What kind of person was your wife?
I had a very good and beautiful wife. She was a neatness freak, kind, generous, loving, caring and selfless. It is my happiness that she left a very good legacy because she touched so many lives positively, irrespective of religion or ethnicity – she helped Christians and Muslims and Easterners and Northerners. In short, she was Nigeria personified. She would never discriminate. Very hardworking woman, she was very loyal to her bosses.
She abhorred corruption. She would never touch anything dirty. She was mindful of her background. The Olakunrins are well known in Nigeria, so also are the Fasorantis. So, it was as if she was carrying two burdens and she tried as much as possible to make sure that the names of the two families were never tarnished.
I don’t know how to cook. I don’t know how to boil water. I don’t know how to buy things. She did everything for me. She was my mother, my sister, she was my confidant. But what can I say? They took her away from me. Those who did it, those who are complicit through their action or inaction will never know peace.
Since the incident happened, that has been my prayer, that those who participated or those who, through their action or inaction are complicit, will never and never know peace.
What are her unfulfilled dreams?
Her major unfulfilled dream is to bury her dad. That was always her prayer. All the time we were together, she was always praying God to give her long life so she could bury her father. It’s a dream unfulfilled. My wife was a survivor: she survived a big accident; she survived cancer; she beat diabetes. There was a time her blood count was between 400 and 500, yet she survived it. I am happy for her because she was able to see her grandchildren. She just came back from the United States of America to celebrate the first birthday of her granddaughter and I am happy that she saw and held her grandchildren. It was her dream to see the Nigeria of her dream but can we see the Nigeria of our dreams in our time? That is a question that concerns all Nigerians.
What are those things the family will miss about her?
Her role can never be played or her position be filled. She had this presence to change or electrify a gathering the moment she entered it. She was restless. She would not take any second position. She was like a commander on the battle field. Her presence was electrifying. She was a good manager of people. She knew how to build relationships. She knew how to nurture them. Her qualities are numerous, I cannot remember them all.
How did she relate with her father?
She looked like her father, as you can see, she loved her father to death, it’s ways my father, my father. I must tell you the relationship cannot be quantified, she loved her father.
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She was coming to Lagos to help me plan my son’s birthday —Daughter, Feyisike
How would describe your mum?
My mum was selfless. She liked to be in everybody’s business. She was everybody’s hero. To my children, she was a superhero. Everybody loved her. She was hardworking, a great woman. She didn’t deserve to go like this, not even this young.
What are her unfulfilled dreams?
She wanted to do something with the government to make a change. My daughter will clock one soon. She was coming to Lagos to help me plan the birthday.
What will you miss about her?
Everything. What’s there not to miss? I spoke to my mum about five times a day. She was my adviser. She was the one that held my home together. My husband’s mother, she loved my husband so much that she made him my brother. She loved her husband like crazy. She was obsessed with him. My mum was a good woman and I hope her memory doesn’t die. She touched a lot of people. I am proud of her even in death. I am proud of her and always will be.
and then