Good afternoon ladies, gentlemen & our young people - thank you for your prayers & presence for the family at this service.
In writing this eulogy of our dearly beloved departed soul, Josephine Olayinka Olugbekan nee Odunsi, I can only give a glimpse of who she was and I hope you will each see a reflection of the lady you knew.
Sis Yinka , sister , Aunty , Mama Josephine or my senior, my classy iyale...was a woman of stature, substance & stamina. A daughter, wife, mentor, mother, teacher, tutor, church worker, chartered accountant, friend, provider, advocate numerous titles!
In my dealings with her, I describe her as kind, generous, godly, talented, frank &forthright, a rebel for a cause, spiritual, calm, caring, candid, clean & tidy, intelligent, polite, punctual to name some!
She was hardworking, philanthropist, a keen traveller, a lover of history, art & culture taking particular interest in the work of young people known to her.
When you know her well enough, you will find she was full of funny bones!
She was an excellent cook / chef. Her efo iro is elemi meje (has 7 lives) or 9 sometimes, the best organic goat meat / what about jollof rice one in town...I could continue to fantasise on when next I will taste this.... but no longer!A determined cyclist (from the comfort of the settee ) - I understand that sister!
She loved cake but not ice cream although her freezer was full of it - thanks to her husband's love of it.
She was very accommodating, opening her home to many - thank you.
I want to focus on her character by likening her to 2 fruits: pineapple & apple.
When I first came into contact with her 20-plus years ago, I thought her to be a little prickly like the pineapple skin, then I peeled away the surface, to find a sweet, juicy, bubbly lady like the yellow flesh; I further discovered that she had core Christian values at her centre - love, peace, joy, hope, humility.
She was the apple of God's eyes and reflected this in her many different aspects of life - in marriage, at home, work or in charitable contributions.
She will be sorely missed very dearly by her husband, siblings, children, family & friends; and many many others who I don't know but that she impacted positively progressively.
It still quite unbelievable that she's gone forever only to be encountered in our dreams or in another's likeness. The day she passed away is forever etched in all our memories. We thank God for your uniqueness & believe you're at peace, set free from the ills of this world.
For us who continue to dwell on earth, what can we learn from her life & legacy? if each one of us picked one of her positive virtue the planet will be a more peaceful productive place.
My dearest in the Lord... sleep tight at rest - knowing that one day we shall all answer the Master's call... Simi mi sun re ni ese Jesu olugbalawa.
You also gave me such great ideas for the future and I will always remember you forever 