For those who are well informed, it is no longer news that the Lagos State Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Musiliu Ayinde Akinsanya popularly known as MC Oluomo is bereaved. He lost his beloved mum to the cold hands of death in the morning of Thursday, 30th April, 2020, and the octogenarian was committed to mother earth later same day at a burial service attended by very few family members to go in line with the regulation of the State Government in terms of social distancing and burial service not having more than 20 people including the Officiating Clerics in the face of the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic plaguing the country.
Well, MC Oluomo mum, Alhaja Sinatu Abebi Omotooro Akinsanya, might have come and gone, but looking back at the kind of life she had the grace of living, at least, towards the later part of her life, it can be safely said that the woman also called “Iya Agege” came, saw and conquered as a mother. If much was not seen by the members of the public in terms of the enviable care she enjoyed from her children during her life time, what happened to her in 2013, which was witnessed by all and sundry is a testimony to the fact that she must have died a fulfilled and happy mother.
In 2013, Iya Agege clocked the age of 80. And good enough for her, one of her children, if not all, MC Olumo was already doing very fine as a ranking member of the Lagos State NURTW. Apart from already controlling, as the Chairman, all the motor parks in Oshodi, he was also the State Treasurer of the Union at that time. And considering the kind of money that comes with the position he occupied in the union, he was already a super socialite that people from all works of like would relish to be in their party because of the inimitable glamour that went with him anywhere he chose to go.
Meanwhile, as a socialite with contacts across all sectors of the society from politics, to business, to entertainment and media, MC Oluomo in conjuction with his other siblings, 2 older ones: Kibitiu Adunni and Yahaya, and one younger one, Muibi, decided to put together a talk of the town 80th Birthday Party for their mum. Since there was money to throw around on anything that would make the event glamorous, they set the ball rolling with their Ankara Aso-Ebi being distributed to every big name in the society that needed to be at the party. Especially, from Lagos State where political juggernaut, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a godfather to MC Oluomo.
Considering the kind of crowd they were expecting, the Akinsanyas chose the Blue Roof Event Center, LTV 8, Agidingbi, Ikeja, as the venue for their owambe party. The venue could sit up to 2000 guests conveniently. And wait for this. Something quite interesting happened for the sake of MC Oluomo and his mum that year as well. 2013 was the year a seeming misunderstanding happened after a long while, between the King of Fuji and now Mayegun of Yoruba Land, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Anifowoshe Marshal better known as K1 and Fuji music star, Alhaji Wasiu Alabi Odetola popularly known as Pasuma, the Oga Nla of Fuji. Before then, Pasuma had been parading himself for years as Otunba K1 (the Right Hand Man, or Chief, to the King of Fuji, which is like number 2 in ranking from K1) but all of a sudden, he dropped that title to adopt the new title of Oga Nla of Fuji.
Hence, because of that sudden change of title by Pasuma, it was obvious things had gone awry between him and his hitherto beloved leader, K1. Though, they denied what people insinuated that must have happened which bordered on K1 making out with Pasuma’s daughter, Wasilat, but what they could not really deny was the fact that they both had an axe to grind, as they, evidently, kept avoiding each other since Pasuma became Oga Nla of Fuji. However, in honour of MC Oluomo’s mum’s 80th Birthday Party, a truce was unexpectedly brokered between K1 and Pasuma with both given signicant roles to play at the party. And what were the roles?
K1 was booked as the main artiste of the day, while Pasuma was given the responsibility of being the Master of Ceremonies (MC), and there is no way the artiste on the bandstand and the MC would not relate at any given event. So, they both buried their hatchet for MC Oluomo’s sake. Though, Pasuma was paired with popular thespian and event compere, Madam Koffo, to ease the discharge of his responsibility since Madam Koffo is a professional event host. Another interesting thing that the big society party saw was the attendance of the party by the then State Chairman of the NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede who had not been in good terms with MC Oluomo as a result of power tussle that involved the 2 of them before Agbede later emerged as the NURTW Chairman.
But the highest point of the event was the big surprise MC Oluomo staged for his mum at the party. And what was that? Parked outside the venue was a multimillionaira brand new Range Rover Sports which was interestingly, one of the exotic vehicles in vogue then, and MC Oluomo invited some of the personalities at the event to assist him in presenting the wonder on wheels to his beloved mum as birthday gift. Expectedly, the aged woman could not hide her joy at the way she was eating the fruit of her labour. It was one gesture from MC Oluomo to his mum which was commended by most commentators at that time. It was one special kind of honour most children would want to do their parents, but not many usually have that grace.
Fast forward to 2020, 7 years after, and Iya Agege has passed on, but who would say she did not live a fulfilled life? And it is worthy of mention that God too was kind to her as she was saved the agony of mourning her public figure son before she died, considering the poisoned knife attack that MC Oluomo miraculously survived early 2019. Perhaps, she might have gone before now out of the agony that must have occasioned the tragedy, if the unexpected had happened then to MC Oluomo. All said and done, MC Oluomo’s just deceased mum, must be resting in peace.
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