I will certainly be doing a great disservice to effective and impactful Parenting by not giving much credence to these two Angels. So now is the greatest time to do that, do please take this journey with me down memory lane. Which all started out from Okebola Ibadan. At this point Daddy and Mummy must have been in their early twenties. Almost suddenly our next move was to UCH, based on the fact that Daddy was a practising doctor we lived in the doctor’s quarters. From there we were all already in attendance of the Maryhill Convent School.
Who are we? That will be
Kemi, Yemisi, Ayotola and Olumide with Segun and myself of course. Not
forgetting Dolly and a little later Ladi who stayed a little while. Are you
surprised ？Yes those two looked after all of
us and they were barely thirty years old. Their sense of comnitment to us all
whilst Mummy faced her Business and Dad his profession still beats me.
We
eventually moved from UCH to Bodija, Oshuntokun Avenue to be exact. There we
all grew up with neighbours such as Professor Francis of blessed memory. Making
friends with Bomo, Lawale and Atonbara and Grandma Franciswho taught me
embroidery and some sewing skills. God rest her soul. Right next door lived the
Oguns and their son Babatunde. As soon as homework was done we will race, gist
and we had to go shower by six, eat our dinner and get ready for the next day,.
Whilst mummy spoiled us with toys as she sold toys anyway, Daddy was a
disciplinarian. Though he organised fun for us from time to time. They attended
sports day, took part in our open days, by getting involved and engaging
themselves in hands on parenting which they displayed with much ease.
Amongst
which was swimming and i recall once we decided to do imagery swimming by
diving from.our bunk beds, I literally dived over Ayotola ,skinny legs then
with others joining, oh how she cried in agony. She would not stop despite much
appeal, only to discover that her leg had been fractured. Daddy had to rush her
back to hospital as he was just coming in. Gosh we all got our well-deserved
whooping. Ayotola got the cast for some months. Kudos to all parents for your
tenancity and much tolerance especially those who take up.other people’s
children aside from their biological ones. Professor and Mrs Oyediran deserve a
trophy especially when compared to the present self centred generation such as
we have today. Such sense of responsibility and commitment to duty is uncommon,
as i recall other activities.
Another time was when Segun was playing catchers,
he was supposed to seek and locate one of us. Well on this day there was fire outside
with hot water by the boy’s quarters. The chasing was fierce on that day frail
Dolly was accidentally pushed and hot water and the yells that followed after
was enough for us to realise that we were all done for and we have God to thank
as it’s a Miracle that she survived it. Secondary School was beckoning to me.
Amidst this, we were once again ready to move to our permanent home in Ring
road. This was our dream come true, i went to Boarding School at Yejide girl’s
grammar School and others stayed home. After a year we all were shipped to
Lagos, actually three of us Kemi, Segun and myself. After like two years,
Yemisi joined us. We went back to our source due to poor Performance and the
fact mummy and Daddy felt Papa and Mama should allow them continuity. So we
girls left Methodist girls Lagos and Segun left Igbobi College Yaba, Lagos.
Bam
we were back with them. Whilst Kemi and myself went to St Louis, Yemisi
and Ayotola went to InternatIional.School, Segun went to Government College,
Olumide to Methodist boys Ibadan, i actually need to confirm this. , Dolly left
Maryhill to join her parents and attended Corona but eventually joined the
International School crew. In retrospect it could not have been easy on Mummy
and Daddy though we increased Yewande Soyode now, Amusan was also much around
later came Adeola Adebanjo now,Azeez who was doing her A Levels, there was
Juwon, Yemisi or Adepupa, Tope, Dasola and lambs or Sunday. I must not forget
Auntie Remi and Tolu Adelesi. We celebrated Birthdays, entertained guests from
School. Everyone just cooked their own food and some of us will cook and take
it to friends in boarding house. Our home was home away from home for many. And
whom do we need to Thank but Prof as they all called him in absentia and
Profess. As our WAEC exams approached we were all regimented and rejigged to succeed
and we all did. Then we were ready to go out of the shores of Nigeria having
been prepared with right Values. I must not forget that by five thirty in the
Mornings we had to read a passage together and pray, this most important aspect
has kept us all. Thank you Daddy and Mummy I wish I had a suitable picture with
most of us, but I will get it, eventually.
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