 |
| Chief (Mrs.) Funmilayo Jabaru, Iyalaje of Iwo Land |
In this concluding part of an
exclusive encounter she had with your Africa’s number 1 Celebrity Encounter
blog, Asabeafrika, Chief (Mrs.) Funmilayo Jabaru the Iyalaje of Iwo Kingdom reveals her
intimate secrets and how she grew from a retired civil servant to one of the
leading community women leader in Iwo
kingdom, Osun State (South West
Nigeria). The ageless and beautiful Iwo
born woman of timber and caliber was one of the special guests and daughters of
Iwo land who escorted the Oluwo of Iwo land, His Imperial
Majesty, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi
(Ilufemiloye-TELU 1) to the traditional wedding ceremony of Oluwafunmilayo Oyindamola, daughter of
the Otun Balogun of Iwo land, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun to Lagos lawyer, Barrister Azeez Olayinka Olokun-Ola
in Festac town; Lagos penultimate Thursday afternoon. She equally told us the
secret of her closeness with High Chief
Abiola Ogundokun. Enjoy the excerpts.
exclusive encounter she had with your Africa’s number 1 Celebrity Encounter
blog, Asabeafrika, Chief (Mrs.) Funmilayo Jabaru the Iyalaje of Iwo Kingdom reveals her
intimate secrets and how she grew from a retired civil servant to one of the
leading community women leader in Iwo
kingdom, Osun State (South West
Nigeria). The ageless and beautiful Iwo
born woman of timber and caliber was one of the special guests and daughters of
Iwo land who escorted the Oluwo of Iwo land, His Imperial
Majesty, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi
(Ilufemiloye-TELU 1) to the traditional wedding ceremony of Oluwafunmilayo Oyindamola, daughter of
the Otun Balogun of Iwo land, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun to Lagos lawyer, Barrister Azeez Olayinka Olokun-Ola
in Festac town; Lagos penultimate Thursday afternoon. She equally told us the
secret of her closeness with High Chief
Abiola Ogundokun. Enjoy the excerpts.
 |
| The Iyalaje of Iwo Land, Chief (Mrs.) Funmilayo Jabaru |
Kindly tell us your role as Iyalaje
of Iwo kingdom?
of Iwo kingdom?
Well, as the
Iyalaje
of Iwo land, I have my own activities which are associated with the
development of Iwo land. I was made Iyalaje
of Iwo in 1977. You know that is a long time. All the development
projects in Iwo land are very dear to
my heart. There is no committee I am not part of in Iwo land. I am a member of the Iwo board of trustees and I
have been there for almost 15 years now. I was appointed as a member in 2001,
so as the Iyalaje of Iwo, we try to
source for funds to push development projects that will bring glory to the
town. We have just finished our multi-purpose town hall in Iwo town and if there is any activity that is to take place there,
we are the ones they always call or reach out to. So, my role is to help the Kabiyesi
and other members of the Oluwo-in-council to drive
initiatives that will bring commercial patronage to Iwo and under Oba
Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi. Right now, are
getting good results and good feedback.
Iyalaje
of Iwo land, I have my own activities which are associated with the
development of Iwo land. I was made Iyalaje
of Iwo in 1977. You know that is a long time. All the development
projects in Iwo land are very dear to
my heart. There is no committee I am not part of in Iwo land. I am a member of the Iwo board of trustees and I
have been there for almost 15 years now. I was appointed as a member in 2001,
so as the Iyalaje of Iwo, we try to
source for funds to push development projects that will bring glory to the
town. We have just finished our multi-purpose town hall in Iwo town and if there is any activity that is to take place there,
we are the ones they always call or reach out to. So, my role is to help the Kabiyesi
and other members of the Oluwo-in-council to drive
initiatives that will bring commercial patronage to Iwo and under Oba
Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi. Right now, are
getting good results and good feedback.
 |
| The Iyalaje & The GDA of Asabeafrika |
Can you tell Asabeafrika much about yourself?
