The news of your passing still has not settled in my heart because the woman I grew up with the privilege of calling my Grandmother was someone I never associated with death but life. Life is something you to brought into every room you entered, conversation you were involved in and hardship you faced. From a young age up until this day, any mention of you filled me with glee and expectation as you never disappointed me, whether it was in the fun times we shared as a family over the holidays or the lessons you taught me after being naughty or stubborn as little boy trying to become a man. By that time you had already raised four men so all that wealth of knowledge hopefully made me into a man you can be proud of.

This year I was blessed enough to have my most wanted prayer answered in the form of visiting Nigeria for the first time and seeing you in a country you called home. Although you had been battling with a stroke and life after, you never lost the brightness in your eyes and I am truly grateful to God that my moments with you as a little boy were not my last.

Thank you for teaching that patience and love are attributes of a strong man over pride and stubbornness, our time together even between the UK and Nigeria may have been encapsulated by a lot of calls rather than visits but you were always closer than you seemed.

At this moment my only respite is that you finally girt to rest eternally in the midst of God and enjoy the fruits of your continued faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. May you rest in peace Grandma, I love you and will always love you.

Tomiwa Owolabi (Grandson)