Photo: Sun News Publishing

Woman of the Sun Index

Surviving three major heartbreaks within a period of time is not what any woman would wish herself. Some would have lost their sense of bearing, while others would have been recuperating in a psychiatric hospital by now. But that is not the case with Chief (Mrs.) Lanre Ojora, a Lagos socialite, style icon and showstopper who lost her husband, her first daughter and hit with mild stroke.

Ojora, a former secretary, mother and grandmother, lost her amiable husband Bade Ojora in the late 90’s. At her Ikoyi residence, it was an opportunity to go into memory lane and remember the good old days with a man she describes as loving and handsome. “ I had a loving and handsome husband”. She recalled how an elderly woman in her compound has told her late mother to take care of her because she was a ‘star’ child. That simple statement was overlooked but when she met and married her husband who was a ‘big boy’ then in all ramifications of life that was when the vision came to pass. “ My husband was the Attorney and legal adviser to Mobil Oil”.

He was such a loving husband and wonderful father. I can tell you he showered me with love. Recalling some of the gift showering moments they shared together, Ojora said, “ I went to a shop on Awolowo road on this particular day and bought a beautiful frock for myself, he came back from work and saw it, He drove down to that same shop and got 4 more pieces for me”.

When our children were suppose to relocate to England for their education, my husband asked me to name my price per month for relocating. We agreed on a certain amount and he lived up to that until the children graduated. My fashion sense was high with him around; I get a new car every birthday of mine. With him around, I drive a car that matches my outfit then. There is hardly any part of the world that we did not visit together. I have lived in this apartment for over 30years. With all these pecks from a fruitful marriage, all of a sudden, the man who God used to make life very comfortable is no more. He closed his eyes in death after a brief illness.

Still recalling now that her mood has changed. “ After his death, we consoled ourselves and took it as one of those terrifying life experiences. As Christians, we were taught by my parents to have strong faith in God. “ Whatever happens to you is from God”.
On that note the Ojora family’s wound healed fast and they recovered and started living their normal life.
In October 2005, Mrs. Abimbola Babalola the first daughter of the late Chief Bade and Lanre Ojora was one of the victims in the ill-fated Belleview airline that crashed in Lisa in Ogun State. Bola as she was fondly called was among the 198 souls on board that lost their lives. Here again Lanre Ojora is knocked off the ring with the death of her first daughter in a plane crash. Her reaction. “ Loosing our precious daughter Bola was another life experience that I can not push aside immediately”.

Bola is my child that looks like me but we differ in socializing. She is on the gentle side, very easy going. On that fateful day when the crash happened and manifest was released, I got calls, but doubted it because she did not tell me she was coming to Lagos. I also asked my daughter and son, “ Did your sister tell you she was coming to Lagos”? They said no. Ojora continued on what transpired within that period. It was during Ramadan, she came into Lagos briefly for personal things and was rushing back home so as to prepare for her husband’s break for the day, Lo and behold, she did not make it back to Abuja because death came calling and Bola died in that crash.
Loosing a daughter who was in her full prime barely over 30 could be most shocking and devastating. The granny who just turned 60 bore it all and rather had a positive attitude towards these deaths.“ I thank God because it could have been worse”. Several times, Bola travels with her husband and children. If it has been one of those occasions, what would have happened? That means there would not have been anything to remember her again.

Her consolation is derived from the fact that seeing Bola’s family especially her children wipes away her tears. It is also a strong feeling that her generation is still here. “ With her husband and children around, her generation is not wiped away”. Ojora went down memory lane and remembered the good old days. “ Bola was a very good girl, she lived a good life. Even as a baby, if you did not feed her, she will not cry. I remember leaving instructions with her nanny to feed her.

Still reminicising she says “ my dear daughter that watches me and laugh when I am dressing, tell her to wear full neck bead, she will not. She will help you adjust your off-shouldered clothes to look nice”. Now she is no more, God knows the best.
It was easy for her to dismiss premonition and the hand of evil one at work because she has been traveling by air since she was 4. “ I had no premonition of her death neither do I hinge it to any thing because she has been flying since she was 4years old”.

Crawling out and trying to recover from the painful death of her precious daughter Bola, Ojora was hit by neurological deficit known as stroke. Though it is a mild one but seeing her at a close range, you could notice a mild defection on her hand.
In all the trying moments, Lanre Ojora becomes a role model to so many stroke patients who are wallowing in anger and self-pity. She rather applies the right attitude, courage and good spirit of sportsmanship to these circumstances. She allows the biblical injunction that says, sorrow is for a while, but joy comet in the morning to take place in her life.

She refuses to be weighed down by challenges. And again she refuses to pass through stressful depressive condition rather she carries on with high spirit, smiling face, attends her parties and catches her fun. She is ever smiling, welcoming with smiles and hugs.
In august, her loving kids stepped into their late father’s shoes and hosted their mum and a few friends to a mouth-watering 60th birthday bash. Trust the style icon! She appeared in a long flowing black and red show-back to rock the day. You want to know the secret of her well-being? “ I am naturally a happy person who accommodates people”. My parents taught us how to have strong faith in God and accept whatever that happens to you.

Make N450,000 Online Monthly. Click Here