I retired as
Secretary to the Board of Federal Housing
Authority.
Secretary to the Board of Federal Housing
Authority.
You mean in this Lagos?
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Yes, we were
the ones who allocated lands in this Festac town. We build and allocated the
lands in Festac. I was head of department at the Federal Housing Authority
and I retired as a secretary to the board of Federal Housing Authority. So, I am a retired public officer. But
now, I am the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Holland Park Bureau De Change.
I am into forex business and that is what I have been doing since I left the
civil service.
the ones who allocated lands in this Festac town. We build and allocated the
lands in Festac. I was head of department at the Federal Housing Authority
and I retired as a secretary to the board of Federal Housing Authority. So, I am a retired public officer. But
now, I am the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Holland Park Bureau De Change.
I am into forex business and that is what I have been doing since I left the
civil service.
“And Chief asked her what she wanted and she
said she was in need of school fees, that she is at the University of Lagos and she had no money to pay her school fees.
Chief said ‘how much is the money?’ and she said ‘thirty five thousand naira’. And chief asked her to send her
account number and he instructed his accountant to forward the money to her
immediately”.
said she was in need of school fees, that she is at the University of Lagos and she had no money to pay her school fees.
Chief said ‘how much is the money?’ and she said ‘thirty five thousand naira’. And chief asked her to send her
account number and he instructed his accountant to forward the money to her
immediately”.
 |
| Chief (Mrs.) Funmi Jabaru selling Iwo to some VIP Obas in Lagos |
How has the challenges in the forex
market affected your business in recent time?
market affected your business in recent time?
It really,
really affected our business because when everything was bouyant, we were being
given $2.5 million dollars every month. Later they reduced it to $1.2
million
dollars and the money kept going down astronomically; from $1.2 million dollars, to
six hundred; from six hundred to three hundred and from three hundred to two
hundred. When it became two hundred, it later went as low as forty thousand
dollars. You can imagine how terrible that could be for a large volume
retailer. It is quite bad.
really affected our business because when everything was bouyant, we were being
given $2.5 million dollars every month. Later they reduced it to $1.2
million
dollars and the money kept going down astronomically; from $1.2 million dollars, to
six hundred; from six hundred to three hundred and from three hundred to two
hundred. When it became two hundred, it later went as low as forty thousand
dollars. You can imagine how terrible that could be for a large volume
retailer. It is quite bad.
Is that money for individual
practitioner or a group of practitioners?
practitioner or a group of practitioners?
It is for
each bureau de change and we will market it for travelers or those who want to
pay school fees abroad or those trying to pay medical bills. Things were easy
then, but right now, things are damn too tight. The sharp drop in the global
oil market was the first harbinger of the bad situation. We don’t see money the
way we see it again. Where we can get money again is farm products and you can
recall that, there was no oil back in those days, it was just Cocoa and other
farm produce that were in vogue. It was cocoa that was used to develop the
economy but right now with the challenges of the oil price fall, everybody is
going back to the farm. That is the only thing that can solve this problem.
each bureau de change and we will market it for travelers or those who want to
pay school fees abroad or those trying to pay medical bills. Things were easy
then, but right now, things are damn too tight. The sharp drop in the global
oil market was the first harbinger of the bad situation. We don’t see money the
way we see it again. Where we can get money again is farm products and you can
recall that, there was no oil back in those days, it was just Cocoa and other
farm produce that were in vogue. It was cocoa that was used to develop the
economy but right now with the challenges of the oil price fall, everybody is
going back to the farm. That is the only thing that can solve this problem.
 |
| ‘The Best Economy Nigeria deserves now is Agric Economy’ says Chief (Mrs.) Funmi Jabaru |
So, you feel that an emerging agric
economy can kill the recession?
economy can kill the recession?
