Iyiola Oladokun: How My Mother Defied All Odds For Me
Former Oyo State Deputy Governor Iyiola Oladokun has revealed that people advised his mother to abandon him as a sickly toddler. Instead of giving up, Mama Alice Oladokun nurtured him with fierce love, and her investment paid off massively. Oladokun, now a legal colossus and APC chieftain, shared this powerful story of African maternal resilience shortly after burying his mother at the age of 101 in Ado-Awaye, Oyo State.
Why did people tell Mama Alice to abandon her son?
When Iyiola Oladokun was just a toddler, his health was failing. The situation was so dire that people around his late mother, Mrs. Alice Oladokun, told her to throw the baby away. It was a harsh reality, but Mama Alice was not having it. She stood her ground.
Her love and compassion made her nurture me until adulthood. God Almighty answered her prayers, and I survived.
That care built a foundation of unbreakable resilience. Today, Oladokun is a man of sturdy health. When a doctor recently asked if he had ever been admitted to a hospital, his answer was a confident no. The only time he was sick as a child, there was not even a hospital in Ado-Awaye. He credits his current strength to the solid foundation his mother laid in those early days.
How did Mama Alice shape the life of Iyiola Oladokun?
Mama Alice passed away on February 7, 2026, at the age of 101, leaving behind a towering legacy of faith and generosity. She believed God would make something great out of her son, and she lived to see that prophecy fulfilled right before her eyes. Oladokun took comfort in the fact that they both had the chance to bid each other goodbye before her passing.
She was not just a mother to her two biological children. True to our African communal spirit, she raised nearly a dozen of her relatives' children. Her home was a hub of warmth. As a beer seller, she was so generous that she prepared grasscutter meat for her customers and never charged his friends for a bite.
She even sacrificed her own social life for his education. Whenever invited out, she would say she would join later, prioritizing her son's future over her own leisure. God rewarded her sacrifice, giving her a long life and returning her to her social life in her later years.
What was the legacy of Mama Alice Oladokun?
The funeral service at Immanuel Baptist Church in Ado-Awaye drew heavyweights from across the country. Reverend Edward Alabi of Molete Baptist Church in Ibadan nailed it when he said Mama's values reflected directly in her son.
You may not know Mama intimately, but you know her child; that child reflects the image and values of the parent.
He pointed to the calibre of people in attendance as proof of her impact. Oladokun remains a colossus in the legal profession, from his days at Bola Ige Chambers to his peers who are now distinguished judges and Senior Advocates of Nigeria. The event was graced by former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, APC state Chairman Chief Alake Adeyemo, APC South-West Publicity Secretary Chief Ayo Afolabi, APC governorship aspirant Dr. Wasiu Lam-Adesina, and traditional rulers like the Alado of Ado-Awaye and the Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Sefiu Oyebola Adeyeri III.
Will the abducted Oyo schoolchildren regain their freedom?
Amid the celebrations of his mother's life, Oladokun did not ignore the current struggles facing the community. He spoke out about the abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area. He noted that many of his age mates missed the burial due to this security challenge, but his faith in divine intervention remains strong.
I believe God Almighty will intervene and grant freedom to everyone in captivity so they can reunite with their families.