In my undergraduate days at the University of Ibadan in the 1980s, three spouses of our lecturers who were working in the Registry/Administration caught my attention by their sheer humility, dedication to duty, comportment and level-headedness. They had the proverbial mother-in-Israel disposition in them. They were Mrs Oduye (wife of Professor Oladipo Oduye of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and who happened to be the daughter of my mother), Mrs Joy Ikede (wife of Professor Basil Ikede also of Veterinary Medicine) and Erelu Modupe Soyode (wife of the inimitable Professor Afolabi Soyode of the Faculty of the Social Sciences). They represented the finest in womanhood who guided and moulded the students just like they did for their own children. Oftentimes they go out of their ways in that pursuit and put smiles on the faces of the needy students without consideration for ethnic or religious identity nor where they came from.
Mrs Oduye had since gone to be with her creator and may Allah continue to rest her in the best of paradise, Aljanah firdaus. As an undergraduate at Ibadan, I knew them. They probably didn’t know or they assumed that only their husbands were known or were supposed to be known being Professors on campus while the wives worked silently! Sometimes in July 1983, I was on my way to Sweden for the International Veterinary Students Association (IVSA) Congress in Upssala. I was on the same Lufthansa flight with Mrs Soyode from Lagos to Frankfurt. As soon as I saw her, I prostrated fully in the aircraft and the whitemen looked at me with utter surprise! I introduced myself. The only two people she asked for were Mrs Oduye and Mrs Joy Ikede. We both parted by taking our connecting flights and upon my return to the campus I visited her, and that was the beginning of a lasting relationship. I have to tell this story today on the occasion of her 75th birthday because she probably does not remember that I also have had contact with her. I was not from the Social Sciences circle although she was aware of the fact that her husband knew me.
Mrs Soyode has been a most excellent home keeper and clearly a solid supporter of her husband. During the trying period of her husband’s ill-health, Prof Tunde Adeniran and I had visited the house at Akobo. She couldn’t prevent the Prof from seeing her husband. With obvious tears in her face, she took extra care to guide us to meet Prof Soyode. Such a woman of total dedication and absolute faith, she doted on her husband with passionate commitment. Her candour, poise and loyalty must be part of the reason why she earned the special title of Erelu!
I celebrate you today and always, Mama. I am sure that your loving children are extremely happy to celebrate with you as well. By the special Grace of God, you will be 80, you will be 90 and even more on in happiness, sound health and comfort with your dearest husband, Professor Afolabi Soyode.
Igba odun, odun kan. Aseyi samodun. Ire o!
Dr Gani Adeniran
Ajangboju-Akobo, Ibadan