Abosede Omowumi Olukoju (1961-2014): A Year In The Lord’s Bosom

A devoted and model wife, mother in a million, Christian warrior, dogged defender of the downtrodden, a compassionate and loyal friend and mentor, Abosede Omowumi Abike Aina Olukoju (nee Olorunda), barrister-at-law, home maker, evangelist and community worker, joined the Saints Triumphant a year ago, aged 53.

Her husband of 30 years, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, described her as a “bright shining light, exquisite beauty, loyal, guileless lover, ruth-ian wife, best friend and soulmate.”

Born at Ile-Ife, Osun State on February 12, 1961, she was the second surviving child of the late Pa Samuel Adedayo Olorunda, a senior forester in the Ministry of Agriculture, and Madam Dorcas Iyeniola Olorunda (nee Kuye), a businesswoman, community leader and former member of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), both indigenes of Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State.

Omowumi (or “Bose,” as she was then called) attended primary schools in Abeokuta and Ibadan, and was educated at Victory College, Ikare-Akoko, where she was a school prefect.

She was employed by the Nigerian Posts and Telegraphs (P&T), which groomed her at the P&T Training School in Benin City before posting her to the General Post Office, Akure, Ondo State, where she worked till she returned to school.

Omowumi subsequently attended Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Kongo Campus, Zaria, where she obtained a Diploma in Law before earning the Bachelor’s degree in Law in 1985. At Kongo, she was nicknamed “Bose Ilabe” because she was fond of greeting people — “E ku ilabe.”

On December 6, 1984, she married her hearthrob, Ayodeji Olukoju, a young lecturer at the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye. The couple’s first child, Damilola, was born in May 1985 at ABU Teaching Hospital, Zaria.

Omowumi attended the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1986. She observed the mandatory national service in the Registry of the Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye in 1986/87, and relocated to Lagos in September 1987, when her husband secured appointment at the University of Lagos.

In-between stints in the chambers of Balogun, Balogun and Co., Awosika and Co., and as the Company Secretary, Kind Insurance Brokers Limited, Lagos, she devoted time to raising her four children and supporting her husband as he rose through the ranks to the peak of his career.

Her devoted support ensured that her daughters, Damilola, Omolola and Oreoluwa, had obtained first degrees in Biochemistry, Pharmacy and Law, respectively. Damilola is months away from completing a second bachelor’s degree in medicine while Oluwaseyi, her only son, had commenced medical studies by the time of her passing.

Her deep interest in civil law and litigation was expressed in practice through her chambers (Ddarellas, an acronym of the names of members of her nuclear family, later changed to Omowumi Olukoju & Co) and in the choice of her postgraduate research projects.

Omowumi earned two Masters degrees in Law (LLM) from the Lagos State University and the University of Lagos. She was working on her Master of Philosophy dissertation in Law for the Obafemi Awolowo University even on her deathbed. A year before her passing, she returned to law practice.

Omowumi, known in Church circles as “Sister Olukoju,” gave her life to Jesus Christ in 1992 and lived as an old-time Christian.

A practical and passionate believer, she was committed to soul-winning, caring, sharing and hospitality. While in Japan in 1993/94, she was a volunteer worker in the children’s wing of the Victory Christian Centre, Urayasu, Tokyo led by Pastors Daniel and Connie Ong.

In Nigeria, she was active in the Deeper Christian Life Ministries, where she sang in the choir alongside her husband and in the youth ministry and the women’s ministry in Ilupeju and Abule-Okuta Districts in Mushin and Shomolu, respectively.

She visited the State of Israel in 2009 for a personal feel of the Biblical sites she had read so much about. Receiving a direct commission from the Lord Jesus Christ, she ran a caring, and tract writing and distribution ministry, The Narrow Way, which produced and circulated more than a dozen short tracts.

Lawyer Omowumi Olukoju offered her professional service on the Land and Building Committee of the DCLM and featured on the discussion panels on the ministry’s now rested Life TV series.

Mummy Olukoju, as she was also known, invested heavily in people through personal visits, Christian literature distribution, hospitality and sacrificial giving.

An exemplar of the virtuous woman of Proverbs chapter 31, she was a most loyal, loving, industrious and supportive wife (a modern Ruth), and a devoted, doting but disciplinarian mother. An astute manager of funds and resources, she handled the family budget, investments and children’s education with uncommon accountability and prudence.

A woman of boundless energy, self-sacrifice, zeal and purpose, Mummy was given to self development for the sake of family and society.

After obtaining her professional qualifications in Law, she enrolled at the Alliance Française to acquire a working knowledge of French, underwent short-term training in catering and enrolled in a sewing institute to acquire requisite life skills. Her passionate love and support for her husband was legendary.

She was his constant companion on most of his local and foreign trips, and major official and professional engagements, counsellor, yokefellow and intercessor.

She sacrificed time and her career towards ensuring his success as Head of Department and Dean of Arts at the University of Lagos, and as Vice-Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos State. At various times between 1993 and 2005, they spent time together in Japan, The United Kingdom, France, Ghana and Germany.

The Lord Jesus had repeatedly assured her that her mansion was ready for occupation, at least a year before the onset of her terminal illness. She answered the call of the Saviour, whom she loved so dearly, on Tuesday, July 22, 2014.

Her earthly remains were interred on August 15, 2014 in her husband’s hometown of Oka-Akoko, Ondo State, after rousing and emotional final rites in Lagos, Akure and Oka-Akoko. Family, friends and fellow believers miss her presence and are still coping with the lingering pains of her absence.

But they thank God for the enduring legacy and sweet memories of her eventful life, and look foward to a reunion with her at the feet of Jesus Christ.