A Tribute to My Mother, Mutiatu Ayoka Akinlami: 16 Years On
Source: http://taiwoakinlamiblog.com
16 years ago today, on January 23rd, 2009, I was in Ikeja conducting a training program on Child Safeguarding and Protection for a group of school leaders. That day, my mom was hospitalized at LUTH (Lagos University Teaching Hospital). I had instructed my colleague to alert me immediately if there was any call on my phone.
In the middle of the training, my phone was brought to me. It was my younger sister on the line, her voice carrying news that would change everything, our mom, who had been bedridden for five years due to stroke, had passed away at the age of 67.
I shared the news with my participants, who graciously released me. But despite the weight in my heart, I felt the need to complete the training. Once it was done, I called my wife, who immediately left work, came to the venue, and together we went to LUTH.
The reality of her passing hit me as I stood in front of her lifeless body, now in the morgue—a moment both painful and surreal.
I’ve shared so much about my mom in my book, The Burden and the Wisdom of Parenting: From an Erased Childhood to a Transformed Adulthood. Chapter 2 is dedicated to her, recounting the many lessons she taught me, the love she gave in her own unique way, and her remarkable resilience as a small businesswoman.
Today, I honor her memory.
Read more of the story here: https://childreninfobank.com/safebank/a-tribute-to-my-mother-mutiatu-ayoka-akinlami-16-years-on/
Image Source: http://taiwoakinlamiblog.com
