THE PRIEST THAT RAISED AND RINSED ME PASSED ON TO GLORY. MAMA CANON PROFESSOR ADEBISI MARGARET SOWUNMI (nee Jadesimi)
By Imaledo Mathew
I am a man that God has made to enjoy the good acts of His benevolence through the agency of the workings of His hands. One of such hands ,whom God has used to reach out to my life, was the Late Professor Adebisi Sowunmi, an Archeabotanist, a Canon in the Anglican Communion in Nigeria, and a philanthropist, born on 24th September, 1939 to Pa Jadesimi of Ijebuland.
My path and Mummy Sowunmi crossed in 2004, the year I graduated from secondary school. I finished my SSCE with eight credits out of the nine subjects that I sat for in 2003. I had the requisite results to further my academic journey to the university, but there was no money and no one was available to sponsor me. At that time, my father who retired in 1990 from the service of University of Ibadan, had been called to glory. I was left with my mother and my siblings, who were also schooling. Thus, at a time all my class mates were going to universities of their choice, I was hawking goods for mother to assist my elder brothers in higher institutions of learning. As at then, the pre-Degree route in Obafemi Awolowo University(OAU) was a popular choice, and it cost just #90,000. I would have love it, but there was no capability.
In 2004, my brother, who himself was helpless, took me to Professor Mrs SOWUNMI in her residence at New Bodija, Ibadan. She needed a gardner. I was just 19 years. When she saw me, her question was: ‘Are you not going to school? I answered and told her details of my O’Level results. She probed further: “What do you want to do? I told her of my intention to write the Joint Aadmission Matriculation Board Examination. Alternatively, I could’t get #90,000 to enroll in the pre-Degree in OAU. She further asked if I had enrolled for JAMB exam coaching. I replied in the affirmative. She told me my salary was #3,000, but she added, ‘because I saw in you a desire to succeed I will add #500 to it so that you can pay for your tuition fees and for JAMB coaching class”. As at the time I had enrolled in an extra-mural class organised by the University of Ibadan, but domiciled within Emmanuel College.
So, I started working in the New Bodija home of the Sowunmi family and we had a congenial working relationship for 3 years. I quit the residence when Daddy SOWUNMI- also a Professor in University of Ibadan- died and I joined another company called Bookcraft at Kongi, Bodja. But I did stop to keep in touch with the family. When I got an admission to a university to study Accounting, in excitement I went to her residence to inform her of the good news. She was very glad. I told her of my incapabilities to fund the schooling. She told me that she had many people that she was sponsoring their university education. That is Mummy Sowunmi. She was a very candid person. No emotions attached to issues. I understood her position that adding my responsibility to what she already had to bear might be burdensome on her retirement benefits. But right there she gave me the sum of #10,000 to go to school, and promised to communicate with me. I was excited because my transport fare then to Edo State was about #3,500.
True to her words, after some time she became committed to giving me #20,000.00 every semester to offset the cost of textbooks dubbed ‘handouts’. If you are a graduate of a state-owned university, you would know that your ‘handouts’ is like the Holy Bible, without which you can’t pass any examination. That is a story for another day. So, for a period of 4 years she was committed to me without failing for once. That was how I survived university life.
But I will never forget a unique experience in my final year. The financial challenges that I faced in the final year took away my sleep and from my mother on whom I depended for additional support. That year I had a compounded challenge. I needed to pay my rent, school fees, write project and see to my feeding all alone. There was no way I could do all of that alone, as a full-time student, without any form of support. Yet every hope seemed dark.
But the unexpected happened. I was with Mummy Sowunmi in her house on a certain evening. We chatted and discussed many things. But she was concerned about me and asked about what I wanted as I was going back to school. I told her I needed #30,000, to which she replied: “What do you want to use #30,000 for; won’t you eat and do other things in school?” I actually needed more than the said amount, but I was thinking that I should not be much of a burden, considering all she has done for me over the years. But alas! I was wrong. She went upstairs and returned with a cheque of #60,000 that was drawn in my favour! She said “Matthew take this to relieve you of stress’. I was dumbfounded. That was how I was able to pay my bills in the final year in the university.
She did not stop there. A few years later, on the occasion of my wedding on October 6, 2018, she played great roles. She did’t only support me financially, she was at the wedding, despite her age ( she was 80 years old then), and had a very busy schedule. That was a moment that made me feel loved by her like a true mother that she has always been. Although, my biological mother had passed on, by then, she stood in for her as a mother. Subsequently, when we started having children, she named and sent gifts to them. What a invaluable mother she was!
One day, after my graduation, still jobless and some years before I took a wife, she asked me: What do you want to do? I told her I wanted to go for a specialised training in computer applications in accounting. I had made inquiries at the University of Ibadan Consultancy Services, where the training will be held, and I had been told the computer package that I wanted to learn would cost #21,000. But I could only pay #1,000, which was for registration. Surprisingly, just as I departed from her, my phone rang and she said “Matthew come pick up a cheque of #20,000 to pay for your computer program”. That was how I got diploma in computer application in accounting.
For me, her departure is the end of an era. Mummy, you didn’t tell me you will go this soon, because I was with you on 12th April,2025 at home. As I returned from the convocation ground to deliver the good news that I just bagged my MSc in Entrepreneurship, your joy knew no bounds. Despite your illness, you were still committed to my well being. You requested that I should go and do my PhD. We discussed at length and your voice was very clear. You ate a meal in my presence, only that you complained of neck pains. I brought Aboliki balm to you the next Saturday, but I was told you were at the hospital. When I was at the hospital on 27th April,2025. I had a strange feeling that you have bade me “goodbye” since 12th April ,2025 that we meet. But if I had the signs then that you were saying “good bye”, I would have begged God to add 15 more years to your sojourn here. Perhaps He would have granted my petition.
Mummy Sowunmi, you taught me integrity, honesty, hardwork, discipline, love, giving, service and dedication to God’s service. As I worked and walked with you, I saw how men honoured people of integrity. I saw how high ranking professors honoured you. It was in your home that I first saw a professor bowing to another professor. Then, I knew men are in ranks, and that we may be equal in God’s sight, but are not valued equally.
Beloved, don’t let ordinary men meet you and still remain ordinary. Transform them. Raise and rinse them. Do you know why ? You will not take anything out of this world. Whatever you have, give them to support a life, like she did for me, while you are in the world. I am using this moment to say ‘thank you’ to the Late CANON PROFESSOR ADEBISI MARGARET SOWUNMI May your soul rest in peace Mama oninu ire. Till the Resurrection Morning, when we shall meet and part no more at the feet of the Lord Jesus.
