Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s widow, HID Awolowo, who died on Saturday at 3:15 pm, less than two months to her planned centenary birthday, passed on praying for her children.

Her demise came after she held a meeting with her family members on the plans for her 100 years birthday on November 25, 2015.

According to her eldest child, Omotola Oyediran, who announced her death in a statement signed by her on behalf of the family, she revealed that “mama died while praying for her children over her planned centenary birthday”.

The statement noted that “Mama died as glorious as she lived. She spent the day in the company of her children, grand children, great grand children and close family.

“She shared a precious few minutes with them when she went in to pray for them as they met to plan her centenary birthday.

“They sang her a befitting song as she came in and she continued to pray for them. She died a couple of hours later as she had always wished to be surrounded by her children, grand children and great grand children”, the statement read.

At the Ikenne, Ogun State family house of the Awolowos, the early callers after the news of Mrs Awolowo’s death broke, include Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa; the deputy governor, Yetunde Onanuga; a former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and wife of the incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Olufunsho, Vanguard reports.

The late HID was once described by her late husband as a Jewel of Inestimable Value.

She was born on November 25, 1915 in Ikenne, Ogun State and was a successful businesswoman and astute politician.

TheStreetReporters.com recalls that she was the First Lady of the old Western Region when Awolowo was Premier in the First Republic.

During the crisis in that political dispensation, she stood in for her husband in the alliance between the NCNC and the AG, called the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), while he was tried and jailed.

HID toured the country with her husband in the Second Republic when Awolowo sought to be President on the platform of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). She also coordinated the women’s wing of the UPN. A businesswoman, she became the first Nigerian distributor for the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) in 1957. She was the first to import lace materials and other textiles into Nigeria.

She is blessed with five children, 20 grand children and 32 great grand children.

She was the Yeye Oodua of Yorubaland, bestowed on her by the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, and a recipient of the national award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

HID was very close to her late husband who she on an occasion described as a loving, caring and affectionate partner, noting that he would continue to be remembered for his uprightness.

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