomina, built the first ever story building in Ora, Osun State.
She started her primary education at St. Stephen's Anglican Primary School which was established in 1912. (The first primary school in Igbominaland (stretching from present-day Osun to Kwara States) Our Mother continued her 'Modern School' and teacher training education at Ila Orangun also in Osun State. Thereafter, she proceeded to start her teaching career in Ile Ife, the cradle of Yoruba race, where her ancestors in 1313AD migrated from Ilode quarters to found the Ora town. As fate would dictate, she met her husband, Chief John Adefioye Adedeji in Ile-Ife and they got married and were blessed with two successful children, a male and female.
However, two years after they got married, her husband John Adefioye Adedeji in his quest for higher education proceeded to
England for further studies. His plan for for Mama to join him never materialized. She then proceeded to live with Mrs. Dorcas
Odunola Ajayi, her older sister in Gbongan, Osun State, where she was until her husband returned from England in 1966. At the return of her husband, she eventually relocated to Lagos, and took an employment with UAC BEAM in Apapa ,which was one of the best places any one could dream to work as at then. She had an early retirement to start her own business which also afforded her the opportunity to enable her do what she enjoyed doing most; taking care of her Grandchildren, a role she played so well that she became the first Mother the Grandchildren knew and which later in future defined a very cordial relationship which
could make most grandmothers jealous.
Mama's Christian Life
MADAM OLADUNNI VICTORIA ADEDEJI was a woman with the heart of God and in everything she did, always putting God first.
She taught her children and others the way of God very early in life. Her mantra in the face of any Challenge was 'Put it all to God'.
She was such a virtuous woman, selfless who sacrificed so much for the well-being of her family and humanity in general. She took care of not only her children and grandchildren; but her older sisters' children. She sacrificed so much that she had to take a gap year from school to take care of her sister's children.
She started her Christian life as an Anglican at the Stephen's Anglican Church, Ora which was established in 1895. The Stephen's
Anglican Church, where Christianity in Ora started by CMS Missionaries led by a son of the soil - a returnee from the slave trade
named Pa Olasehinde, is referred to as "The Cradle of Education and Christianity in Igbomina Land, and by extension to parts of
Moba Division of present-day Ekiti State and also in the whole of the old Osun North East Division of the old Western Region, which
covers almost half of the present Osun State.
Her father, Pa Solomon who was her role model and was at a time a Verger in the Anglican Church and a key contributor to her
Christian life. She was a true believer and also taught her children and Grandchildren the way of the Lord. She had an amiable
character for always coming to church early, hence her phobia for late coming at church services, this she instilled in her children,
Grandchildren and by extension her great
grandchildren. She participated actively in the Women's ministry and was a member of the Christian Mother's Union at All Saint's Church Anglican Church, Festac Town, Lagos.
Arecipient of many Christian awards, one of which was the “VIRTUOUS MOTHER AWARD”. Until her death. She is survived by Children, Grand Children, Great grandchildren and many others. Mama Adedeji was a dedicated member of All Saints Anglican Church, Festac Town, Lagos. It is of note that although Mama lived all
the way in Okota, she never missed church service. She was a member of the Grace Women’s group in church as well as a
dedicated member of the ‘Omo ka’ro o ji’re’ group - for south west indigenes of the church, showcasing the culture and tradition of the Yorubas especially during the national harvest of the church. Mama will be greatly missed. May her beautiful soul Rest In Peace