Renowned Yoruba actress, Remi Oshodi, aka Mama Surutu, who just lost one of her two daughters, Ariyike Ayomide Oladayo, who died of sickle cell anaemia at age 22, in July (read here), is celebrating her only child who turned a year older today.
The star mum, who is yet to recover from Ayomide’s death took to pray for the birthday girl in a video she shared on her Instagram page.
The video below is quite emotional. In it, Remi Oshodi prays for her teen daughter while quoting verses from the Bible. She says,
”You will excel. You are the only strong pole, pillar I have. You are my strength, my strength forever. You will not die young.
You are all I have but you will be plenty, you will become million. You are just one, but you will have plenty around you, plenty of children… I love you @ajikemobiola . You shall break grounds…you shall excel.
Ayomikun had died on July 3 reportedly due to complications from sickle cell disease.
Shortly after her daughter’s death, the actress unveiled a foundation, ‘The Ayomikun Tongue Out Foundation,’ which is established to carry on the values that her daughter stood for – charitable causes, music, and comedy.
On how she has been holding up since the death of her daughter; Surutu said;
God has been so awesome to me. I had cried for a long while before you came into this place but I promised that I would hold myself all through this interview.
I knew you would ask this question, so I promised to hold my tears but it is quite an impossible task (sobs). I must confess to you, I really miss my daughter, I miss her every day, I miss her so much because she was my partner and everything. She had a younger sister and we were all close.
I must confess to you, for the rest of my life, I would never forget about her (sobs). I put her clothes in between mine and her shoes as well.
So for me not to run mad, whenever I am picking my clothes, I pick hers up as well and say, ‘Ayomikun I miss you, I love you and I know you are still with me.’ When I am picking my shoes, I look at hers and say, “Ayo, look at your shoes here. (sobs). Please come and pick your shoes.”
Some people tell me to delete her messages, videos and pictures from my phone but I cannot, we would live together till we meet again.
In order to immortalise her, I am putting finishing touches on a foundation in her memory. I have to say a big thank you to Hope Fashion and Mutiat Alli who helped me stage a comeback after the death of my daughter. May God continue to bless every other person that stood by me during that dark period.”
This is beautiful, losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to any parent. Happy birthday to you dear, you shall live to fulfill destiny, amen.
This is beautiful, losing a child is the worst thing that can happen to any parent. Happy birthday to you dear, you shall live to fulfill destiny, amen.
Happy birthday dear.