MAMA APOI AT 50

A BIRTHDAY SONNET FOR HER MAJESTY, PRINCESS JOYCE IBIMIDUN ADESOLA OLADIRAN-EBISENI, THE REGENT KALASUWE OF IJAW- APOILAND

The three Shakespearean attributes of greatness abide with her. She’s born great as a princess, achieves greatness by grace and brace and have greatness thrusted upon her by providence.

Born 6th March 1968, she shares same day and month with legendary Chief Obafemi Awolowo, under whose leadership in the Action Group, her father, Oba Samuel Adetimehin Oladiran became the first representative of the good people of Okitipupa South (now Ilaje/Ese Odo) Federal Constituency in the First Republic, when Awo was also the Leader of Opposition in the House of Representatives.

Born during the reign (Omo-Orite) of her father who, in 1955, ascended the throne of the Kalasuwe of Ijaw- Apoiland, a first class traditional institution in Ondo state, she was, from birth, singled out by all with the title of Princess which stuck with her so much that most people don’t know her real name.

Providence seems to have wielded her life and time in symphony with future assignments. She’s prepared with sound education in business education at the Federal Polytechnic Ado-Ekiti and Political Science, University of Lagos, a discipline she now seeks a masters degree in, at the Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko.

She started off with cold room business and supplies of goods, particularly to oil services companies in Lagos and later got briefly into the politics of her native Ese Odo Local Government where she was appointed Special Adviser Women Affairs, Legislative Matters and Special Duties, between years 2000 and 2003.

Her passion for the Girl-Child Education and better life for the physically-challenged, are the main thrusts of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Exceptional Persons (CREP), a Non-Governmental Organization based in Akure, of which she was a co-founder and the Executive Director.

This NGO has proved a veritable instrument of empowerment for indigent youths, for admission and payment of fees in her institutions in Nigeria, and for medical succour for the the critically ill in Nigeria and in all the continents.

While still engaged in this humanitarian services, Adesola was called upon by Obas and chiefs of Apoiland, in March 2011, the same month of her birth, and in the most unprecedented manner, as the first female regent, to ascend the ancient throne of the Kalasuwe, the paramount ruler of Ijaw-Apoiland under which there are 9 other Obas.

The success she made of that position by uniting the Apoi people at home and linking this foremost Ijaw, but Yoruba speaking kingdom, with the rest kingdoms of the Ijaw nationality is historic, in addition to attracting modern infrastructural facilities and elevation of Apoi people in politics and the academia among other human endeavours. She’s now fondly called MAMA APOI, particularly by her colleagues female regents from other kingdoms.

She’s happily married with 4 children, 2 of each gender, a graduate and others doing very well in their academic endeavours. Her husband, Chief Sola Ebiseni, lawyer and politician, she proudly and fondly refers to as her mentor and special gift.

After a successful 7 years on the throne, she regales with joy, as she steps down soon, in a blaze of glory, as her cousin and renowned academics, Professor Sunday Amuseghan of the Ebeli Udumu Ruling House, presently undergoes traditional rites preparatory to his coronation as the new Kalasuwe of Ijaw-Apoiland.