Some lives come to an end, but their influence lives on through the people and values they leave behind. Dr (Mrs) Olukemi Celina Adamolekun (née Ajayi) was one such amazing woman whose life still inspires many after her death.
On Friday, 17th July, I went to Iju in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State not just as a guest but as a witness. I was there to see what one of our own had built. It was Dr Adamolekun’s posthumous 80th birthday party. What I found was not a memorial service, but a full-blown party: food, music, laughter, and old friends reconnecting. Over three hundred guests filled the hall, mostly elders from Iju and nearby Itaogbolu, all there because of a woman who wanted to ensure they would not grow old alone.
Dr Adamolekun was born in Iju on 14 July 1946. She was a prefect at Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure, in the 1966 set. As a Fiwasaye girl, she embraced the values taught by Miss R J Pelly, the school’s first Principal and founder: discipline, excellence, compassion, service, and responsibility. These values were not just lessons; they were a way of life. Adamolekun became a shining example of what a Fiwasaye education could create.
She started her career as a nurse and midwife. Later, she earned degrees in Psychology, Guidance and Counselling, and Social Work. Her education and experiences led her to focus on the welfare of vulnerable people, especially the elderly. In 2000, Adamolekun founded Kaleyewa House to help elderly Nigerians age with dignity. The name is a Yoruba prayer for an evening (old age) better than one’s morning (early years). Sadly, she was murdered on 4 May 2002, while working for Kaleyewa House. Still, her mission continued.
One of the most admirable parts of Adamolekun’s legacy is how her family continues her work. With their commitment, Kaleyewa House has served the elderly in Ondo State for 20 years, marking this milestone in November 2023. As members of the Fiwasaye Old Girls’ Association (FOGA), we are very proud of them. They have shown that keeping a parent’s legacy alive is not just about remembering their name; it is about continuing their values and unfinished work.
That same spirit is seen in a full university scholarship set up in Adamolekun’s name for students of Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, Akure, her former school. What could be a better tribute? The young girl who once benefited from a Fiwasaye education is now inspiring a new generation to receive the same. This scholarship brings her legacy back to the school that shaped her. Her life began with Fiwasaye values, and those values are still bearing fruit.
Adamolekun’s life shows us the lasting impact of the education Fiwasaye and Miss RJ Pelly provided to a generation. "Always best we shall remain" is more than just a motto. It is a call to excellence, service, and responsibility, and Adamolekun lived that motto beyond the classroom. Her story challenges every FOGAite and every alumnus everywhere: what are we doing with the values and opportunities we received, and what will people say about us twenty years after we are gone? We must also think about our ageing parents. Many sacrificed their comfort and opportunities to give us a better future. Their later years should be met with care, dignity, and love, not loneliness or neglect.
Dr Olukemi Adamolekun might have passed away, but her legacy lives on in Kaleyewa House, in her children, in the students who will benefit from her scholarship, and in everyone inspired by her story. I urge FOGAites, alumni groups, organizations, and individuals to follow Adamolekun’s spirit by supporting the elderly, investing in education, and creating opportunities for others.
May our own evening be better than our morning. May we age with dignity, care, and peace. And may those who come after us be able to say that we made the world better because we lived.
Always best we shall remain.
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