I commit every challenge God.’my secret of longevity
CLEAN, calm
and coherent. These three attributes best describe the matriarch of Williams’
family, Mrs. Ibilola Williams, who is 100 today.
Unlike some
centenarians, whose memories are often vague, Mama Palm Church, as she is
fondly called, boasts of the memories of an octogenarian.
This, she
gracefully exhibited in a chat with Vanguard at her Lagos home.
Surrounded
by some of her children and extended family members, Mama Palm Church recounted
the story of her life which began with her birth in Ebute Metta, Lagos on June
20, 1915.
”Oh you have
come to interview me,” she asked this reporter, before the commencement of the
chat which was stopped a few times to enable her recollect some events.
In a manner
reflective of her age, she started the chat thus: ‘’My name is Miss Ibilola,’’
before being corrected by her fifth daughter, Mrs. Olasumbo Howells, who
reminded her that she is Mrs.
On that
note, Mama Palm Church, said: ‘’My name is Mrs. Eunice Ibilola Williams, JP. I
was born at Ebute Meta Lagos. I attended Ago Ijaye Primary School. I proceeded
to Casting House School. From there I proceeded to Mrs. Gibson’s school here in
Lagos. It was a regular school.’’
‘’After
school, I learnt some trade, I studied catering. Thereafter, I got married.
Most of my youth days were spent in Lagos. I attend Ago Ijaiye Methodist Church
Ebutte Metta where I met my husband. I attended the church as a child and
adult. I was a member of the choir.’’
While
recalling her early days with a spark in her eyes and as though not too sure of
what else to say, she blurted asking: ‘’What next?’’
At that
point, her daughter, Mrs. Howell said: ‘’She got married at the age of 20 to my
dad, Victor, who was an organist in the church.’’
Interestingly,
at the mentioning of her husband’s name, Mama Palm Church, chipped in saying
that her husband was ‘’ Victor Akintunde Williams.’’
Nonetheless,
Howell continued with her narrative: ‘’ My Dad lived at Palm Street. My Grand
father was Fredrick Ephraim Williams. He was the like of the Dohertys,
Darochas. We all lived there. After our education some of us went abroad while
others stayed back in Nigeria.’’
When asked
how she felt attaining the age of 100, Mama Palm Church, joyfully said: ‘’I
thank God. I thank God. I give glory to God Almighty. I only thank God for
everything for giving me life.’’
On the
secret of her longevity in a country where the World Health Organisation, WHO, in
its 2014 report pegged life expectancy at below 55 years, she said: ‘’I trust
in God. And I always take everything that comes in life the way they come
without worrying myself. I often committed every challenge to the hands of
God.’’
‘’Any other
thing left?’’ she asked amid laughter.
Continuing,
she said, ‘’I eat everything good, I had no preference. I like every food that
is good. ‘’
Asked if she
has any regret in life, she said: ‘’I thank God for my life. No, I don’t have
any regret. I get everything I need. My children provide for me. I don’t lack
anything in Jesus name.’’
On her
special wishes at 100, Mama Palm Church said: ‘’I expect every thing good from
my God.’’
In addition,
her daughter added: ‘’Every Easter special meals are prepared. She is the
originator of Roman Cake in Nigeria. It is a special cake. Her house in Lagos
is a big compound and was known as a Christian church. It was a home for all.
‘’After the
Second World War, the prices of food items were high in the country. That made
mama with Mrs. Kasumu who was her inlaw with other women go to the then
Governor General of Nigeria to make case for the reduction of food prices. And
their request was acceded to and prices went down. ‘’
‘’When we
were growing up, you will rather prefer mama to spank you than to talk to you,
because when she winks you ought to know what she wanted. She is a
disciplinarian. She is also very neat. She is very hygienic and accommodating.
She loves people and she gives a lot. When she cooked, it was with big pots. Our
house was a melting point. She is also well travelled across the globe.’’
When asked
what her hobbies are, her son, Mr. Opeolu Abayomi said, ‘’Mama likes working.
That is why she is still strong. She is very agile and loves children like her
mother. She welcomes strangers. Until now we never knew that some people who
were brought up with us were not even our relatives. She took care of everybody
and she loves to sing.’’
At that
point she was asked if she could sing any of her favourite songs. Behold, Mama
Palm Church sang two songs.
One of the
songs was one she sang at the age of eight, titled: ‘’ I was glad when they
said unto me to go into the house of the Lord’’
With amazing
accuracy, she sang all the stanzas of the song and concluded thus: ‘’Praise the
Lord.’’
Instructively,
her family is one of the prominent aboriginal families in Lagos. The father of
her late husband was one of the Brazillian returnees in Lagos.
