People advised my mother to abandon me as a toddler — Ex-Oyo deputy gov

Former Oyo State Deputy Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Iyiola Oladokun, has disclosed that he was so sickly as a toddler that people advised his late mother, Mrs Alice Oladokun, to abandon him.

Oladokun said that instead of yielding to the advice, his mother nurtured him with love and compassion until adulthood.

The former deputy governor recalled fond memories of his mother, who died at the age of 101, while speaking with journalists shortly after her burial in Ado-Awaye, Oyo State, on Saturday.

“She was everything to me. When I was a toddler, I was so sickly, and it got to a stage that people advised her to throw this baby away. But her love and compassion made her nurture me until adulthood. God Almighty answered her prayers, and I survived.

“People have asked me when I last visited a hospital. When I saw a doctor about two months ago, he asked whether I had ever been admitted to a hospital. I told him, ‘Not to my knowledge, apart from when I was a toddler,’ and even that did not happen because there was no hospital in Ado-Awaye then.

“So when people ask me how I have coped, I believe it is because of the care and nurturing I received as a little child. That care and compassion are still working wonders in my life,” Oladokun said.

He said his late mother had unwavering faith in him and believed God would make something great out of his life.

“She believed so much in God and in me that He would make something great out of my life. I give glory to God that everything He did in my life happened while she was still alive.

“She was a very cheerful and easy-going person because, as I said in the church, both my mother and I had the opportunity to bid each other goodbye. I told her, ‘God has been so good to you; release yourself when it is time.’

“As the Reverend also mentioned during the service, I told her, ‘You have been taking care of me, but God will take care of me and others.’ We were only two biological children, but she raised nearly a dozen of her relatives’ children,” he said.

Oladokun described his mother as accommodating and generous, saying her home was always open to visitors.

“As a child, my mother warmly welcomed anyone I introduced to her as a friend, whether male or female, regardless of whether I was around or not.

“My mother was so generous that, as a beer seller, she prepared grasscutter meat for her customers and never collected money from my friends for the meat,” he added.

He also said his late mother sacrificed her social life to ensure he received a good education.

“She sacrificed her social life for my education to the extent that whenever she was invited to social events, she would simply say, ‘I will join you later.’ I give glory to God because she eventually returned to her social life, and God sustained her until her last day,” he added.

The APC chieftain also expressed hope that the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area would soon regain their freedom.

“Regarding the situation in the country and what we are experiencing in Oyo State, I believe God Almighty will intervene and grant freedom to everyone in captivity so they can reunite with their families in good health. Were it not for this unfortunate situation, many of my age mates would have attended this ceremony,” he said.

Earlier, a funeral service was held in honour of the late Oladokun, the Otun Iyalode of Ado-Awaye, who died on February 7, 2026, at the age of 101. The service took place at Immanuel Baptist Church, Ado-Awaye, and was attended by dignitaries, family members and community leaders.

Also speaking, the Reverend Edward Alabi of Molete Baptist Church, Ibadan, commended the late matriarch for the values she instilled in her son.

“You may not know Mama intimately, but you know her child; that child reflects the image and values of the parent. Looking at the calibre of people present today, you can appreciate the investment Mama made in the life of her son, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Samson Iyiola Oladokun.

“You can see the kind of personality he became, as well as the values reflected in his wife and children. This is a reflection of the life Mama lived during her 101 years.

“The whole town is agog. Everyone is sharing testimonies of the profound impact she had on the lives of people in Ado-Awaye and beyond, especially in the life of her son, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, who has remained a colossus in the legal profession.

“From the days of Bola Ige Chambers till today, his influence has continued to tower in the legal community. We thank God for that influence because many of his contemporaries are distinguished judges and Senior Advocates of Nigeria. The calibre of people present today reflects the legacy Mama left behind.

“It is a challenge to all of us that what truly matters in life is not the wealth or material possessions we accumulate, but the legacy and the good name we leave behind,” he said.

Dignitaries at the event included former Oyo State Deputy Governor and APC state Chairman, Chief Alake Adeyemo; APC South-West Publicity Secretary, Chief Ayo Afolabi; former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola; APC governorship aspirant, Dr Wasiu Lam-Adesina; the Alado of Ado-Awaye; the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Oyebola Adeyeri III; former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Niran Alarape; and other prominent personalities.