Obit: Huldah Òjímì Ẹnitan Oluboye (née Adamolekun) remembered on her 80th Birthday – Tola Adenle

Born on Valentine’s Day, the 45th day of 1935, Huldah Oluboye had prepared for today which would have been her 80th birthday but it was not to be. To the end of her days 45 days before 2014 closed on November 16, she gave much love to family, friends, and those who came in contact with her.

Like most females of her generation in her little corner of Nigeria, female education was not given much thought during her very early years, and even though she placed first in the 1950 Standard VI Leaving School Examination in old Ondo Province, she would start professional life apprenticed in the tailoring trade.

After a couple of months at Akure the major city twelve miles from her Iju hometown, she was transferred by her older brother who was very familiar with Yorubaland’s largest city, to Ibadan where he had attended the Government College and was then a student at the University College (now University of Ibadan) where she continued her apprenticeship. Fate took another turn soon after her arrival at Mrs. Ogun’s who had to leave for England, but fortunately, she would, through her brother’s link with the famed photographer, Clement’s Photos of Idi-Ikan, continue her apprenticeship under Mama Mrs. H.I.D. Awolowo.

Mama had found the amount she was given from home to be in excess of what she needed for apprenticeship, and had had her continue her education at the Anglican Girls’ School. Through Mama’s foresight and kindness, she was therefore able to attend school in 1951 and ’52 as well as continue her sewing apprenticeship after school.

After her “Freedom” from the apprenticeship, she started her own small sewing trade in her hometown as well as teach Needlework and Domestic Science at the Senior Primary School, Iju-Itaogbolu (which became Iju-Itaogbolu Anglican Grammar School in 1957).

Oluboye would later attend the Divisional Teachers’ College at Ondo where she received certification. While the sewing skills acquired would probably have been a useful additional tool for others, Huldah would never touch a sewing machine again either as a professional or to even sew for herself and/or family once she went back to school!

She taught briefly at Iju but it was at Akure at Local Authority Schools and at African Church schools that she spent her entire career.

Present for her funeral ceremonies were all her living younger siblings while the two older ones, 88-year old Barrister I.O. Adamolekun and 80-year old Mrs. Abi Araromi, stayed away. This is in line with Yoruba culture: parents do not attend children’s funeral nor older brothers and sisters attend the burial of younger siblings.

Left to mourn Huldah Oluboye who outlived her only child are family members, friends and professional colleagues in Akure and environs.  She was laid to rest at Iju on January 30, 2015 after a funeral service at the St. Stephen’s Archdeaconry Church. May her loving soul find eternal rest with God.

AT CHURCH ENTRANCE –

L to R: Mrs. Ayodeji Adubia, Dr. Joseph Adamolekun,Mrs. Tola Adenle, Professor Ladipo Adamolekun, Mrs. Jumoke Adamolekun & Olori Ronke Olugbemigun

Archdeacon receives body

Tola, Ronke & Ladipo

FROM THE CHURCH

Dr. Wole & Mrs. Bisi Adamolekun

2nd left is 1st cousin, Mope Faponmile; and L to R, Brothers & Sisters – Taiwo; Ayo; Ladipo, Joe & R.O. Fagbuyiro

Senator Nimbe (Huldah’s cousin through his late mother, Mama Ajero, who was Late Papa J.F. Adamolekun’s cousin) & Olori Abike Farukanmi

AT THE GRAVESITE

Ayodeji & Ladipo with Archdeacon Kujero and other clergy

OTHERS

Dr. Adenle and Tola with Adenles: L to R – Dewunmi Ojo,(his sister) Deji Adeyemi (niece), Tola (blogger), Sade Salami & Yemisi Obisesan (his nieces).

Iju Ladies, All: L to R – Tewa Aderibigbe; Ayo Adubifa, Ronke Olugbemigun, Debbie Aladesanmi, Tola & Jumoke Adamolekun

Above line-up without Jumoke

Archdeacon Ọpẹ Kujero with Ayodeji, Depo, Tola & Ronke

Depo & Tola Adenle

Ayo with Depo & Tola Adenle

Ronke with Depo & Tola Adenle

AND A SAMPLE of the aṣọ ẹbi (family uniform for social occasions in Yorubaland) now generally worn by families, friends, and if truth be told, by long distance acquaintances/just about anybody on social occasions throughout Nigeria today!

Ronke and Waleola Ojomo (Huldah’s niece, & daughter of Huldah’s oldest surviving sibling, Barrister Isaac Adamolekun)

And Cover of the Funeral Service Program, a memento, with her 30th birthday photograph, one of the images of how we will always remember her.

COVERfinal

You may be interested in –
Blogs elsewhere: aṣọ ẹbí menace – http://emotanafricana.com/2011/06/11/blogs-elsewhere-aso-ebi-menace

In Yoruba language, aṣọ (cloth/clothes) ẹbí (family) was clothing that was uniformly-worn by family members at social occasions like weddings, funerals, et cetera. The clothes were generally the Yoruba aṣọ oke, especially the three classics, sanyan, alaari and ẹtù. Other aṣọ òkè were also common. The practice has metamorphosed to include cheaper fabrics for affordability which is great, and huge motley crowds which is generally to make money for “celebrants”.

Photo Credit: Clement Owolabi, Ikere-Ekiti, Nigeria.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2015. 12:01 a.m. [GMT]