She is
blessed with children, grand children, great grand children and extended family
members across the country.
Prominent
among her inlaws, is a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief
Emeka Anyaoku.
I have no regrets in life, says Mama Palm Church
BY CHARLES KUMOLU
CLEAN, calm and coherent. These three attributes best describe the matriarch of Williams’ family, Mrs. Ibilola Williams, who is 100 today.
Unlike some centenarians, whose memories are often vague, Mama Palm Church, as she is fondly called, boasts of the memories of an octogenarian.
This, she gracefully exhibited in a chat with Vanguard at her Lagos home.
Surrounded by some of her children and extended family members, Mama Palm Church recounted the story of her life which began with her birth in Ebute Metta, Lagos on June 20, 1915.
”Oh you have come to interview me,” she asked this reporter, before
the commencement of the chat which was stopped a few times to enable her
recollect some events.
In a manner reflective of her age, she started the chat thus: ‘’My name is Miss Ibilola,’’ before being corrected by her fifth daughter, Mrs. Olasumbo Howells, who reminded her that she is Mrs.
On that note, Mama Palm Church, said: ‘’My name is Mrs. Eunice Ibilola Williams, JP. I was born at Ebute Meta Lagos. I attended Ago Ijaye Primary School. I proceeded to Casting House School. From there I proceeded to Mrs. Gibson’s school here in Lagos. It was a regular school.’’
‘’After school, I learnt some trade, I studied catering. Thereafter, I got married. Most of my youth days were spent in Lagos. I attend Ago Ijaiye Methodist Church Ebutte Metta where I met my husband. I attended the church as a child and adult. I was a member of the choir.’’
While recalling her early days with a spark in her eyes and as though not too sure of what else to say, she blurted asking: ‘’What next?’’
At that point, her daughter, Mrs. Howell said: ‘’She got married at the age of 20 to my dad, Victor, who was an organist in the church.’’
Interestingly, at the mentioning of her husband’s name, Mama Palm Church, chipped in saying that her husband was ‘’ Victor Akintunde Williams.’’
Nonetheless, Howell continued with her narrative: ‘’ My Dad lived at Palm Street. My Grand father was Fredrick Ephraim Williams. He was the like of the Dohertys, Darochas. We all lived there. After our education some of us went abroad while others stayed back in Nigeria.’’
When asked how she felt attaining the age of 100, Mama Palm Church, joyfully said: ‘’I thank God. I thank God. I give glory to God Almighty. I only thank God for everything for giving me life.’’
On the secret of her longevity in a country where the World Health Organisation, WHO, in its 2014 report pegged life expectancy at below 55 years, she said: ‘’I trust in God. And I always take everything that comes in life the way they come without worrying myself. I often committed every challenge to the hands of God.’’
‘’Any other thing left?’’ she asked amid laughter.
Continuing, she said, ‘’I eat every thing good, I had no preference. I like every food that is good. ‘’
Asked if she has any regret in life, she said: ‘’I thank God for my life. No, I don’t have any regret. I get everything I need. My children provide for me. I don’t lack anything in Jesus name.’’
On her special wishes at 100, Mama Palm Church said: ‘’I expect every thing good from my God.’’
In addition, her daughter added: ‘’Every Easter special meals are prepared. She is the originator of Roman Cake in Nigeria. It is a special cake. Her house in Lagos is a big compound and was known as a Christian church. It was a home for all.
‘’After the Second World War, the prices of food items were high in the country. That made mama with Mrs. Kasumu who was her inlaw with other women go to the then Governor General of Nigeria to make case for the reduction of food prices. And their request was acceded to and prices went down. ‘’
‘’When we were growing up, you will rather prefer mama to spank you than to talk to you, because when she winks you ought to know what she wanted. She is a disciplinarian. She is also very neat. She is very hygienic and accommodating. She loves people and she gives a lot. When she cooked, it was with big pots. Our house was a melting point. She is also well travelled across the globe.’’
When asked what her hobbies are, her son, Mr. Opeolu Abayomi said, ‘’Mama likes working. That is why she is still strong. She is very agile and loves children like her mother. She welcomes strangers. Until now we never knew that some people who were brought up with us were not even our relatives. She took care of everybody and she loves to sing.’’
At that point she was asked if she could sing any of her favourite songs. Behold, Mama Palm Church sang two songs.
One of the songs was one she sang at the age of eight, titled: ‘’ I was glad when they said unto me to go into the house of the Lord’’
With amazing accuracy, she sang all the stanzas of the song and concluded thus: ‘’Praise the Lord.’’
