Maami

 Alhaja Sidiquat Charlotte Olulola Agbeke Haroun (nee Collins) was born on December 12 1921 to Pa Caleb Collins and Mrs. Asma Mariam Collins in Abeokuta Ogun State. The mother was the third wife and she was the second of two girls from her mum.

 Maami… Iya School as fondly called by people in the neighborhood was a teacher, advocate, leader, councillor, entrepreneur, doctor , and above all egalitarian.

She advocates for education of children, and strive with great zeal to ensure every child she comes across have access to education.

This zeal I believe stems from a story she shared about her will of being educated more than she was. She shared how the death of her father at a young age led to her siblings and herself being pulled out of school to stay with family members that cared less about their education, and never sent her to school.

She kept the light shining reading newspapers as much as can to keep the little educational opportunity she had alive. I could remember my nieces on one occasion expressing surprise that grandma can read, when they heard her reading a newspaper out loud. Her response…… “yo baya yin… you think I can’t read”.

Her dream was to become a teacher, which possibly led to her working in the school system as a lunch provider for many years; leading to her famous nickname of Iya School.

Her journey as a lunch provider at Salvation Army Primary School ( most popular and prolific school in the area), brought her in contact with many esteemed individuals who saw the brilliance in her, and took her as confidant and adviser. One of such is the school head teacher who became Maami’s best friend.

Maami was not only the lunch provider at the school, she became a guidance councillor for teachers, students, and parents as well.

She became the go to person for families who want their children to attend Salvation Army School. She frowns at seeing a child roaming the streets when he or she should be in school. Her love for education led to taking in non family children into our house to be educated.

All of whom are doing well today by His Grace.

Maami practically raised most of the neighborhood children, providing free childcare service so mothers can work or go for further education. She source help and assistance for the the underprivileged, tasking us to provide financial and material support for others. She instilled the duty of caring for others in the community who are less privileged in each and everyone of us. This is maami the social worker!

She does not see ethnicity,religion; or gender as a barrier to helping and promoting good deeds.

I have Igbos as sisters and brothers, and Motoji (from Republic of Benin, and whose name was changed to Tunde by maami ) as a brother. While working as a lunch provider for the school, maami engaged in many entrepreneurial activities to augment the income from the lunch service. She provided laundry service to Oxford Biscuits Nigeria Limited. This was when Motoji (Tunde) came into the family as an employee. He washed and ironed the company uniforms, and ended up living in our house on not finding a suitable accommodation.

In the era of “Ghana must go”, Motoji found himself on the verge of being deported, and this is when maami’s advocacy and egalitarianism came afore front with her telling the police Motoji is her son, and his name is Tunde. This is how Tunde was born, and remained to be Tunde today; and still part of the family.

In addition to the laundry business, she was into selling soft drinks in wholesale and retail, as well as gallons of Turkey groundnut oil.

She has helpers working with her, all of whom must either continue with their education or choose a skill trade to learn. Most neighbours see her as paying for services she does not get, and wasting money on the helps.

Amidst all these activities, she is fun to be with! Cracking jokes and playing with me, sometimes teasing me by turning her eye lids inside out to scare me stiff! Especially when I am bugging her for something. Maami is a true gem.

In retrospect, she is a woman ahead of her time!

She saw education and literacy overall as the key to success, and encouraged it in every life she came across.

Every single domestic help that came into my family, and my siblings family were all trained in a profession of their choice. All thanks to my dearest maami.

Maami is the one to come to when neighbours are financially drained , with no food nor money for school fees. What does she do?...

Give all she has at that moment financially, and split the food stuff into half to give to them.

I could remember complaining and being sad when she ask me to wait a while longer to get money I needed from her to do my own thing.

Now in my grown life, I better understand that some things are more important than others, and can wait a little longer.

She never shy away from taking leadership role in the community as she did as secretary and financial secretary of the women prayer group at the mosque. She was also part of the team that prepares members for funeral, which she did with humility.

Despite being born into Christianity, she embraced Islam of her own accord, practicing it in all truthfulness to the best of her ability; while upholding the tenets of the religion as stated in the Quran. These tenets are identifiable in her practice and deeds to the community, and to her immediate and extended family.

Maami the doctor….

I marvel at her brilliance in identifying plants and leaves when we are on a walk to somewhere or home. She talks about the plants we see on the way, the benefits of the usage; and the ones that should be avoided.

I truly wish I paid better attention, and documented all she showed me; and our discussions. You only need to complain…. she looks at you, check you out, go to the market or down the street/ garden to get leaves, stalks and tree backs to make herbal concoction that actually works! She mixed herbs, and cook herbal leaves for babies rashes, and amazingly for liver problems.

Maami is truly a multifaceted woman! All round amazing and incredibly indefatigable. She is an epitome of resilience, success, and strength in making the best of your being. Maami Sidiqat, Olulola, Agbeke, Haroun nee Collins is my hero, and a rare gem in womanhood.

In the words of Maami” it is not who you are or the family you are born into; but what you make of yourself”

Born to a wealthy merchant who unfortunately died when she was young, her dreams and hopes were dashed but not her spirit.

This spirit drove the passion in her to achieve many things that those with higher education did not achieve. She sought after her passions with definitive goals, and ensuring success and no failure. She always has a positive look at life.

Lessons learnt from her are immeasurable and very valuable, and which defines who I am today.

Thank you Maami for being such an amazing mother to me and my immediate and extended siblings.