By Gbenga Sodeinde
Erelu Bisi Adeleye- Fayemi means many things to many people. To some, she is simply the wife of former Governor of Ekit state, Dr John Kayode Fayemi.
Some would simply say she is a Human Rights Activist, this is also true. Some also categories her as a globally respected feminist and woman advocate.
Some Ekiti people say, she is our wife, she is the wife of our son, Kayode, they are also right. Majority of women in Ekiti would say she is our “mother general”, because of her role as a war general standing in for women and girl child. Her freedom fighting spirit has been acknowledged near and far, especially for wives being maltreated by their pugilist husbands in the state.
Succinctly, she is generally regarded as philanthropist of note, and who is worthy of emulation, because that is her ways of life. A borderless gender specialist and advocate for social justice of wish I can boldly testify to be all facts.
In the political arena, she is a bigwig, particularly for her roles and contributions in solidifying her husband’s government. Not only that, her role during campaign and installation of the incumbent Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, which she has continued to do relentlessly. She is already seen to be championing his second term ambition right now.
In the area of intellectualism, Erelu Bisi Fayemi is a frontrunner. She is a bookworm and very intelligent. She has been promoting reading culture and have offered thousands of people scholarship to advance their academics. She believes education is a leveler in a country like ours.
I had a very nasty experience sometimes I will like to share on this account. Long ago when she and her husband were newly introduced to the politics of Ekiti and I was in Daily Independent as Ekiti state Correspondent then. Erelu Fayemi used to read my Write-up very well and I also used to write about her and her husband .
On many occasions she would send her husband to greet me for her as she was based in United Kingdom. But on this particular day, she came and around and sent message to me that I should see her in her husband campaign office at Ajilosun in Ado Ekiti.
That day was on Sunday and I had an invitation from the late Ujiloogun, the Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, Oba Samuel Fadahunsi who wanted me to come to Ijan that day and interview him over a pressing issue.
I had to call the Kabiyesi Onijan and told him that I had an impromptu assignment to attend to that day, I lied. I then begged him to give me till Tuesday morning to come and do the interview at Ijan Ekiti and he agreed.
When I was set to go and see Erelu, my wife asked me what shall we eat today, I told her that I am going to meet Erelu who has just arrived from overseas, and that she brought somethings for me, so I might go straight to the market from there.
I was about shutting the door when I remembered that I didn’t know where to change dollars or pounds, then I quickly ran back to my wife and asked her where can I exchange foreign money today, she told me where I could get it done and I left joyfully.
Loh and behold, I got to Dr. Fayemi’s campaign office and met Erelu Bisi Fayemi who received me with joy and and handed over to me an envelope that was bulky. I grabbed it with high spirit and held onto it firmly, so that she would not change her mind and withdrew it from me. I thanked her wholeheartedly and dashed out to my car. I answered all greetings from the people in the office sharply without waiting so that they will not have the opportunity of seeing the foreign currencies that I just received.
I headed straight to the Mallams at Oja Oba to get it changed because I suspected that she might have wrapped or hidden the foreign currencies inside book for me, but before I came out of my car, I decided to check how much I was going to change. Disappointedly, I saw a novel, I opened it and fling it to see where the foreign currency will drop but to no avail. I checked the body of the book I saw the price tag, and felt bad the more when I saw the high price tag which was in pounds written on the book.
But when I told a senior colleague of mine about it, he said to me that she must have valued you so much for her to have had you in mind and purchased a book of such high price for you from abroad. But I concluded within my mind that, these people cannot be Governor of Ekiti if this is how they will be coming to give them books.
However, as if she overheard me, whenever I was doing something good she always send something to me. Let me raise again time, I was having my wedding at Ibadan then, her husband, Dr Fayemi was physically present as the chairman of my wedding and sat throughout the event despite his busy schedules.
During the naming ceremony of my first child, Precious Sodeinde, that Erelu personally named Oluwatamilore, she equally sent me money.
Ironically, in year 2020, this my child had a eye problem which was diagnosed to be brain tumour and was to cost N3 million at Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD). The bill of which she singlehandedly offset.
I need to at this juncture disclose what I have never told anyone because Erelu Bisi Fayemi said I should not announce it, but I think time has come for me to let the world know. After the operation on my daughter and the surgery was successful, because she could see with her eyes again. Surprisingly, the two eyes suddenly got blind after a month that she had gone to church to give testimony.
We immediately returned to ABUAD that referred us to UCH, Ibadan. It was at this stage that Erelu Bisi Fayemi said I should not tell anyone about and promised to take up the the bills running into millions of naira. Erelu Fayemi did not only pay up the bills, she called me and asked about the upkeep of the family and she sent money to me to take care of all these expenses.
Throughout the eighth months we were at UCH, Ibadan, she was always there for me and my family.
How can one describe this woman now? this is a woman that will not look at your mistakes.
Erelu Bisi Adeleye- Fayemi is beyond being described as ordinary human being, she is simply an angel in human form. She is merciful and kind-hearted. She is an extraordinary human being whose kind is not easy to encounter .
As she is clocking 62 tomorrow, 11th of June, 2025, my prayers and that of my family is that, God will continue to bless her, and grant her long life and good health. God will continue to protect her and her family and everything that concerns her. She will never know sorrow in her life. She will continue to have peace and happiness over her own child. Her source of joy will never turn into sorrow.
Congratulations and Happy Birthday to you, Ma.