Yes, they
should develop our agricultural economy and sustain it. Government should
commit her political will. We are not just talking about agriculture alone, we
also have natural resources like bitumen,
gold, diamond and many other minerals. I don’t know why government is not
developing all these. There is gold, there are all sort of precious stones like
rubies, emerald and the rest that the government has refused to develop. It is
just the individuals that are packing them for sale. So, if government can
harness all our resources, we will have surplus money. In fact, our bitumen
deposit is so large that oil might be a child’s play. We also have gas but
government is not just looking that way. Our prayer is that God
will give us a messiah who will come and re-direct our way of life and endear
new economic vision for Nigerians.
should develop our agricultural economy and sustain it. Government should
commit her political will. We are not just talking about agriculture alone, we
also have natural resources like bitumen,
gold, diamond and many other minerals. I don’t know why government is not
developing all these. There is gold, there are all sort of precious stones like
rubies, emerald and the rest that the government has refused to develop. It is
just the individuals that are packing them for sale. So, if government can
harness all our resources, we will have surplus money. In fact, our bitumen
deposit is so large that oil might be a child’s play. We also have gas but
government is not just looking that way. Our prayer is that God
will give us a messiah who will come and re-direct our way of life and endear
new economic vision for Nigerians.
“It is rare to see fathers like that.
Any father that takes care of his children, I respect such a father. Because we
have too many men today who can father a child but cannot father their child’s
responsibilities”
Any father that takes care of his children, I respect such a father. Because we
have too many men today who can father a child but cannot father their child’s
responsibilities”
 |
| High Chief Abiola Ogundokun & Wife, Bola with daughter, Oyindamola and her husband, Yinka & Mother-In-Law |
How I fell in love with Abiola Ogundokun….
What do you have to say about High
Chief Abiola Ogundokun? He remains the biggest personality brand Iwo has till date, the Juju music maestro;
Commander Ebenezer Obey did a special album on him, ‘Ogundokun Managing Director Oko Atinuke etc?
Chief Abiola Ogundokun? He remains the biggest personality brand Iwo has till date, the Juju music maestro;
Commander Ebenezer Obey did a special album on him, ‘Ogundokun Managing Director Oko Atinuke etc?
You see that
Atinuke
you mentioned, we grew up in the arms of both Chief and Atinuke
(Laughs heartily). When he was still a young journalist and my own dad was
contesting in 1954 for the Federal House of Representatives.
Atinuke
you mentioned, we grew up in the arms of both Chief and Atinuke
(Laughs heartily). When he was still a young journalist and my own dad was
contesting in 1954 for the Federal House of Representatives.
 |
| The Otunbalogun of Iwo land, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun & The Oluwo of Iwo Land, HIM, Oba Abdulfatai Adewale Akanbi (Ilufemiloye-TELU 1) |
What is your dad’s name?
His name is Chief
Samuel Ogundijo Fajimi, he was member of Federal House of Representatives
in the first republic. He won in 1959 to 1965 and it was the 1966 coup that
halted his other political ambition. So, he (Ogundokun) used to come to our
house to come and write my father’s history at the time. He was already a
journalist at the time and I was just 8 years old or thereabout at that
material time. So, we grew in his hand.
He later married my younger sister.
Samuel Ogundijo Fajimi, he was member of Federal House of Representatives
in the first republic. He won in 1959 to 1965 and it was the 1966 coup that
halted his other political ambition. So, he (Ogundokun) used to come to our
house to come and write my father’s history at the time. He was already a
journalist at the time and I was just 8 years old or thereabout at that
material time. So, we grew in his hand.
He later married my younger sister.
|
| Chief (Mrs.) Funmi Jabaru is an in-law to High Chief Abiola Ogundokun |
What is her name?
She is that Atinuke
you mentioned in Obey’s album. She is my sister (Laughter)
you mentioned in Obey’s album. She is my sister (Laughter)
In that your house you must all be
pretty for Chief to have fallen for your younger sister. Even you still look
pretty?
pretty for Chief to have fallen for your younger sister. Even you still look
pretty?
