The Bishop of Remo Anglican Diocese, Right Reverend Olusina Fape, has said the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, Chief (Dr) Mrs Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, has every reason to celebrate her 96th birthday anniversary because she is more than a conqueror.
Bishop Fape stated this in a sermon entitled, My Times Are in God’s Hands, at a Holy Communion service to mark the event held at the family chapel auditorium of the Awolowos in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State, on Friday.
He said the grace and mercy of God, which continued to keep Mama, was a testimony that God rewards those who stand in Him.
The cleric said that Awo’s Jewel of Inestimable Value (JIV) marked her natal day, as she had always done every year and in spite of the demise of one of her children earlier this year, in demonstration of the fact she would not allow any adverse circumstance separate her from the love of God.
Likening the celebrant to the Biblical King David, who experienced the good and the bad in his changing scenes of his life, Fape commended her for holding on steadfastly to the anchorage that the mercy of God had been for her in the almost five decades of her life.
“David was an accomplished king and poet who savoured victories and successes. He also shared unpleasant experiences of life. And like David, Mama has had her share of these experiences too. She has known what it was to be the first lady in the defunct Western Region.
“She remains a source of encouragement to those around her. God is still keeping her because her times are in God’s hands,” Fape said.
He charged the Yeye Oodua to rededicate her life to the service of God and humanity, while praying for more grace for her to be able to weather the storms of life.
The cleric also enjoined her to reconcile with those she needed to make up with as well as conclude all unfinished jobs before her translation.
Eminent Nigerians who graced the occasion included the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; the governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; his Delta State counterpart, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan; Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Senator Femi Okurounmu, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, members of the clergy from the diocese and other royal fathers from Yorubaland.
Governor Amosun, who thanked God for His benevolence to Mama and her family, noted that not many of those who were up to 96 years of age were as agile, healthy and radiant as Chief Awolowo’s wife.
“What the political class needs from Mama is to continue to take advice from her. Today (Friday), I have taken so many pieces of advice from her. At her age and status, she is no more concerned about what to eat or wear; all she needs is more grace of God. We have to tap from her bundle of exposure in life,” Amosun stated.
Governor Uduaghan, in his own remarks on the occasion, expressed gratitude to God that Awo’s Jewel was still vibrant in her old age.
“Mama has made a name. We will continue to pray to God to keep her so that she will continue to pray for us younger Nigerians and the nation in general. The lesson one learns from Mama is that we should be very close to God, which is why she is strong at 96,” he said.
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