By Olusegun Olanrewaju
On a day of trendy burials and remembrance, Ikorodu, Lagos, sent forth three of its prominent citizens in their own right with pomp and ceremony Wednesday through Friday.

They were Adenrele Oyebola Adeniran-Ogunsanya (1948-2022); Musbau Adesegun Omotayo Olufowora (1932-2022) and Oluwakemi Efundeinde Shobajo, alias ‘Iya Elewa’ (1912-2022).

While a centenarian, Mama Oluwakemi Efundeinde Shobayo (popularly known as Iya Elewa, was laid to rest with a grand party at the popular Benson (bus stop) area, another prominent grassroots politician and educationist, Chief Musbau Adesegun Omotayo Olufowora, was celebrated in death at the capacity-filled town hall at the town centre.

Further down in the neighbourhood, at Obafemi Awolowo Road, funeral parties were held for an amazon, former Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG), Princess Adenrele Oyebola Adeniran, Ogunsanya, alias ‘Mama Jandor’.

‘Iya Elewa’ (beans seller) died aged 111, but Olufowora, Baba Adini of Irepodun Mosque in Anibaba, Ikorodu, was an ex-local government supervisory councillor.

He was popularly called ‘Educay General’ for his activism in the educational sector and died aged 80. Before he drew the curtain, he led a powerful group within the mainstream Primrose Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the Ikorodu divisional chapter, in Lagos. Born on January 6, 1932, he was buried on January 7, 2022. Adeniran-Ogunsanya too had been born on January 18, 1948, and died on January 25, 2022.

A massive party was held sideways of the ever-busy Lagos Road by the water corporation facility in Ikorodu. But the star ‘celebrant’ of the day was Adeniran-Ogunsanya, the Asetaloye Oke Eletu of Ikorodu, who was variously eulogised as a matriarch, political icon, and ‘Mama Jandor’ the latter for her heroics at propping up a rising political figure in Lagos State.

All roads appeared to lead to No. 25, Fuwagboye Court, Anibaba. Convoys of rented vehicles from all parts of the state converged to send forth Adeniran Ogunsanya, daughter of First Republic prominent politician, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, who died aged 74.

It was like another day of politicking in Lagos; the ethnic were celebrating Iya Elewa, chorusing “Omo Yoruba ni” (she is a daughter of the Yoruba). APC was celebrating its own in Olufowora, while the Lagos 4Lagos Movement was busy heralding, on a bold note, the connection of the departed with the Jandorist movement. (Banner was sighted: ‘Alhaji Adeen jaji. That Lagos PDP may excel’; ‘Lagos Island for Jandor 2023’

There were no traces of sorrow as heavily-armed groups of security operatives, including men of the Lagos State Police Command, Neighbourhood watchers in LNSC; vigilance corps of Onyabo, and others joined in maintaining the peace.

Traditional rulers and top representatives of prominent politicians of the ancient town gathered to pay their last respects to the deceased. the Ayangberen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi; the traditional monarch of Igbogbo, a suburb of the greater Ikorodu, Adegboruwa-in-council; Elemuren of Emuren Former senator, ex-minister and Nigeria’s high commissioner to Ghana, Musiliu Obanikoro;(at the reception at Ikorodu Musical Village), and a top member of BAT Movement and member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Gbolahan Olusegun Yishau (who came with a branded APC van).

A driver told ThisNigeria, “We came from Iyana Ipaja and different places in chartered buses. I am not a politician.
Adeniran-Ogunsanya died early Tuesday, 25 January 2022 after a brief illness.

She was one of the leaders of the Lagos4Lagos Movement whose members recently defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the ruling APC.

A sympathiser told ThisNigeria about the party: “She is a politician like her father. I can’t say if there were differences between Tinubu and her. But she was in the PDP before she joined APC.

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“I can’t say why she crossed to the APC, or what happened with Tinubu (to warrant the Lagos4Lagos front), but it may be the usual thing in politics and government. They set up a probe through a committee or whatever and she decided to cross over to the APC. She fell out of favour to join APC.”

Adeniran-Ogunsanya was the Lagos SSG during the first term in office of Babatunde Fashola, SAN between 2007 and 2011.

Tributes came in torrents for the deceased son and daughters of Ikorodu.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary CPS), Gboyega Akosile, on Tuesday, praised the former SSG’s contribution to governance, growth, and development of Lagos State during her tenure as the government secretary.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Lagos State, I want to express my sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the family, friends and political associates of the late Secretary to (SSG), Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya,” Sanwo-Olu said in the statement.

