Tribute Wall

Growing up, that was how I knew my aunty. A hardworking woman, a woman of action, a woman who made things happen. If she wanted something done, she found a way to get it done. She was strong, determined and never afraid of hard work.

Oh, how I wish you had stayed a little longer to sit back, rest and enjoy the fruits of your labour. You worked so hard, gave so much of yourself and touched so many lives. But who are we to question God? He knows best.

You were more than an aunty to me. You were like a mother. For a part of my childhood, I was blessed to be under your care, until life took me on a different path. But those memories never left me, and neither did the place you held in my heart.

“Iya the Best!” A name so fitting for a woman who was truly a mother to all. You were selfless, generous with your time and always willing to make a difference in the lives of others.

You believed so strongly in education. I still remember those days when you were the Head Teacher of WAPCO Staff School, Sagamu. Your doors were always open to children, especially those preparing for their Common Entrance examinations. You wanted them to succeed, to do well and to have a better future. You didn’t just teach children; you invested in their lives. That was who you were.

Hmmm… life!

It still feels like a dream that you are no more. Even as I write these words, a part of me is still in denial. How do you find the words to say goodbye to someone who has always been part of your life’s story?

I am at a loss for words.

I wish there had been more time. More moments. More opportunities for you to enjoy the rewards of everything you worked so tirelessly for.

But I take comfort in knowing that your life was not lived in vain. Your legacy lives on in the many lives you touched, and in the countless children whose futures you helped shape.

Big Mummy, Iya the Best, you have fought your fight, you have played your part, and now it is time to rest.

Sleep well, my beloved aunty.

Rest peacefully from all your labour.

You may be gone from our sight, but never from our hearts.

God knows best.

cont..