Ogun Names Housing Estate, School After Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo

The Ogun State government, on Monday, named the Plainfields Estate, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta and the yet-to-be completed government-owned Model School in Ikenne after the late Chief (Mrs.) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo.

The estate and the model school named after the late matriarch, are part of the projects embarked upon by the current administration in the state in the past four years.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun announced the decision of the state government at the Gateway International Stadium, Sagamu, venue of one of the programmes specially designed and lined up for the funeral of the late HID Awolowo.

Also, former Head of the defunct Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Adegunle Shonekan, has described HID Awolowo as a virtuous woman, while quoting from Proverbs 12:4, to describe her husband.

“She a great pillar of support to her husband, especially during his political travails,” Shonekan said.

Amosun in his keynote address at the programme tagged “Ogun Celebrates HID Awolowo” said that naming the two projects after the late matriarch was part of the moves to immortalise her.

The governor said that the two projects named after her would preserve the memories of the late matriarch of the Awolowo family.

“The state Exco met today and we agreed we’ll name some projects after Mama; the ones that will be lasting,” Amosun said.

He described the late Mama Awolowo as a rare gem who played a vital role in the stability of the Awolowo family and Yorubaland

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Speaking in the same vein, a chieftain of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, noted that Yorubaland and Nigeria at large would miss her greatly.

Also, the former military administrator of Ekiti State, General Adetunji Olurin (retd) said that the free education policy initiated by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1955, enabled poor Nigerians to have access to basic education.

Olurin, however, noted that the support and backing given the late sage by his wife, HID Awolowo contributed greatly to the success of his programmes.

He further described her as “a strong housewife, a diligent supporter of her husband. Our Mama was a very strong-hearted woman; very dedicated to the society and her community.”

In her response, the eldest child of the late matriarch, Reverend Omotola Oyediran commended the Ogun state government for organising the programme and thanked Nigerians from all walks of life for attending it.

Oyediran assured Nigerians that the family left behind by Mama HID Awolowo would not disappoint Nigerians.

“I don’t know what to say because really this is awesome. This is exactly what Mama wanted. You have all demonstrated to us that you appreciate what Mama and Papa meant to Nigeria. We’ll not disappoint Nigeria.”