Osogbo Pays Tribute to Abokede, Celebrates Woman Who Lived for Othe

Oriontimes Newsroom| September 18, 2026

OSOGBO — Tributes have continued to pour in for the late Evangelist Dr. Aderonke Funmi Abokede, as people from different communities, groups and walks of life gathered to celebrate a woman they described as humble, compassionate and deeply committed to the service of humanity.

At the wake-keep held on Thursday, September 17, at the Aurora Event Center in Osogbo, mourners and associates recounted the late Abokede’s acts of kindness and the lasting impact she had on individuals and communities during her lifetime.

The tributes continued on Friday, September 18, during the farewell programme held at 11–17 Lemese Street, behind First Bank Plc, along the Gbongan-Ibadan Road, Osogbo.

Speaking at the programme, Pastor Mrs Tina Idowu described Abokede’s death as painful but said the deceased had lived a life devoted to fulfilling her purpose.

“This is not what we like. Our beloved had completed her job,” Idowu said, while pointing to the spot where Abokede usually sat at the last pillar.

She described the deceased as a remarkably humble woman who played a pivotal role in the church, particularly as a matron in the children’s department.

According to her, Abokede was deeply concerned about the welfare of children and would ensure they were properly cared for.

Idowu also recalled her concern for unemployed people, saying the late evangelist often helped connect people with opportunities whenever she came across them.

“She would request that aged people be picked up from their respective homes so that their lives could be celebrated. She assisted widows and played an important role during women’s conventions,” she said.

“She was a woman of many parts. We cannot forget her.”

Abokede was fondly known as “Mama Do Something,” a nickname that emerged from a programme she spearheaded and eventually became closely associated with her personality and approach to helping people.

Rather than merely talking about people's challenges, she was remembered for taking practical steps to provide assistance wherever she could.

Also speaking, Reverend Canon Omigborun described the deceased as an exceptionally kind and simple woman whose life represented sacrifice for others.

“Before we would see a kind person like her, it would take a very long time,” Omigborun said.

He described Abokede’s simplicity as one of the qualities that distinguished her, adding that she devoted much of her life to making sacrifices for the benefit of others.

The farewell gathering brought together family members, clergy, friends, associates and representatives of different communities, government officials, traditional rulers, who shared memories of a woman whose legacy, according to them, extended beyond the walls of the church.

For many of those who gathered to bid her farewell, the name “Mama Do Something” remains a fitting reminder of a life in which compassion was repeatedly translated into action.