Ambassador Eniola Ajayi, siblings, families and well wishers from all walks of life converged on Iyin Ekiti to celebrate Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Anike Ajayi, mother of Amb. Eniola Ajayi who clocked 90 years on Wednesday.
Retired Arch. Bishop Chris Omotunde at the thanks giving service held at the Christ The Light Anglican Church, Iyin Ekiti
charged the celebrant and Nigerians to be thankful to God at all times irrespective of any challenges they are facing .
Retired Arch Bishop Chris Omotunde of the Ekiti Anglican Diocese while giving his sermon during the birthday Church Service enjoined the Celebrant, Chief Mrs Elizabeth Anike Ajayi, Children and Nigerians to be more grateful to God, saying the more they are grateful, the more God would protect and bless them.
Retired Arch Bishop Omotunde said the celebrant enjoyed the grace of God to attain 90 years in sound health when challenges of life have drastically reduced life expectancy to almost half of the age she was celebrating. He urged the celebrant, children and families to show gratitude to God for the grace of life their mother has enjoyed.
Adding that their gratitudes should manifest in helping people around them and the less privileged in the society.
In his sermon titled Thanksgiving, the Bible text was taken from the book of Psalm 103 where he admonished the celebrant and her families to think deeply and x-rayed happenings around them to know the extent at wich God has been kind to them.
The clergy who described Chief Mrs. Anike Ajayi as a loving, caring, devout Christian and philantropist who is fulfilled. He prayed God to grant her more grace to live more.
In an interview with the celebrant, Chief Mrs Elizabeth Anike Ajayi, thanked God for sparing her to attain 90 years on earth, promising to live the rest of her life to serve God and humanities.
Ambassador Eniola Ajayi who was overwhelmed by the crowd of dignitaries that graced the birthday of her mother, appreciated their presence. While descrbing her mother, she said her mother is a true mother who toiled hard and sacrificed much to see them successful in life.
She appreciated God for the grace that her mother has received from God. In her words “Mama went through a lot to ensure all of her children got to where they are today. She is a strong pillar and true mother who deserves the best”.
“My mother is the true meaning of a mother. There is nothing she possessed that she could not share with us. No matter how expensive that gold is, she will put it on us.
“My mother can sacrifice anything for us to look good. My mother is a generous person. She gives without reservation. When you enter our house, the first thing my mother will do is to ask you what you are going to eat.
“She brought us up to look out for other people who needs help. In our house, there is no segregation. She eats with us. It’s from the same table that we all eat. There was nothing that was too big to give anyone. There are times that I would say I am broke, she will offer to pay my children’s school fees.
“She is a very wonderful person. She was the one who inculcated in me the ability to be accommodating and to train other people’s children. I can talk till tomorrow about my Mother.
“My mother was a combination of hard and soft just like me. Hard when it was necessary and very soft most of the times”.
When asked the lessons she learnt from her mother, she said she has learnt to be accommodating and not to look down on people.
The wife of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi described the celebrant as a God fearing woman who has served her community, children and family and lived to witness their successes.
Also,the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt.Honourable Adeoye Aribasoye, congratulated the celebrant and commended the virtues she impacted on her children that manifested on their services to humanities, prayed God to strengthen her and live more.
Other guests, children, grandchildren and families who were excited about Mama Elizabeth Anike Ajayi celebrating her 90th birthday, said, “the celebrant has been a role model, virtuous woman, generous person who has contributed immensely to Iyin Ekiti and the society at large”.
Dignitaries at the birthday among others includes: The first civilian Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; former Governor Kayode Fayemi and wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; former Deputy Governor Professor Modupe Adelabu; the current Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Mrs. Afuye and the Wife of the current Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Mrs. Olayemi Oyebanji.
Others are the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Barrister Adeoye Aribasoye; the founder of Little By Little Photos, Chief Ade Ajayi; Chief Daramola; Yinka Ayefele; current Ekiti State House of Assembly members; Kabiyesi Olupoti of Ipoti Ekiti Kingdom and Olori Of Oluyin Of Iyin Ekiti.