Iyene was born in 1895 in Badagry area of Lagos, Nigeria. Her family migrants from Ondo state. Iyene fair in complexion with a short curly hair. I grow up calling my grandmother by her nickname “Iyene. „ Her nicknames means someone‘s mother in my dialects. Iyene did not have her own biological children early. So whenever people are in childlabour or whenever people give birth in the community, Iyene will go there to help in nursing the new born babies.
Iyene continues doing this including her step children because her husband took other wives who gave birth to children. Iyene was not jealousy of her rivals. She continues helping other people. Whenever she hears the news of a new born baby, she will be the first person to be there.
Iyene nursed a lot of babies and she earned the nickname Iyene. Later Iyene became pregnant and gave birth to my father (Hosea) and she named her first fruit, Omodeleminiowo( Omode) meaning a child has arrived in my own hand🤩.
Iyene became very happy but she never stopped her care for other people’s children. Iyene had her second child after 15 years. (My Aunty) and she called her Orukotan, meaning name has finished. Iyene has nursed a lot of babies and perhaps she might have given some of the baby she nursed name as well.
Iyene trained her son (my father) well. Her son grow up and was doing well and good. In his early 30s he already built a house in Lagos. He appreciated everything his mother did for him, so he moved his mother to his house. Iyene lived in my father’s house with us. well, I can say I grow up with my grandmother.
I love her golden bed. Iyene was a good grandmother, she cooked for us her (grandchildren) despite her old age.This picture was taken before my birth. Iyene will cooked tomatoes soup sometimes without fish and we ate it with her. One of her favorite food was yam porridge. And the best porridge I ate was my grandmother's porridge.
Iyene never cooked with Maggi yet her food tasted good. Oh yes, I don’t cook with Maggi too and my food tastes good, of course with a little bit salt. Iyene was a hard working woman, I knew my grandmother to be a mat weaver, not the yoga mats that we see today. Traditional mats in Nigeria are use for sleeping. So Iyene weaved mat and sell it in those days at Ojo town market.
Imagine Iyene never got sick. She lived over 95 years and was still strong enough to transport her mats to the market on each market day. Despite the fact that her children were doing well, iyene continues to work till her death.
Iyene died a peaceful death and her Rest place is her son’s house, where she lived and died. Even at her death, the family still rejoiced because my mother gave birth to our last born (Iyabo) meaning mother has come back and my aunty, gave birth to a set of twin girls and they were also named (Yetunde) meaning mother has come back.
This is to tell the international body that my ancestors were not lazy, my ancestors were not sick and poor, neither were they primitive. All man was born ignorant or naive . I am privileged to have seen my grandmother and great grandparents from my maternal. Let me leave this here for the generation of my children and grandchildren. Now it’s time to ask the old family members the first name of my grandmother.
