•Jadesola Akande Photo: Sun News Publishing

Woman of the Sun Index

When the news of her death was announced on Tuesday 29 April, it was shocking to so many people. Reason: she was hale and hearty and was seen at public functions even the day before. At 67, she touched so many lives and had served her country meritoriously in the legal profession and the academia.
Apart from being a law lecturer for so many years, she was also vice chancellor at the Lagos State University (LASU).

At her Raymond Njoku residence, Ikoyi, Lagos, sympathizers trooped in and out to condole with the family. Daily Sun spoke with some women who talked about the late Prof Jadesola Akande, and what they would miss about the legal icon.

Nike Okeowo, Head, Legal, Equatorial Trust Bank
The late Professor Akande was the loving mother of Nike. She was a long-standing friend of mine; she was my lecturer at the University of Lagos a long time ago. She is a woman I admire so much for her simplicity, her comportment at all times and also the way she carried everyone along. She was a foremost legal personality who was well respected in the legal profession. We will surely miss her.

Chief Mrs. Toyin Olakunrin, chairman, Education Tax Fund
I was shocked because only last week I spoke with her. She went with my husband to Owo and she was fine, she wasn’t ill. I was at a meeting when somebody sent a text about her death and I was shocked. She was so vital, so concerned about the country and the people. She was strong, I didn’t see any weakness in her. Maybe when you get to her age you begin to feel some ache and pain. I have known her for 50 years; I will miss her cheerfulness, companionship and friendliness.

Dr. Mrs Doyin Abiola, foremost journalist
I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe it. We were together about a week ago, a week before that we were together at Chief Adebanjo’s 80th birthday. And a week ago we were together at the Thomas’s and she was seated a little while on my table and then she got up, she said she was leaving. I then asked her daughter, why is aunty behaving like an old woman. She wasn’t her normal self that day.
She has played a prominent role in my life. I was on the board of her organization and she will always drag me along, you are not there enough. She was a very thorough person and whatever she decided to do, she did well. I’m going to miss her terribly, I have known her since I’d known myself. She was one of the role models in those days when we were growing up.

Chief Mrs. Kate Emetu, founder of St Peters Home of Refuge
There’s something that is called rude shock. It’s one sure road that we will all pass but I never expected that Mama Prof, as we call her will pass that road so soon. She was only 67.
Only three weeks ago, I called on her and she handed me a bag of rice that she had been keeping for the children since Christmas. So, I said Christmas has come and gone, Easter has come and gone but on the 27th of May, which is Children’s Day, it will be there for us. She was a mother in a million; we have missed her husband and now our mama Akande, our professor.

Bunmi Anyaoku, wife of Emeka Anyaoku
It is very shocking. This is somebody who came to my house for lunch two weeks ago. We just came back from South Africa for my husband’s honor, only to hear this yesterday. She led an exemplary life and was a rare role model that people should follow. We thank God for her life and the legacy she left behind. I will miss her advice and her comportment, she’s a role model for you to follow, she will always be there for you. A very hospitable lady, I remember coming to her house and sitting by the lagoon. That day I went home with lots of things. She was very generous.

Prof. Bolanle Awe
I feel very bad. She was my sister, my younger sister. She was somebody I admired and I appreciate her contributions.
I think it’s a terrible loss to this country and womanhood in general. I will miss her dedication, her commitment, her business-like attitude, her outspokenness and her desire to see that this country puts itself together, achieve what it wants to achieve with all the potentials it has.

Mrs. Onikepo Oshodi, politician
It’s a very sad moment for all of us. People who came very close to her knew that she was simple, humble and unassuming. Jadesola, Oh we shall miss her. It’s a mystery to us that death can be so cruel. It is so sad. I have been in a mourning mood since.

Mrs. Ibidun Allison (Amebo)
It was so shocking to us. On Monday we were together and we were talking about Zonta conference together. It’s quite unbelievable. She has actually gone to rest. She was full of humility, so unassuming, she was a genius, Nigerians are going to miss this woman of substance. In the law profession she was one of the very best in Africa, not just in Nigeria. We will miss her advice, her contribution to the country. She tried to see that women were given their proper position in the country.

Princess Josephine Kolapo Adedina
I have known her for well over 40 years. She was a very committed woman, very committed to whatever she did and worthy of emulation. Nothing frightens her, and as we can see, not even death frightened her. She was somebody who paid premium to education. She was very accommodating, so unassuming. Remember, when we had the constitutional drafting committee, she was the only female there.