•The Story Of Mama VICTORIA EBUN OGUNLADE (1929-2021)
Last week, the remains of Mama Victoria Ebun Ogunlade was laid to rest in Lagos. She died at the age of 91. The burial ceremony began on Wednesday 21st of April 2021 with a Service of Songs at her residence of Ajao Estate. On Thursday 22nd of April, 2021, there was Christian Wake Keep at the Methodist Church, Palm Avenue, Muslim and on Friday 23rd of April, 2021, there was Lying in State at Methodist Church, Palm Avenue at 8.30am and Burial Service followed at the same venue.
Mrs. Victoria Ebun Ogunlade was born on Sunday the 1st of December 1929 to a Christian family of late Chief Gabriel Awoyemi Onifade and late Mrs. Marian Aina Onifade. All hailed from Imesi-Ile in Ilesha, Oshun State.
She was baptized at the Otapete Methodist Church Imesi-Ile by the late Rev’d Ajayi-Ajagbe in 1931. She started her primary education in St. Bannabas Primary School, in Ilorin where she completed her primary education in the year 1946.
During the time of her primary education, her father sent her for Sewing Training in the shop of late Mrs. Ashuma, a Ghanaian.
The woman during her life time was the grandmother of Mrs. Abba Folawiyo.
little did she know that this would be her life career. She only took it up as part time then. After school hours, she would go for the sewing lesson, but it was what she depended on until she retired.
After her primary education, she sat for the entrance examination to the Methodist Girls’ School, Ilesha in 1947, where she obtained modern 111 certificate. She was employed by the then – Ijesha United Trading Transport Company (I.U.T.T.C) as a clerk and typist where late Hon. J. Odeleye Fadahunsi was the Managing Director. She worked with the company for two years, before she got married to late Chief Samuel Babafemi Ogunlade on the 19th of April 1952. The marriage was blessed with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
She later went back fully to her own private business as a Fashion Designer.
This; she did successfully to maintain her family, with the help of a good friend right from school days who advised her to include the sales of tailoring materials (Chief Mrs. L.A. Olojo) this she also did successfully. As a lover of church music, she has been a member of the choir right from her youth in 1943 till 2002. She served at St. John’s African Church, Ilorin, Otapete Methodist Church, lIesha, Agbeni Methodist Church, Ibadan, and also in Palm Avenue Methodist Church, Lagos from 1972 to 2002.
Her unflinching dedication and zeal for God’s work, qualified her for selection as the women’s fellowship secretary of Methodist Church Palm Avenue Circuit, from 1977-1999. She was also one of the relief stewards of the church, a class leader, member of a praying band, life steward of the church, and adviser to the choir and junior choir, as well as the cradle roll band. She was the 1st life president of Ifelodun Society.
In 1980, the Methodist Church Nigeria Lagos Diocese invited an instructor named Father Leo from New York (U.S.A.) to train five people in sewing clergy men’s wear at the Methodist Girl’s High School Yaba Lagos. Mrs. V. E. Ogunlade was one of the five people selected during the period of the training. Her performance was excellent, having acquired skill from her fashion designing business. She worked with the Methodist Tailoring Factory for two years, and thereafter, went back to her business as a Fashion Designer. She was specialized in clergy men’s wear, choir robes, Girl’s/Boy’s Brigade uniforms, schools uniforms, etc.
May her soul rest in perfect peace!
WHAT HER Children SAID
“Maamiii” as we all fondly refer to you, we are beyond blessed and privileged to have had you as our mother. You are an embodiment of many talents, and the matriarch of the family.
Mummy, you taught and raised us well. Humility, punctuality, selflessness, self-sufficient, amongst others were your virtues.
You were a woman of strong faith, and lived according to the word of God. Sundays are always particularly special in the family. You shared your multi-talents generously amongst your children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren. You will be remembered for so many outstanding achievements!
We knew you had ran a gallant race, that you were tired … but it was hard to let you go, you lingered on because of us your children, until your very last strength failed.
We thank God that we all shared many beautiful memories with you in our unique ways. We will hold tight to these memories and continually reflect on them.
Rest easy mother of inestimable value, it is well deserved. Please, tell daddy we love and miss him too, you have both done a marvelous job.
Until we meet to part no more, sleep well at the bosom of our Lord God. Adieu mother, we will miss you greatly!!!
