The widow of former Governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi has lamented the vacuum created by the death of her husband, Abiola Ajimobi.
Ajimobi died on Thursday, 25th June 2020, at a private hospital in Lagos after spending weeks in intensive care for coronavirus complications at the age of 70.
She also recounted how her mother gave birth to her when she was barely 16 years of age including how Senator Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi ‘scoped’ her when he met her.
Mrs. Ajimobi made these revelations when featuring on a popular Radio Show anchored by Isaac Brown and the Gang on Fresh 105.9FM in Ibadan on Saturday morning.
According to her, “when I met Abiola Ajimobi, I was working at Femi Johnson in Dugbe. He was working at National Oil with office close to mine. It was in January 1980 that we met at the bank, I think Union Bank. Later, a few months, April of the same year, I was walking in front of his office, not too far from mine.
“He approached me again impeccably dressed in suits. He asked me where I was going, I told him I was going to have lunch.
“He said that was exactly what he was going to do too. It was a lie! Of course, you know men. Later, he told me he was an alter boy at St Patricks’– of course, that was another scope–all because he knew I was a Christian and he was born a Muslim.
“Later, in the same year, we got married. We courted for some seven months. I had an unconditional love for him. I still do.
“My parents were in love but never got married. But when I was conceived, my mom took care of me alone till I got to meet my Dad at six. We remained close since that time”.
She spoke about how her husband veered into politics saying “when he made up his mind, he merely informed me. He knew I did not like it. I told him it would change our lifestyle. I wanted my husband to myself!
“He told me he already made up his mind. Those who know him, knew him will confirm this. He put everything he had into it and he got all he wanted in politics with the help of God. He was a man of integrity, focused, firm and determined personality.
“When he became a Senator in 2003, we moved to Abuja. I got bored along the line and I became a volunteer teacher in my daughter’s school. I taught the kids cooking. Those who know me can confirm that I love cooking”.
While speaking on life after the death of her husband, she said: “The experience was traumatic for me. It made me feel so empty. I don’t like talking about it, but since I am here, I guess we will talk about it.
“As a couple, we passed through a lot. The COVID-19 that took him away was unfortunate. We both tested positive. It was an experience that I don’t like to remember.
“However, I must thank God, for He has been sustaining me, I must thank the whole Ajimobi Family and the political family too. God made us to enjoy our marriage for 40 years. But I will say it here that life has not been the same without him”.
Mrs Ajimobi who spoke with a lot of emotion, stated, “I must also confess that my husband really spoilt me. He did everything possible for me.
“He protected me, he shielded me. As a matter of fact, I never had anything to do with a bricklayer or mechanic. The first time a young man came looking for me and he said he was a mechanic, I shed tears.
“I never had any business attending to maintenance issues. But as a believing Christian, I have come to accept God’s will.
“But I miss him the more every other day. I cry and cry… You see, he shielded me so much, I never had any reason to go to any radio or television station. He did not want anybody to throw stuffs at me, he never wanted anybody to hurt me”.
Responding to the political family left behind by her husband, Mrs Ajimobi said “Let me quickly say here that I am not a politician, I will never be a politician. So, I don’t want to be a political leader. My husband was their leader and I was his wife.
“However, I knew what he wanted most was for the All Progressives Congress in the state specifically to be united. He was on to it before he died.
“So, after the one-year of official mourning, I attempted to reach out from behind to see how the factions in the party could unite. I forgot ego, I knelt down for everybody. But unfortunately, things went the way they did”.
