Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Atiku Abubakar has described Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, wife of the late political sage Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, who died yesterday in Ikene, Ogun state as a mother, a birth day mate, a generous adviser and matriarchal legend.
“I am deeply saddened and immensely touched to lose a mother, birthday mate, generous adviser and matriarchal legend, but glad that I had the privilege to drink from her fountain of abundant wisdom and knowledge.”
Atiku, who holds the traditional title of Turaki Adamawa, said he shares November 25th birthday with the deceased matriarch of the Awolowo family who was already looking forward to celebrating her centenary birthday.
In a statement by his media office in Abuja today, Atiku eulogized and paid glowing tribute to the departed Yeye Oba Adimula of Yorubaland and ageless national icon.
“Mama HID (Awolowo) was mother to all and an epitome of honesty, integrity and dignity. She was a rare gem, a symbol of fineness and firmness, a woman of substantial depth on all matters, a devout and dedicated Christian, a successful business tycoon, a faithful and committed wife, and indeed a case-study for current generation of women leaders and those yet unborn.”
The former Vice President, who is also the Aare Adimula of the Source described the grandmother of Mrs. Oludolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), as “an embodiment of primordial and contemporary history, symbol of traditional norms and virtues, a fashionista of repute and stickler to discipline and transparency; whose indelible imprints on the sands of time would be hard to erase.”
Atiku commiserates with Nigerians, the Yorubas, the people of Osun state and Ikenne and, in particular, members of the nuclear and extended Awolowo dynasty, on the demise of a great woman leader.
This is even as Atiku has asked wives of Nigerian leaders and aspiring female politicians to imbibe and emulate the legacies of endurance, patience, honesty, integrity and dignity that Mama Awolowo, “jewel of inestimable value,” bequeathed to the nation, and the world at large, in the course of her century-old sojourn on earth. [myad]
