Mrs Florence Ajimobi, wife of late Gov. Abiola Ajimobi has called on the people to imbibe the art of appreciation and love sharing to one another.
She made the call while hosting leaders of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council on Iftar(Breaking of fast) at their Oluyole residence in Ibadan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NUJ delegation was led by the State Chairman, Alhaji Ademola Babalola.
She thanked members of the union for the support and love extended to the family both in and out of office.
Mrs. Ajimobi said she got recognition and love from people against her preparation for betrayal as well as hostility outside office.
“Thank you for showing me love. When you leave office, it is a mixed feeling. Like I tell people, I was really prepared for life outside office.
“But I didn’t get what I prepared for, I got otherwise. I was prepared for a lot of betrayal and hostility, but I didn’t get it. I am saying this with all sense of sincerity.
“Every time I went out, I got recognition. I felt love from people. People are still standing by my side. I thank God for that.
“I was not a perfect person while in government. There is no perfect person. I had my faults. We all have our faults.
“Whatever mine were, they were faults from the head and not from the heart.I pray God will answer our prayers, particularly in this season of Ramadan, and protect us,” she said.
She enjoined the people not to relent in showing love to each other,
“Life is short. For everyone you appreciate, let them know you appreciate them. For everyone you love, show them and tell them as many times as you can that you love them.
“I just felt this season must not pass without me doing a few things that my husband used to do.
“If there is a group of people that he really admired and wanted around him, it is you journalists because I know he had a lot of tutoring and mentoring to do.
“It was one Saturday that I said why don’t we invite the leadership of the NUJ to come and dine with us.
“When I was told you have accepted my invitation, I was happy. As you have honoured me, God will continue to honour you,” she said.
Mrs. Ajimobi assured the NUJ leaders to always count on her support, promising she would do anything to immortalise her husband and uphold his legacy.
“Anything to immortalise my husband and uphold his legacy, you can always count on me. Forever I will celebrate him. Forever, I will uphold his legacy. I think that is why I am still here.
“It is not easy. I respect and love my husband even more in death. I didn’t know so many things he was doing. But now that I am the breadwinner, I just marvel and I wonder how he was coping without complaining.
“It’s not one year after his death and I am complaining to my children, complaining in my house. This is somebody I lived with him for 40 years and I never for once heard him complain.
“He had a good heart. Yes, he was not perfect. He had his faults, but with all sense of sincerity, he was a good man.
“He will forever live in my heart. I would forever uphold anything he believed in.
And NUJ is one of those institutions I know he believed in,” she said.
Earlier, Babalola appreciated Mrs. Ajimobi for the love and honour extended to the union assuring her of the union’s support always.
The NUJ chairman recalled their last discussion with the late Ajimobi on how to erect a building at the NUJ press centre in his name, which he promised to work on before his demise.
Babalola commended the widow for being strong, urging her to continue upholding the legacy of her late husband and erect a project at the press centre to immortalise him.
“We know it will not be easy for a woman who had lived happily with her husband for 40 years. I saw your phone earlier, there was a call that came in.
“I saw a picture that was put on the status, you are still keeping your husband there. It shows that the love was so real and eternal that nothing can come between you.
“We want to thank you mummy for this great honour. We want to assure you of our support all the time.
“We equally want to see a building donated in memory of the great scholar, great politician, astute businessman, a man of no mean standing, a great philosopher and a great orator. We are missing him,” he said.
NAN reports that the event featured special prayer for the family and presentation of award to Mrs Ajimobi by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists(NAWOJ), Oyo Chapter.
Source: NAN