10 Years After Her Death
When Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu hosted the 10th-year memorial for her mother at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne, it wasn’t only family and high-profile guests who gathered — it was a community saying “thank you.” For the people of Ikenne, Yeye Hannah Idowu Dideolu (H.I.D.) Awolowo was far more than the wife of a national statesman; she was a visible, ongoing presence in the town’s spiritual, social and civic life. Here are some reasons Ikenne still holds her in deep affection:
(1) A LIFELONG PATRON OF THE CHURCH THE TOWN CALLS HOME
Mama HID gave generously to Our Saviour’s Anglican Church across decades — not as a one-off gesture but in ways that changed the worship life of the congregation. She donated a marble pulpit and, later, a central stained-glass chancel window; on her 95th birthday she funded air-conditioning for the church and ordered a facelift for the pulpit so worshippers could enjoy services in greater comfort. Those permanent gifts sit at the heart of the church building and are daily reminders of her devotion.
(2) A HANDS-ON PHILANTHROPIST WHO INVESTED IN LOCAL LIFE
Beyond symbolic gifts, HID’s philanthropy was practical: she supported local needs, backed church projects, and ensured that Ikenne — her birthplace — benefited tangibly from her resources and influence. Her giving made church services more dignified and accessible, which endeared her to parishioners across generations.
- A NATIONAL FIGURE WHO NEVER SEVERED TIES WITH HER HOMETOWN
Although she was a national figure — businesswoman, political organizer, and a public face alongside Chief Obafemi Awolowo — HID always remained rooted in Ikenne. That combination of national stature and local loyalty made her a source of pride: when people in Ikenne point to her, they’re pointing to someone who carried their name on the national stage without forgetting where she began. Contemporary coverage of the 10th memorial shows how national leaders still reference her impact, reinforcing that pride.
(4) A ROLE MODEL IN SERVICE, FAITH AND WOMANHOOD
Members of the community describe her life as a model of “womanhood and motherhood as platforms for nation-building.” She was a committed churchwoman (a chorister from youth), a matriarch who kept the Awolowo family together, and a public figure who coordinated women’s political activity in her husband’s party — all qualities that made her someone ordinary people could admire and emulate. Governor and church leaders at the recent memorial explicitly highlighted these attributes in their tributes.
(5) A BUILDER OF ENTERPRISES AND OPPORTUNITIES
HID was also a successful businesswoman who broke ground in post-war Nigeria (for example, distributing for the Nigerian Tobacco Company and importing lace and textiles). Her entrepreneurship not only added to the family’s means to support community projects, it also provided a public example of female enterprise at a time when few women were widely recognized as business leaders. That legacy of industriousness resonates in Ikenne, where people remember her as both generous and industrious.
(6) HER PRESENCE AT RITES OF PASSAGE — AND IN MEMORY RITUALS
From anniversary services to community events, HID’s name and benefactions recur in the rituals of Ikenne life. Annual memorials, the upkeep of church features she donated, and pilgrim visits to her family compound or graveside keep her story alive — so much so that even national leaders and former governors attend the town’s commemorations. Recent reportage of the 10th memorial shows the same pattern: leaders and residents gathered in gratitude, and music and prayer continued to be central to remembering her.
Ikenne remembers HID Awolowo because her gifts were tangible and enduring (a marble pulpit, stained glass, air conditioning), her life modeled public service and private faith, and because she never stopped being one of them even while she stood on the national stage. The annual memorials and the crowds they attract — from grassroots parishioners to presidents — show that for Ikenne, her memory is not merely nostalgic: it’s woven into the town’s identity.
-Jamiu Abubakar
08085185886
