10th Year Remembrance: Hon Kasunmu Pens Emotional Tribute For Late Grandmother, Alhaja Abibat Mogaji

*TRIBUTE TO MY UNSEEN SHADOW OF PROTECTION*
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( _Being the text of Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu’s Tribute to His *Late Grandmother, Alhaja Dr Abibatu Mogaji,* on the occasion of her 10th Year Remember Anniversary held in Lagos on 15th June 2023_)

Maami Asabi Okin, Abiyamo tooto, no amount of words and phrases can adequately capture my feelings as we mark the tenth year anniversary of your departure today.

My feelings today are a blend of bleakness and euphoria.
Bleakness, because you are not here today to see the glorious results and outcomes of your years of planning, labouring, networking and generous deeds; Euphoric, because what you struggled for, what you fought for, what you advocated for and what you lived for are all coming to fruition before our very eyes. These would have been moments of your glory.

But I take solace in the words of the legendary American memoirist, Maya Angelou, who said:
“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again”

ASABI OKIN, you ARE a great Soul; you never died!
You lived for me!
You lived for us!
Now You live in me!
And you live in us.

While your daughter, Ayinke, my mum, was here, you dotted on me like a budding floweret. After her transition, you protected me jealously, provided for me generously, encouraged me vigorously and equipped me strongly for the journey ahead.

Hundreds of pages of books would never suffice to express or document the lasting memories of moments with you in my years of innocence and exuberance.

Maami, a few days to your transition, you called me to yourself and told me never to worry, that I would never be lonely.
Looking back now, I have seen clearly with strong conviction that you have kept your word! I have never been lonely.
You have been with me in the journey all the way. You never left me.

I want to seize this opportunity to say THANK YOU once again.
Thank you for being the unseen shadow of protection that shields me always from evil. Thank you for equipping me for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Thank you for promising to always be there!

While you were here with us, you were the big tree that provided a shadow of refuge and brought many of us together.
Now in your immortality, you have brought us together again. Please Keep bringing us together, Asabi Okin.

As we gather to celebrate the 10th anniversary of your translation today, we are sure you are beaming with smiles of fulfillment and joy in your grave. Fulfillment because your dreams, vision and aspiration of a truly democratic, prosperous and free Nigeria are now coming to pass in your very own son, our father, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
And your little Damola of the time, is now the Deputy Majority Leader of the strongest House of Assembly in Africa.
Thank you for seeing us through!

As we continue to remember you, it is our prayers that Allah will forgive your sins and make your soul to keep resting in Aljouna.
Extend my greetings to *AYINKE (Ararat Abiodun Kasunmu)* and *ASHAKE (Olukemi Nelson)*.

Rest on my heroine!

Your loving Son.
*Hon. Adedamola Richard Kasunmu (ARK)*
Deputy Majority Leader
Lagos State House of Assembly
15/6/2023