(Laughs
Heartily) Agba ti de e (Age has caught up with me. I am aged now my
dear). I am over 70 now. So, Chief
Ogundokun so loved my dad that he always follows him around. And
anybody who likes my dad, I will naturally love that person. So, I used to call
him ‘Egbon mi, egbon mi’ (My elder
brother). And up till now, we still regard him as that. He was a socialite in
those days and up till date, he remains a socialite, loved by many.
Heartily) Agba ti de e (Age has caught up with me. I am aged now my
dear). I am over 70 now. So, Chief
Ogundokun so loved my dad that he always follows him around. And
anybody who likes my dad, I will naturally love that person. So, I used to call
him ‘Egbon mi, egbon mi’ (My elder
brother). And up till now, we still regard him as that. He was a socialite in
those days and up till date, he remains a socialite, loved by many.
 |
| High Chief Abiola Ogundokun, a lover of Children with two of his sons and a his pretty daughter |
 |
| High Chief Abiola Ogundokun giving instructions to his two sons and his daughter |
Ogundokun is Kind and blindly
generous…
generous…
“You see
this Chief
Ogundokun that you are seeing, he is very kind o; in fact, he could be
very kind to a fault except you don’t tell him your challenges. He did
something that baffles us one day; somebody just phoned him, he has never seen
that person before. The lady called him and said she is in the university; she pretended
as if she was trying to call another person. And Chief asked her what she
wanted and she said she was in need of school fees, that she is at the University
of Lagos and she had no money to pay her school fees. Chief said ‘how much
is the money?’ and she said ‘thirty five thousand naira’. And
chief asked her to send her account number and he instructed his accountant to
forward the money to her immediately. I don’t think he has seen that lady up
till today. He has never seen her before o, we even persuaded him to let us
find out if her intention is genuine but he refused. He said ‘no, I must give her. She doesn’t need to
know me before I can offer help to her. She needs the money, she only did a
mistake calling my number and since she can relate her problem to me, I must
solve it at once’. I said ‘Chief, ask
her to come here so that we can see her’ but he refused. So, such blind
kind acts he offers to people both known and unknown. And he love kids, he
passionately loves his children. You can see all his children around him. He
makes sure he trains them till they had their degrees. It is rare to see
fathers like that. Any father that takes care of his children, I respect such a
father. Because we have too many men today who can father a child but cannot
father their child’s responsibilities. So, if you find one that takes care of
his children, just respect him. I respect Chief Abiola Ogundokun for that. He
is a lover of children including his own children.
this Chief
Ogundokun that you are seeing, he is very kind o; in fact, he could be
very kind to a fault except you don’t tell him your challenges. He did
something that baffles us one day; somebody just phoned him, he has never seen
that person before. The lady called him and said she is in the university; she pretended
as if she was trying to call another person. And Chief asked her what she
wanted and she said she was in need of school fees, that she is at the University
of Lagos and she had no money to pay her school fees. Chief said ‘how much
is the money?’ and she said ‘thirty five thousand naira’. And
chief asked her to send her account number and he instructed his accountant to
forward the money to her immediately. I don’t think he has seen that lady up
till today. He has never seen her before o, we even persuaded him to let us
find out if her intention is genuine but he refused. He said ‘no, I must give her. She doesn’t need to
know me before I can offer help to her. She needs the money, she only did a
mistake calling my number and since she can relate her problem to me, I must
solve it at once’. I said ‘Chief, ask
her to come here so that we can see her’ but he refused. So, such blind
kind acts he offers to people both known and unknown. And he love kids, he
passionately loves his children. You can see all his children around him. He
makes sure he trains them till they had their degrees. It is rare to see
fathers like that. Any father that takes care of his children, I respect such a
father. Because we have too many men today who can father a child but cannot
father their child’s responsibilities. So, if you find one that takes care of
his children, just respect him. I respect Chief Abiola Ogundokun for that. He
is a lover of children including his own children.
 |
| High Chief Abiola Ogundokun with the Oluwo of Iwo Kingdom, HIM, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi when his pretty daughter, Uyioghosa married Osagie Elaiho in August |
