Eminent Nigerians pour encomiums on late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale in Ibadan
Eminent Nigerians within and outside the country joined friends, relatives, and family of Ajisefinni-Okewale to pay tributes to a gallant woman of virtues and philanthrophist, Deaconess Mrs Marian Iyabode Abeni
- As a memorial, free medical outreach thrill residents
Eminent Nigerians within and outside the country joined friends, relatives, and family of Ajisefinni-Okewale to pay tributes to a gallant woman of virtues and philanthrophist, Deaconess Mrs Marian Iyabode Abeni Ajisefinni-Okewale who was laid to rest in Ibadan at the weekend.
A renowned community leader, business titan, and devoted Christian, Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale's love for humanity was honoured with a resounding medical outreach, which offered free medical tests, free diagnosis, treatment and free medications to hundreds of people in different parts of Ibadan metropolis, and this kick-started the 3-days funeral ceremony at her Apata, Ibadan residence.
It was a large gathering at the deceased's residence, venue of the one-day medical outreach at 25, Oluwanifise Close , behind NNPC filling station, Apata Ibadan, where hundreds of beneficiaries recalled the fond memories of the deceased.
Among the services offered at the medical outreach is mobile eye clinical services, where people underwent free eye tests, followed up with the provision of recommended eye glasses.
No fewer than 1,000 beneficiaries were recorded in the one-day programme in memory of the late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale.
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Late Deaconess Mrs Marian Iyabode Abeni Ajisefinni-Okewale, JP slept in the Lord on December 20, 2025 at the age of 85 years .
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The late community leader , during her life time, was a notable textile dealer both at the popular Itoku market, Abeokuta, and at Gbagi market in Ibadan. She later delved into sachet water distributorship, sales and supply of food drinks, etc, and in no time she became a major distributor for the then popular Aqua Glory water within Ibadan and environs.
Among the dignitaries who graced the epoch event are traditional rulers, community leaders, members of: Nigeria Medical Association (NMA); Nursing and Midwives Council of Nigeria (NMCN); Association of Birth Attendants; Textile Dealers Association of Nigeria amongst others.
They described Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale as a woman of valour, industry, compassion, resilience, virtuous, and a pillar of strength to the community.
Among the children of the departed who were on hand to honour their late beloved mother with a befitting burial are Dr Olusegun Ajisefinni, Suberu Oluwatosin, Oluwasegun Abiodun, Oluwatobi Adewale Okewale, and Oluwajimi Oluwasegun.
According to Oluwatosin, their mother's love for humanity reflected her commitment in ensuring everyone who went through her tutelage has a lasting testimony of visible impacts.
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These testimonies abound today with many carving niches in Academia, Medicine, Entrepreneurship, etc, with all attesting to her love; an enduring legacy of service to mankind and moral rectitude.
The eldest son of Late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale, Dr. Olusegun Ajisefinni, a US-based MP who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO/CMD) , Nikzar Medical Center, Ibadan narrated how her mother, not only nurtured the idea of building the hospital, but also supervised the land acquisition process, and the procurements of building materials for the construction of Nikzar Medical Centre.
In his words, "this particular one that we are doing today is a memorial one and when we were building Nikzar hospital, my mother was instrumental to purchasing all the the building materials including the land into which the hospital was built, unfortunately she died about 4 months ago. So, we thought it will be good to have a medical outreach in her house, i am sure it is an idea she would have wanted if she was alive", Dr Ajisefinni said.
In the same vein, the CMD's wife Mrs Gloria Giron-Ajisefinni , an American based Recruitment Manager, also shared fond memories of the Late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale, and paid glowing tributes to the late community leader , describing her as her mirror, a rear mother, who imparted discipline, courage, hardwork and fear of God in her children.
A beneficiary of the medical outreach in memory of Late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale was a lecturer in the Mass Communications Department at the Lead City University (LCU), Ibadan, Mr Idowu Sunday, who specializes in digital media and broadcast.
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He commended the family for the kind gesture, stating that the free medical outreach has done a lot to assist the beneficiaries access the needed medical help.
The Head Doctor, Nikzar Medical Centre (NMC), Dr Nwanoka Jefferson who led the team of medical personnel at the medical outreach, expressed satisfaction that the program organised in memory of the Late Deaconess Ajisefinni-Okewale was a huge success, and thanked God on behalf of NMC's staffs for being a part of this history.
In his opening remark, Dr Jefferson spoke on his team's readiness towards reaching the populace here in Apata and beyond, with a patient projection of 1000. The areas of interest are general medicine (excluding surgery as this isn't listed during this outreach).
He also spoke on the availability of eye consulting table, where people with mini impairment get tested, and also get free eye glasses depending on the complaints.
" People with general complaints like malaria, cough, catarrh, and others like hypertension, diabetes, peptic ulcer, etc.will get attended to. Other cases that can't be handle in an outreach like this, will be referred to our facility at Bode-Igbo" , he stated.
