MOTHERING DAY: SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER, CHIEF S.O.BELLO ON HER HOME COMING TO OSOGBO

By Ajibola S. Bello

In 1972, your husband Chief J. Olajide Bello was transferred from Ibadan in the old Oyo state to Akure suddenly to became a Station head, even though there was no friends or relatives there to help him settle down and he must resumed unfailingly the next 48 hours, you have an option to remain in Ibadan where there is abundance of your family or return to
Osogbo, our hometown where you and your husband have families to stay with them till daddy get his bearing and settle down properly but you followed him with a kid at hand and pregnancy, to Akure to rough things up and not leaving him alone to it.
Later the the first major road,  Oba Adesida road was about to be contructed and the Station fell on the road plan, the Station was bulldoze and the only income of survival for you and daddy gone, you had an option to return home with 3 kids and inside a fouth pregnancy till things get better but you stood by him selling engine oil, insecticides and so on for survival and you didn't leave your husband. God answered your prayers and in 1979, work commenced on the new site giving to you by the Government to build the new filling station site after which Total Nig. PLC  neglected for a while and our family was left to survive on it's own depending the time they will rebuild the new filling station, which stands till today as Total Filling Station, Ilesa garage, Akure and it coincidence with my immediate elder brother's birth,  Oluwakayode.

From there on, life get better but you didn't depend on daddy's income for the family alone,  and I will call you the definition of Diversifying because of the way you moved from one business to another,  from selling gold which I heard in history to having a beer palour and I remembered how the thieves troubled your your shops back in the days, not once twice or thrice in the late 80s and early 90s but you are so strong and never gave up, changed trade to weaving Aso Oke because the beer selling doesn't not conform with your religion. With your foresight,  You are one of the major Aso Oke dealer in Akure with time and when it wasn't in vogue anymore, you switched to selling tailoring materials which was boomed and remembered we got another shop in Odo Ijoka in the heart of Old garage, closer to  Sabo area where there are abundance of Tailors and you stole the show. Later the Ibos destroyed the trade selling the materials at cost price you bought them in Ibadan of Ibadan.

You didn't relent but added fabrics to your existing tailoring materials trade. The robbers strucked again, I remembered that day, I was dressing for school and we were called that your shop was jacked overnight and all the fabrics gone. This act didn't break you down but made you stronger and you bought even more fabric and moved in the the heart of Oja Erekesan (Oja Oba) where you stayed and asserted your authority in selling different sort of fabrics from school materials to assorted materials like lace, Genuine and so on. To God be the glory,  it was a success and even when only your fabrics were stolen in the warehouse where you kept your fabrics at a time after daily sales, it did not deter you or broke you down but made you stronger and you fought on. And that was your trade till this day and you're nicknamed Iya Alaso.

You won so many awards, also giving a Islamic Chieftancy title and I can recollect only our family in the whole of Akure Kingdom till now  is the husband and wife be it visitors or indigenes are both giving Chieftancy titles in the Central Mosque of Akure land and it was giving by the Chief of League of Imams of the Western states, Edo and Delta State, late Yayi Akorede which made yours special and the coronation took place the same day in 1997. Our family was giving the Best Islamic Family Award in 2001, the first of it's kind. Our family contribution to the development of Islamic faith in Akure land cannot be measured,  you are matrons to numerous Islamic societies and active members of so many same as my daddy patrons to so many and the name Bello will never be forgotten in bringing Akure Muslims community together and to reckoning,  because both you and daddy were generous to the cause and worked relentless even though both of you didn't take any Arabic class but you are a force and a voice to reckon with. Akure bless our family with 4 beautiful kids, Sheikh Baylow, Atinuke Bello, Lsf Kay Bell and Ajibola Bello and it gave us all our primary and secondary schools education.

Today, 19th of March, 2017 after 45 GOOD YEARS, You VOLUNTARY made up mind to move back home in sound health,  having giving your best to the Akure Kingdom, to Allah be the glory!

You and your husband, Chief Olajide Jimoh Bello overcame so many challenges,  You Both CAME, SAW and CONQUERED on every fonts in Akure, the Ondo State capital.  Welcome to your home but so painful I missed your send off party organised by your society clubs but the community mosque surprised prayer send forth was magnificent.

I join my siblings and family to welcome you to Osogbo and we give Allah all the glory for taking you and daddy to Akure in 1972 and Brought BOTH OF YOU back today 19th March, 2017 after 45 years in sound health and minds, strong and full of life with all your children and grandchildren far and wide. I pray, now that your returned home, you will not return to your death, you will not bury any of your seeds and their kids, many beautiful things will come our way and Allah will give you both long life in sound health to see more grandchildren and great grandchildren, amen!

W E L C O M E    BACK    HOME    M U M M Y!!!
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SPECIAL ACCOLADES FOR CHIEF J.O.BELLO

by My Uncle Mr Moshood Owolabi Azeez.

I don't think this celebration could end just like that without a reference to the patriarch of the family, Chief Jimoh Olajide Bello, omo baba alaso ni Gbemu ati omo iya alata ni Isale aro. He's the crown, the root & tributary source for the large families (Bello & Azeez) and relatively good life and  success enjoying.
Dad is ebullient, jovial, easy going, an extrovert, cultured and humbled personality. A successful industrialist with integrity not in doubt (intact) with honesty and piety hallmark personified. Though Dad has been coming home for the past three years because of national patriotic service.
 Dad & mum have always been together so, there is need to celebrate the home coming of the two icons.

Won ni bi igbin ba fa, ikaraun a tele.  Dad, we appreciate & celebrate the great achievements you have recorded in life. You are the pioneer, the pathfinder who guided us aright, built & internalised discipline in us. With your modest success in life you have touched uncountable lifes. Dad pls continue your God sent good works and love. Hmmm! U're the best Dad ever. Osun; Osogbo, Oroki Asala a gbe wa ooo (Amin).