Saturday, June 26, 2021 marks a significant milestone in life of Mama Veronica Mubo Ojo as she officially becomes an octogenarian. In this Special Birthday Interview, Abike, as she is fondly called reveals her success story. Excerpts:
How do you feel about turning 80?
I’m so excited to be 80 years, I give thanks to God for his constant mercies, granting me long life. Although my family has a history of longevity, it is still by God’s grace that I’m alive to witness this milestone.
How has the journey of life been, tell us your experience and the things that life has taught you?
In life, I have learnt the need to be patient. In fact, to live a successful life, you must be patient; you must shun pride and respect others. Humility is very important, you must avoid being proud. Respect everybody regardless of age, status and symbol because we are all equal before God.
Please tell us about your childhood, how was growing up like?
My childhood was wonderful; I enjoyed it so much because of my experience in sports. Then, I was a runner and each time I ran, I always ensured that I came first. The hailing and applauses made it all exciting. During my time as a child, it was almost unheard of to be disobedient. Our parents instilled discipline, whatever your parents say, you must do without argument but now, things have changed. The level of discipline has drastically reduced which is quite unfortunate.
How were you able to balance your professional life with being a responsible mother?
I gave birth to ten children and was able to balance everything through obedience to my husband. Actually, my husband supported me so much. I’m a professional nurse but after giving birth to my second child, my husband requested that I quit my job and face taking care of my children. I did this without dispute and was able to successfully build my home. However, I went back to my career after giving birth to my second to the last child. There are different experiences in marriage but the most important is that married women must co-operate with their husbands and understand that he is the head as ordained by God.
It is not good to be disrespectful to one’s husband. The current trend whereby wives call their husbands by their name is disrespectful. You can call him by a pet name “darling” and so on but not by his name. Both partners must work together to achieve a balanced life. Forgiveness, togetherness and unity are key elements in marriage.
You look a lot younger than 80 and very radiant, so what is your secret?
My secret is engaging in fruitful exercise. I was not trained to be lazy, I’m not sluggish. And also my background in sports made me very agile. I don’t eat much and I’m not really social. I just focus on building a wonderful home and being a good role model to my children.
What is your most memorable experience?
One event that I can never forget was when I lost one of my daughters. It was a dark period but I was able to come out of it through the huge support from my family, especially my children.
So, how do you unwind what do you for fun?
I relax by reading newspapers and playing with my grandchildren. I watch television sometimes but I enjoy playing more with my grandchildren.
What is your final advice to the younger generation?
Life requires one to be patient and you must always show love. To show love means you must be ready to forgive others. This is one thing that I’ve been able to impart in my children. You will not see them keeping malice or fighting. When the younger generation imbibe these positive attributes, they will go far in life.