Elder Elizabeth Aladegbola goes home, Friday, June 14, 2024

The Aladegbola and Opalaye families have announced the passing on to glory of Elder Elizabeth Aladegbola, who slept in the Lord on February 9, 2024, at the age of 88 years.

Service of songs would be at her residence in Papa Ajao, Mushin, Lagos, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024,
Christian wake is on Thursday, June 13, 2024; lying in state at her residence and interment on Friday, June 14, 2024. The funeral service would be held at (Olorunsogo) Baptist Church, Mushin, Lagos.
Reception follows immediately at Eko Club Arcade Hall, off Bode Thomas, Surulere, at 2pm.

Biography of Elder Elizabeth O. Aladegbola (JP)

Elder (Mrs.) Elizabeth Omokehinde Aladegbola was born on March 14, 1936, at Railway Station quarters in Kano, Nigeria. She was born a twin, her twin brother, Taiyelolu, passed away at the age of five.
Her dad, Mr. Amos Olawale Opaleye, was from the famous compound of Ile Oju Abere, in Ago Owu Totoro, Abeokuta, Ogun State. Her mother, Mrs. Janet Abake Kehinde, came from Oke Ago Owu, Atipako compound, Abeokuta, Ogun State. She was the third child of her father, and the second born of her mother.
She started her elementary education in the year 1942 at Baptist Day School, Sabon Gari, Kano. The family went back to Lagos, where she completed her elementary education at Ijero Baptist School, Apapa Road, Ebute Meta, in 1948.
She then continued at Modern School, and Our Lady of Apostles, Yaba. She completed this in 1952. It was in that year, when she went to check on her uncle who lived on Lagos Street in Ebute Meta, that she met her sweetheart, chatting with his friend in the uncle’s backyard. From then, they started dating.
Because of her dad’s sickness, Mummy Elizabeth could not further her education, so she had to go to work with her aunt at G.B. Oliphant as part of the catering staff. She was there till December 1953, when she went to Abeokuta to get ready for marriage. Mummy got married legally at Ake Magistrate’s Court on July 4, 1954. In October of that year, she gave birth to her first son Adeyinka.

In June 1956, she gave birth to her first daughter, Adejumoke. Sadly, Adejumoke passed away in 1958. In 1960, she gave birth to her second son, third born child, Adeniyi, in October. In that year, her husband travelled to the United Kingdom, leaving her and the children in Nigeria.
In 1961, mum came to the United Kingdom in the second class cabin of a passenger ship called MV Aureol.
According to her daughter, Princess Adejoke Aladegbola: “Mummy’s first employment in the UK was as a waitress at Cumberland Hotel, West End. Along with this job, she was studying medical tracing, part-time, at a college in Camden Town. The following year, 1962, she left the hotel to pursue full-time study at the same college.
“Mummy left Middlesex Hospital for the University College Hospital, St. Pancras, in 1969.”
Elder Elizabeth had double blessings: she graduated from the college and gave birth to her second daughter, Adenike, in February 1964. After a year’s maternity break, in 1965, she started work at Middlesex Hospital as a medical tracer. And, in 1966, she gave birth to her third son, Adetutu.
Her third daughter, Adejoke, was born there in November of that year. She was still working at the UCH when she gave birth to her fourth son and lastborn child, Adedayo, in February 1973. She remained there till 1976, when the family left for Nigeria.

After her return to Nigeria, mummy had a two-year career break, looking after the children. From 1978 to 1988, she worked with a company called A.C. Chrisleb, until her husband told her to resign.
Sadly, a mishap happened to her in 1982, when she lost her pretty daughter Adenike in a tragic car accident along Ikorodu Road, Lagos.
In 1989, she started her own business, Mama Tutu Daycare Centre. Unfortunately, a year into her business, in 1990, death snatched her handsome young man, Adetutu, away in a tragic and mysterious car accident in Chiswick, London. More tragedy was on the way, as her husband, Prince Cornelius Aladegbola, passed away on June 1, 1993. Thank God for His strength, mum took courage in the Lord and continued her journey in life.
She continued running the daycare centre, until her daughter, Adejoke, came to Nigeria in July 2001 for her 65th birthday celebration and said enough was enough.
Mummy Elizabeth was born into a Baptist family and attended Baptist Church up until 2002 when she left Nigeria. She was the head of the Children’s Ministry and the matron of the Deborah Sisters society. She was also an adviser to the Queen Esther society and is still a member of the Afurugbin Rere society of Olorunsogo Baptist Church, Lagos, Nigeria.

In March 2002, mum returned to the UK to help Adejoke look after her expected child, Sinmiloluwa. The trip was supposed to be for only six months, as she told friends and family. However, as it turned out, in her time in the UK, Adedayo got married; she witnessed the birth of four more grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Elder Elizabeth Aladegbola joined her daughter’s church, Christ Disciples Mission International, as soon as she came to England. She was a faithful member and mother of the church to the end. In December 2009, she was ordained an elder in recognition of her steadfastness and love for Christ.
During her time in the UK, mum went on Holy Pilgrimage to Israel in 2005 to celebrate her impending 70th birthday.
In all, mum spent 22 years in the UK, where she passed on to glory on February 9, 2024.
Elder Elizabeth Omokehinde Aladegbola is survived by four children, 17 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.