Happy birthday to you our dear mummy Sherifat Aregbesola, the very supportive wife to our Oga Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for the Interior.
I’m one of your greatest admirers since my path crossed with Oga late 1998. Your piety and love for Allah, our Oga and the children is very inspirational and unquantifiable.
Our Oga’s eulogy to you on his Facebook page today speaks volume of the depth of your good, enviable and amiable character. You have been and still remains the great chef behind the palatable dish, a great pillar of marvelous support to our Oga.
In the turbulent days of political struggles to take the State of Osun, I closely observed your resilient, courageous and supporting spirit which remained fervent and undaunted. Like the rock of Gibraltar, your faith remained unshaken. What a great support system you are !
Your ever charming and receptive smile cum good disposition to all of us around Oga is fantastic. I have never seen your face frowned neither have I noticed you get infuriated. As we swam round the house, you were always with us, going round to serve us food and drink usually in a humble-warmly manner. You are a copious and reference being in hospitable disposition.
There is no gain saying the fact that God deliberately and specially chose you for Ogbeni. He couldn’t have had a better hand to hold on and forth for him in his onerous and very tasking responsibilities of service to humanity over these long years.
Your protective and motherly care to our Oga is fierce and uncompromising. I recall a day you were speaking to Asiwaju on phone before some of us. I knew it was Asiwaju because you referred to him as big daddy. You said and I quote, because I still vividly remember ; “big daddy, e ba okunrin yi soro o. Kii jeun o. Ko tii jeun lati aaro o. “ meaning Asiwaju, please talk to Rauf o, he doesn’t eat. He hasn’t eaten since morning “. That’s how loving and caring you are to your husband.
It goes without saying that you are a great blessing and gift of God to our Oga and we thank God for the good life of progress that God has granted your family.
It is my prayer that your latter days shall be greater than the former and lines shall continue to fall unto you in pleasant places. The Lord will grant you longevity and good health. Whatever makes you happy will not make you cry and you shall be a palm tree planted by the riverside that brings forth fruits every season. Your joy, peace and abundance will never cease.
Congratulations Ma and many happy returns. I rejoice with you and thank God on your behalf. It is well with you and all yours.
If you like champagne, please pop it Ma.🍾🥂
‘Igba odun, odun kan ni fun yin o. E pe bi mope se npe. Ate pe lese ntena. E fowo pa wu, e fi erigi je obi lagbara Olorun.‘
Hon Lanre Ogunyemi is the Secretary of the Lagos chapter of APC
