HID for burial Nov 25, says daughter

 The eldest daughter of HID Awolowo, Rev. Omotola Oyediran, has said the remains of her mother will be buried on her centenary birthday, November 25.

The matriarch of the Awolowos died on Saturday, September 19, exactly 67 days to her 100th birthday. She was aged 99.

Responding to President Goodluck Jonathan’s condolence message, Oyediran appreciated the former President and his wife for coming all the way from Bayelsa State to condole with the family.

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She recalled that during Jonathan’s many visits to the deceased, she usually referred to the former President as her ‘son.’

She said, “What can we say but to give God all the glory for a very beautiful life she lived. She has done so much and it is impossible for us to put all that she has done together.

“I want to assure you that though some of you have received letters in the past about the centenary in order to write tributes for her, I want to assure you that those tributes will be printed.

“I want to assure the Christian Association of Nigeria that we are going to give them a special time when the time comes.

“I want to appeal to all of you to be part of celebrating Mama, by the grace of God, we haven’t concluded the arrangements but I would let you know that the very day that she was supposed to be 100 years, she would be buried.

“There will be dancing and a few tears at the burial of who I call Iya Niwura.

“There is no way you can separate Papa from Mama and Mama from Papa, the story is one.

“It is interesting that Papa passed on on Saturday, May 9, 1987 and Mama also died on Saturday, September 19, 2015, we give God all the glory.

“We thank you all and we look forward to seeing you on the 25th of November.”

Also responding , the youngest child of HID Awolowo, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, said the family would continue to cherish the good legacies their parents had left behind.