The Ajayi’s family of Isiwo, Ilupeju-Ekiti in Ekiti State likened the burial of Late Madam Comfort Oke Ajayi as a celebration of life due to her indelible contribution to mankind while on earth.
Madam Comfort had transited to the great beyond on 28th August, 2024, aged 102 years, and her funeral which held on 16th November, 2024 turned out to be a celebration of life and motherhood.
Tributes poured in from family, friends and well-wishers attesting to Madam Comfort’s ever-inspiring motherhood as she was adjudged to have nurtured and led her children to a fulfilled adulthood.
In his sermon during the funeral service at St. John’s Anglican Church, Araromi Quarters, Ilupeju-Ekiti, the Archdeacon and Vicar, The Ven. Dr. Olusola Adenigba took his bible verse from Job 14:1 to the end.
The officiating Priest tasked the congregation to hold on to God irrespective of the situation in the country adding that Madam Comfort held sway to finish strong.
He said: “It’s for everyone of us regardless of how difficult the situation is/will be to hold onto God because Mama didn’t find it easy when she was growing up but we bless God that she ended well.
“Mama has done all what is humanly possible in her time here on earth and it is now left for the children. I want to encourage them to hold onto what Mama taught them so that they too will be able to teach their children and sincerely, the mind of God will not depart from that family.”
Her first grandson, Prince Adewumi Olaleye did not spare anything in celebrating his grandmother saying that her sterling qualities as wife, mother, grandmother, mentor and guardian guided his path to stardom.
Looking back right from his infancy to adulthood, Prince Olaleye noted that it was a privilege for him to be natured by a homely and inspiring grandmother.
According to him, “I am the first child to her because my mother is the first and I am the first grandson. I was the one that lived with her the most even more than her children. She was the one that took care of me right from my childhood. It has been a great pleasure to live with a wonderful woman.
“I was the one that knew her most. We lived together and if Mama wrinkled her eyes on me, I know what she is talking about. We were so close to that extent that we did things together even when she wants to talk with her children, she would discuss with me.
“Even at her time of death, I wasn’t around. She was waiting for me as well. They had to call me and I had to tell her to go and everybody started crying. Within few hours, she gave up the ghost and left. She lived her life. 102 years is not a joke and it has been a great pleasure to be part of the family.
“Mama trained us very well, most especially myself. She trained me how to be disciplined, goal getter, how to focus in all things that I do. That has been helping me and put me in my position today. Whatever I achieved today, I praise her for that because she trained me very well.
“If you see her children, she tried her best even though she doesn’t have enough but with the little that she had, she tried her best to make sure that her children went to school and tried to develop everyone of them.
“We are so happy seeing a lot of people coming for her burial to celebrate her alive with us. That is a great joy for us and we thank everybody for that.”
On her part, Madam Comfort’s first daughter, Mrs Florence Ayedun Jegede pointed out that their mother manifested the real life of a Christian in her dealings with others and served God and man with faith and cheerful heart.
She said: “I am very happy for the faith my mother had. I look back and saw many people that showed love to my mother because my mother served God.
“They honoured my mother and I am very happy because my mother died in Christ and not in a herbalist house. She served God gloriously, prayed for her children including the Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba.
“My Mother used to pray for those that didn’t give birth so that God will bless them with the fruit of the womb. She used to work in the house of the Lord through cleaning the house of God. My mother had faith and believed in God till she died.
“I pray that as people honoured my mother, they should also honour me in my night. My mother gave birth to five children. She loved her first born and the first born loved his mother.
“My advice to people is to serve God and have faith in Him because nobody knows when God will call them. Jesus Christ is coming soon because anything we do now will stand before God on judgement day.”
Similarly, the first son, Oluwatoba Isaac Ajayi showered encomiums on his Late Mother describing her as a beacon of light that endeared her to people in the community.
He said: “She loved small children and her children too. She liked working for God and used to give to the poor. Her children love God because she love the way of God and she love preaching the word of God through evangelism.
“People that came for her burial came from all works of life due to her love for the things of the Lord. She used to give out to people and that is what endeared her to people in the community. My mother used to the development of the Church and she is a good Christian.
“We learnt how to worship God and how to give to things of the Lord because He is the owner of everything. Whatever you give to God, he will return it back to you in hundred folds. We learnt how to love each other because she loved everybody.”
The Late Madam Comfort was born in Ila Ilupeju-Ekiti to a father, who was a big time farmer and her mother was a petty trader while she was married to Late Pa Joseph Ojo Ajayi, who lived in Isiwo, Ilupeju-Ekiti.
She was survived by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and too numerous relatives to mention including, Mrs Florence Ayedun Jegede (first daughter), Abigail Module Rosiji (second daughter), Oluwatoba Isaac Ajayi (first son), Oludare John Ajayi (second son), Oluyemi Rachael Alani, Adewumi David Olaleye etc.