“The death of Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya is a big loss to Lagos State. She made a lot of positive impacts and contributions during her lifetime to the growth and development of Lagos State as SSG.
“She also made a significant impact in Lagos politics when as a member of the ruling party, especially in Ikorodu.
“I pray that God will grant Princess Adenrele Adeniran-Ogunsanya eternal rest and give the immediate family, friends, political associates, and the people of Ikorodu the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the governor prayed. Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House led Adeniran -Ogunsanya’s burial

Presidential aspirant, publisher, and writer, Dele Momodu, also paid glowing tributes. “Even as a seasoned, oftentimes dispassionate writer, words fail me as I try to pen this special tribute to a very special woman.
“Some people are just too wonderfully created that one would expect that they will live forever. Princess Adenrele is one of such persons. Though she has transformed from mortal to immortal and departed our sinful, ungrateful world, I know she will live in our hearts forever and we shall meet again in heaven by God’s grace.

“Before we ever met in London about two decades ago, her great name and pedigree had preceded her. She was a shining star in the political firmament and one of the few female politicians renowned as totally dedicated, committed, determined, principled, and fearless about nation-building. On the day we met, I had received a call from the famous Actress, Ronnie Dikko, who told me they were in London on vacation. I promised to come on a visit to their apartment somewhere in Sussex Gardens in West London.

“Princess was as cool and calm as the proverbial cucumber. I couldn’t imagine the irrepressible and steely personality that was buried within that soft exterior. I would later discover a disciplined and principled woman with an amazing capacity for hard work combined with inimitable love and kindness. For hours on that first day, we discussed the politics of our dear beloved Nigeria. Her late Dad featured prominently in that conversation.

She loved her dad, the indefatigable Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, so passionately as most daughters do. He was her eternal hero. She resembled Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya except for her light skin which she took from her British Mum, from Manchester. We became not only the best of friends and confidants but also close family. Her humility was the main attraction to my circle of friends including Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Prince Adedamola Aderemi, Mr Gbenga Omololu-Olunloyo, Mr Olusegun Fatoye, and above all my Uncle, Chief Ezekiel Olasunmoye Fatoye who became her best friend too.

She fought many political battles. Her absolute belief that Lagos State has been hijacked by non-indigenes brought her on a collision course with very powerful forces in the Lagos State hierarchy. Her blistering, unflinching, and unalloyed loyalty to her boss, ex-governor Fashola was another source of trouble that almost crumbled and consumed her.

The truth is that this stellar characteristic which was one of her greatest strengths and which endeared her to people of all classes was practically her undoing. Princess was not one to pretend or hide behind one finger. She said it as it was and was ready to damn the consequences. For her, integrity in relationships, business, community, and politics were paramount and sacrosanct. She did not believe that it was something to be toyed or joked with.

She took on many battles and fought on them till the very end. She was not a bitter soul and continued to have the courage of her conviction even as those whose wars she fought appeared to abandon her on the altar of expediency.

The one thing she believed in was her crusade for the emancipation of the masses of her people in Ikorodu and Lagos State. She was much loved and respected in Ikorodu because it was obvious to all that their pain and suffering were hers as well.

She gave most of her time and life to fighting for the underdog and uplifting the underprivileged. It was sometimes a lonely battle that made her wonder what manner of people she was dealing with.

Princess could not understand selfishness or greed. She simply gave and gave. The joy for her was to see the happy faces and contentment of those she had been able to assist and bless. Their fight was her fight. The battles eventually took a toll on her physical and psychological health but she remained dignified and unbowed. A truly royal and regal woman. She was an amazing AMAZON in every sense of the word.

A crowd came out for the service of songs rendered in her memory on Thursday at the Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos that was taken that, in her lifetime, she must have been good to people. “Everyone said good things about her,” a report said.

The service of songs was led by Pastor Itah Ighodalo and the burial service was also held at his church, the Trinity House in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The leader of Lagos4Lagos, Mr Olajide Adediran (Jandor) described Adeniran-Ogunsanya, the deceased chairperson of the movement, as a brave warrior who did not die a coward. Jandor made the remarks during the Night of Tributes held by Lagos4Lagos for the late Ikorodu born politician at her Fiwagboye family compound in Ikorodu on Wednesday, 16th February 2022.

While urging everyone to emulate her sterling qualities, the Lagos4Lagos convener noted that the former SSG in Lagos, popularly called “Mama Jandor” would be greatly missed by him and members of the Lagos4Lagos movement.

As per Olufowora, an APC member in Ikorodu, Mr. Oladosu, described ‘Educay General’ as the late SSG’s relative “from the same Odujumo family”.

‘Iya Elewa’ was acknowledged as a caring woman in her lifetime.