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| Madam Sheila and Taiwo Abiodun in one of her interviews |
Sheila Solarin
I failed to fullfil my
promise to Mama
Taiwo Abiodun a reporter at The Nation recounts his numerous encounters with Madam Sheila Solarin who passed on last Sunday
I shall pass through this world but once;
Any good therefore that I can
do , or any kindness that I can
show my fellow creature ,
Let me do it now , let me not defer it
or neglect it
For I shall not pass this way again
___________Etienne
De Grellet(1773-1855 )
‘’ Babalawo , do you
have Tai Solarin’s children’s cell number? I heard that Mama Sheila is dead ,
please help us to confirm’’, Kofo Osagie a colleague from the office called my cell phone last Sunday. Immediately I heard
the name Babalawo I knew it was from the office, for that is
what they call me. Grief, shock and confusion enveloped me . I was shivering like Christmas goat and unstable
like a floated leaf on waters. My cell phone almost
dropped from my hand as if I am suffering from Parkinson syndrome. I called
Corin’s line the first child of the Solarins. ’’Confirmed
‘’, she replied in a text message .I wept like a baby. This was the second time I would weep in my life .The first time
was when my mother died at 79 and
that was five years ago and this is the
second .When my father died in 1985 at the age of 96, I did not weep.
I broke down and tears cascaded down my cheeks. Mama is dead? Few hours later I started
receiving calls from home and abroad asking me the full details and
her last hours as if I was there when
she breathed her last. When I got to the office the next day some of
my colleagues including Joe Agbro ,
Udezie Edozie , Yemi Ajayi
, Ronke Rafiu. Pa Yemi Abiodun, my elder brother called from Akure among others
started consoling me . In fact I received over
30calls. I now believed that I am one of her adopted children .
Yes!, I had
interviewed her several times . I had spent a whole day with her times without number ,in fact we had become
family members as I too shared my
problems with her aside from the official job.
I used to ask her many questions from sense to non sense , civilized
to uncouth, foolish or wise yet she would not turn me down. I have asked about her
romantic life when she was young, the medical problem she ever faced and she
told me it was cervical cancer. I told her that I am a friend to her parrot as
I sighted the parrot in her house, she
too told me that we were the same thing. I have demanded from her why she did
not use walking stick , she replied ‘’ I don’t
need it’’. I have asked her why she kept
Ghanaians ,Togolese in her house , and she replied ‘’ what is wrong in that Taiwo? . They are okay’’.
Where is your pet dog Rosa?
I once asked her , as I used to tell her that she was like the Nursery Rhythm
of Mary’s lamb that goes with her anywhere Mary goes , but Mama would
jocularly tell me that she was
Sheila and not Mary and Rosa her dog
is not a lamb too .The giant dog, Rosa
later died due to old age .
I have asked her why she did not have gate in her house[there
is now] and she replied ‘’ I have nothing
thieves would steal here’’. I once asked her who owns the
herd of cows in the school and she replied ‘’ they belong to my son ,Tunde and that is his business , I keep
to my house here he too keeps to his business nobody disturbs another’’. I
remember I asked her why she uses eye glasses and hearing aids she replied ‘’ I
cannot hear very well again and I cannot see very well again .What of you
Taiwo?’’
I remember she asked me to bring my twin brother if truly I
am a twin , and I told him that my twin
brother, Kehinde is still alive but far
away in Canada but she said ‘’ that is
what Yoruba will say when they have no twin brother or sister again, anyway let
us meet one day or do you want me to come to Owo? , she jocularly asked ,
and i promised to bring my twin brother ,Kehinde to know her .Unfortunately the
woman never lived up to see him!.
Call her a stubborn agitator
, tag her a non- realist. Label
her an atheist , in fact she is a proud
woman and a gift to Nigeria
and should be called the Biblical Deborah who fought for the Israelites.
Anytime I mentioned the former Head of state General
Babangida she would say ‘’ I cannot
forgive him, he contributed to my husband’s death. Babangida incarcerated my husband for months just because
he was fighting for a just cause. Where are the leaders of yesteryears?
But has he come here to tender apology?’’, she would ask.
I asked her why she
did not go to Church on one Sunday morning when I
went to interview her, she responded ’’ And why did you come here on Sunday morning when you know I should
be in church. Church? I don’t go to Church. I am an atheist .I am always busy ’’.
And when I told her it has been long since I went to church she was excited and
gave me a parting gift , a book titled Humanism
By Barbara Smoker. Apart from this I have eight
books she always gave me anytime I go there for an interview in my
library.
She was simple, approachable, loyal, humble and down to earth .Unlike the so called some affluent and arrogant Nigerians who you have to fill
form, wait endlessly , and walk carefully in their ill- gotten wealth living rooms ,and
chose your words before you can interview them. In fact
with their sheer arrogance would even cancel the interview as if they are gods.
Till she died Mama was still teaching old people on how to read and write .She later
abandoned the class and converted her
motor garage into a classroom as she could no longer trek to the school again. Till
her death she used to mark errors found in newspapers, as she once confided in me that Nigerian papers are riddled with errors
but they are trying .
Now that I , sorry, we, have lost a mother , it is good
for us all to give her the last respect and celebrate her. This was a woman who
chose poverty lifestyle for our sake. She left the comfort of life in
Britain for Nigeria where the roads are bad, no electricity, no security of life and
where there is no respect for human dignity.
Goodnight Mama , Good night Tai’s wife.
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