GRANDCHILDREN
We celebrate today as we always will, the wonderful life our grandmother and great-grandmother lived. There is no doubt that we are the luckiest grandchildren
because we had the opportunity to share our lives with such an amazing person,
down to earth, loving and a no-nonsense grandma. We have been blessed to share memories that will never fade, learned tolerance, adaptability, to count it all joy when challenges occur, and loving to sing all because of our grandma. Although, a seamstress by profession but during challenging times our grandma adapted to it by trading sewing materials, and as times goes on she added cooked food (yam & beans) to increase her income.
She was an enigma who exemplifies the true meaning of strength and courage. Grandmother was very creative, she would make a whole new cloth from pieces of clothing, and she enjoys making clothes for us all either you’re in Nigeria or outside Nigeria to us, grandma wasn’t just a typical old grandmother who bosses or orders us around, but she was a life-lessons teacher,
music lover, critic, gist partner, to add a few. Our grandmother will be fondly remembered as a fun-loving, jovial, lively, and friendly woman. As much as it is hard to let go of you grandma, we have to say goodnight but we are assured of your place of peace at the bosom of Christ as written in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 that there is hope beyond this life. Sleep well, our beloved grandmother fondly called “Mummy Shop”.
Victoria Ebunoluwa Ogunlade, we all love you.
FROM HER GREAT GRANDCHILDREN
There is magic in a grandmother’s touch but our great-grandmother touch is more special there is always sunshine in her smiles there is love in everything she does and do to make everyone happy there was courage and holiness in every aspect of her life her laughter was a source of joy her words were warm and wise there was kindnes, compassion and faithfulness in her embrace shining down from heaven above we see the glow of our great grandmother’s face we all love you from the great grand children.
FROM HER FAMILY
My dear sister, I could not believe your demise when I heard, you did not even bid us goodbye. You’re a sister indeed ever since I’ve known you. I remember when we lost our mum, I looked up to you as my mother and for the past thirty (30) years since I lost my husband, you’ve been very supportive and caring. I could remember when she had a shop at Isolo road and there was any misunderstanding or quarrel between husband & wife or tenants, they would wait for her to come so she could settle their dispute.
She was a peacemaker, lover of music &, children. lf I have the opportunity to come to this world again, I will still choose you as my sister. Omo onire mo e mu Omo aropepe jeun Omo agbede faka fiki lona tire Bi o si onire, a o roko, bi osi onire, a o yena sun re o Abiyamo tooto you’ll forever remain in my heart. Your loving sister, Lydia Omolola Awowale (Nee Onifade).
To God be the glory of a fulfilled life well spent. Our loving ever caring, kind hearted, soft spoken, easy going and concerned matriarch is gone and received into the Christ light.
We are fortunate to have had you as the first born of Onifade’s clan, of late Mr. Gabriel Awoyemi and late Mrs. Marian Aina Onifade.
From the earliest times in Ilorin, you took up the responsibility of taking care of your junior siblings to and from school-United Primary School and late St. Banabas, Sabo, Ilorin.
Yours was a continuous care for all of them with no discrimination.
You were a woman of strong Christian faith and fisher of man and woman in God’s vineyard. You wore humility and love as cloth, you lived in accordance with the Word of God, envy and pride were not part of you. You never departed from the training given to you by your parents in lIorin in being a member of the Church choir you effortlessly developed that singing talent to serve in other churches, namely; Otapete Methodist Church Ilesa, Ageni Methodist Church, Ibadan and at Methodist Church Palm Avenue, Lagos. You are now singing everlasting. Hallelujah to our Lord.
Take your deserved rest with your creator, God Almighty till we meet again.
Mrs. Lydia Lola Onifade
Courtesy: Family of late Mr. Samuel Ayodele Onifade
FROM HER IN-LAWS
How can we begin to describe you Mummy, you are a great gem in the life of all of us. In the 20 plus – to – 40 plus years ago that we have respectively become your children by
marriage, we each have unique experiences and beautiful memories shared with mummy. Mummy is the best mother-law anyone could ask for, you lived an exemplary life. You will be greatly missed by all of us your children.
We will miss your jokes, your expressions, and your unique gifts. It is such a big void no one, I mean no one can fill.
“Mummy Shop” good night and rest in perfect peace!!!
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