Instructively, her family is one of the prominent aboriginal families in Lagos. The father of her late husband was one of the Brazillian returnees in Lagos.
She is blessed with children, grand children, great grand children and extended family members across the country.
Prominent among her inlaws, is a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
CLEAN, calm and coherent. These three attributes best describe the matriarch of Williams’ family, Mrs. Ibilola Williams, who is 100 today.
Unlike some centenarians, whose memories are often vague, Mama Palm Church, as she is fondly called, boasts of the memories of an octogenarian.
This, she gracefully exhibited in a chat with Vanguard at her Lagos home.
Surrounded by some of her children and extended family members, Mama Palm Church recounted the story of her life which began with her birth in Ebute Metta, Lagos on June 20, 1915.
Mama Palm Church
In a manner reflective of her age, she started the chat thus: ‘’My name is Miss Ibilola,’’ before being corrected by her fifth daughter, Mrs. Olasumbo Howells, who reminded her that she is Mrs.
On that note, Mama Palm Church, said: ‘’My name is Mrs. Eunice Ibilola Williams, JP. I was born at Ebute Meta Lagos. I attended Ago Ijaye Primary School. I proceeded to Casting House School. From there I proceeded to Mrs. Gibson’s school here in Lagos. It was a regular school.’’
‘’After school, I learnt some trade, I studied catering. Thereafter, I got married. Most of my youth days were spent in Lagos. I attend Ago Ijaiye Methodist Church Ebutte Metta where I met my husband. I attended the church as a child and adult. I was a member of the choir.’’
While recalling her early days with a spark in her eyes and as though not too sure of what else to say, she blurted asking: ‘’What next?’’
At that point, her daughter, Mrs. Howell said: ‘’She got married at the age of 20 to my dad, Victor, who was an organist in the church.’’
Interestingly, at the mentioning of her husband’s name, Mama Palm Church, chipped in saying that her husband was ‘’ Victor Akintunde Williams.’’
Nonetheless, Howell continued with her narrative: ‘’ My Dad lived at Palm Street. My Grand father was Fredrick Ephraim Williams. He was the like of the Dohertys, Darochas. We all lived there. After our education some of us went abroad while others stayed back in Nigeria.’’
When asked how she felt attaining the age of 100, Mama Palm Church, joyfully said: ‘’I thank God. I thank God. I give glory to God Almighty. I only thank God for everything for giving me life.’’
On the secret of her longevity in a country where the World Health Organisation, WHO, in its 2014 report pegged life expectancy at below 55 years, she said: ‘’I trust in God. And I always take everything that comes in life the way they come without worrying myself. I often committed every challenge to the hands of God.’’
‘’Any other thing left?’’ she asked amid laughter.
Continuing, she said, ‘’I eat every thing good, I had no preference. I like every food that is good. ‘’
Asked if she has any regret in life, she said: ‘’I thank God for my life. No, I don’t have any regret. I get everything I need. My children provide for me. I don’t lack anything in Jesus name.’’
On her special wishes at 100, Mama Palm Church said: ‘’I expect every thing good from my God.’’
In addition, her daughter added: ‘’Every Easter special meals are prepared. She is the originator of Roman Cake in Nigeria. It is a special cake. Her house in Lagos is a big compound and was known as a Christian church. It was a home for all.
‘’After the Second World War, the prices of food items were high in the country. That made mama with Mrs. Kasumu who was her inlaw with other women go to the then Governor General of Nigeria to make case for the reduction of food prices. And their request was acceded to and prices went down. ‘’
‘’When we were growing up, you will rather prefer mama to spank you than to talk to you, because when she winks you ought to know what she wanted. She is a disciplinarian. She is also very neat. She is very hygienic and accommodating. She loves people and she gives a lot. When she cooked, it was with big pots. Our house was a melting point. She is also well travelled across the globe.’’
When asked what her hobbies are, her son, Mr. Opeolu Abayomi said, ‘’Mama likes working. That is why she is still strong. She is very agile and loves children like her mother. She welcomes strangers. Until now we never knew that some people who were brought up with us were not even our relatives. She took care of everybody and she loves to sing.’’
At that point she was asked if she could sing any of her favourite songs. Behold, Mama Palm Church sang two songs.
One of the songs was one she sang at the age of eight, titled: ‘’ I was glad when they said unto me to go into the house of the Lord’’
With amazing accuracy, she sang all the stanzas of the song and concluded thus: ‘’Praise the Lord.’’
Instructively, her family is one of the prominent aboriginal families in Lagos. The father of her late husband was one of the Brazillian returnees in Lagos.
She is blessed with children, grand children, great grand children and extended family members across the country.
Prominent among her inlaws, is a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.
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