Aunty Denrele Dearest, my ‘Aunty Dee’, I am stunned and gutted.

Beautiful inside and out – my mini mum, my friend, my confidant and my gracious fan.
You were many blissful things to many people, however today I celebrate you for the beautiful soul that you were in my life.

You looked after me as a child, you cared about me as a young adult and you loved me throughout my years until you entered Eternal Rest.

We weaved in and out of each other’s lives, sometimes not seeing for months and sometimes even years but when we did reunite it was always gleeful, intense and fun. I thank The Lord for such beautiful memories of you to behold.

Love for people, adventure, travelling, books, fashion, fine cuisine (and you, Aunty, were a great cook), laughter and oooh many a ‘cream cakes and tea’ we shared. For the fine things of life; how praised God should be.

Ours was a loving relationship of savoury moments. Of course, we had a tiff or two but they very soon fizzled out as love always conquered. We chatted through many nights without sleep under cosy duvets; sharing our challenges, dreams and many comedic incidents. Dare I mention issues of love interests; our love lives playing like scripts out of Hollywood – we both always seemed to fall hopelessly in love (that area was never measured – I chuckle as I write).

Highly touching among the very special times we shared were you bringing my baby, Adeniyi, home to me (your first born) in Calabar Street and how you supported me as his mini mum while you moderated the love between my darling aburo, Adeniran Junior, and I in childhood often rescuing me or my hair from his clutches when under his full and beautiful bush of hair was a fiercely angry face (my little rascal is now a handsome dashing gentleman and thankfully, our love today is unshakable), our train trip to Manchester to see your dear mother and the love and joy that was tangible through the day we spent with her, our excitement and great pride in Oluwaseun when we attended her high-school graduation in Maryland and rejoiced with her on her 1st class grades and her admission to pre-med; and not least, Adefola’s wedding in Ghana which you fielded with your characteristic prowess and poise.
There was so much more (including laughing through our elegant battle with a lobster in a restaurant on the Champs-Elysees and chasing a £5 note down Mayfair) that I shall keep churning over in my mind now that you dwell among other beautiful angels.

Aunty, your life was testament to Jehovah being a God of mercy, grace and many chances. He looked upon your heart and granted you more lives than the proverbial cat. He saw that your heart was good, and you were so gentle, benevolent and full of faith and love.
You endowed so many. “Gbogbo yin ni mo feran”, was a favourite phrase of yours.
Yes, you were blessed too but you freely bestowed love, support and gifts never worrying about recording a ‘net loss’. You never walked alone, just wanted to be a blessing and trusted God infinitely.

Aunty, you came, you saw, you were loved by ‘Papa Mi’ and many not least because you loved first; you wanted, and worked hard, to build the lives of others, and you certainly conquered the many challenges that life threw your way. You were talented and hardworking and though your judgement call, as often mine isn’t, was not always the best, you had the strength and resilience of 10,000 acres of steel piled high.

Now my sweetest of Aunties, you are pain-free – sleep well, sleep tight, sleep beautifully on the bosom of the Almighty and shine upon us all as your sweet spirit lives on.

You’ve laid great tracks and banked so much grace and favour. Junior, Seun, Niyi, Fola (and your many other children) and the grandchildren shall be blessed much more than you dared to dream or pray for because God looks upon the heart and yours scored exemplarily!

Your “I love you very much” will always ring in my ears, your loving smile and quirky laugh implanted on my heart. Thank you Aunty Denrele, I love you so dearly and will miss and cherish you forever.

‘Debola Israel-Bolarinwa.
(Nee Tinubu).