Senate Celebrates HID As Saraki Leads Delegation To Ikenne

Glowing tributes were yesterday paid on the floor of the Senate to the late Chief (Mrs) H.I.D Awolowo, who died on the 19th of last month at the age of 99.

Tributes on the life and times of the late nonagenarian by senator were sequel to a motion moved to that effect by Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso (APC Ogun Central) and six other senators.

The Senate, in line with one of the prayers of the motion, raised a 10- man delegation to be led by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki for commiseration visit to the Ikenne home of the late Matriarch of the Awolowo family.

Members of the delegation include, Senators Ahmed Lawan, Shehu Sanni, Ben Bruce, Biodun Olujimi, Stella Odua and the three senators from Ogun State.

In his own tribute, the Senate President described the late woman as a detribalized Nigerian, saying that women of the country should emulate her devotion and simplicity as demonstrated to her late husband, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who died in May 1987 and other Nigerians.

Saraki added that all Nigerians would miss her as she was a promoter of peace in the country.

Tejuoso, who moved the motion, noted with glory to God for a life well spent, the demise of Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, the wife of Nigeria’s great nationalist, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo on the 19th of September, 2015.

He added that the late Dideolu Awolowo was born on the 25th of November 1915 in Ikenne, Ogun State, and died at the age of 99, barely two months to her centenary birthday.

She added that she received her early education at St Peter’s High School, Ita Faji, Lagos and Methodist Girls High School, Lagos before returning to St Saviours School, Ikenne, as a teacher.

Tejuoso informed that she got married to late Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1937 and remained happily married to him till his demise in May 1987, noting that although the late Mrs Awolowo was a great business woman of great repute, she was also an astute politician.

He observed that it was her fidelity and total loyalty that led her husband, the late Papa Awolowo to describe her as his jewel of inestimable value and convinced that Mama Awolowo was a great nationalist, an icon whose life was one of remarkable service to humanity.

The senator further noted that Mama Awolowo was a generous and loving woman whose death is not only a loss to Ogun State in particular but to the entire nation at large and prayed for observation of a minute silence in her honour.

He asked that a delegation to condole with her family, the people and government of Ogun State be set up and called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to honour her as deemed fit.

Senator Monsurat Sunmonu ( APC Oyo North), in her contribution, described Mama as a very accommodating woman, adding that she was a progressive who always promoted any issue that concerned women especially those in politics.

She added that she was an inspiration to women and envy the way she stood by her husband throughout his travails and commiserated with all women in the country on her death.