By Kehinde Ibrahim, Lagos
ADO-Ekiti has lost one of its respected women of enterprise and community service with the death of Mama Rabiat Abeke Ogunsakin, popularly known as Mama Tafa, at the age of 89.
Mama Tafa, who died on Tuesday, September 23, 2026, after a brief illness, spent more than six decades building a successful career in textile trading while also playing an active role in her family, religious community and the wider society.
Her death marks the end of a long and eventful life that saw her rise from a trader at Erekesan Market to a respected elder whose influence extended beyond commerce.
For generations of residents and traders in Ado-Ekiti, Mama Tafa was a familiar presence at Erekesan Market, where she established herself as a successful textile dealer. She remained active in the business for more than 60 years, earning a reputation for hard work, resilience and commitment to her trade.
Her long years in the marketplace also gave her the opportunity to interact with people from different generations and backgrounds. Through changing economic conditions and the transformation of commercial activities in the city, she remained committed to her business.
But her identity was not defined by commerce alone.
Mama Tafa was deeply involved in the religious and community life of Dallimore, Ado-Ekiti, where she was a respected chieftain of the Ratibi Mosque.
A devout Muslim, she maintained a strong attachment to her faith throughout her life and was committed to activities that promoted the wellbeing of her religious community.
Her religious commitment was also reflected in the values she instilled in her family. Faith, hard work, discipline and responsibility were central to the life she built and the example she provided for her children and grandchildren.
Mama Tafa was married to the late Alhaji Bello Shola Ogunsakin, a former Baba Adini of Ado-Ekiti, who died on February 10, 1996.
His death marked another significant chapter in her life. As a widow, she took on the responsibility of sustaining her family and continued to work while providing support and guidance for her children.
She subsequently devoted much of her life to raising her family and ensuring that her children were given the opportunity to pursue their chosen careers.
Her children went on to establish themselves professionally in different fields.
Among them are Hammed Ademola Animasaun, a seasoned investment professional; Mustapha Adekunle Ogunsakin, a veteran journalist; and Dr Aliu Akintunde Ogunsakin, a medical practitioner.
Another son, Rasheed Animasaun, predeceased her.
Mama Tafa also witnessed the growth of her grandchildren, including Mr Tosin Animasaun, Dr Ajoke Ogunsakin and Barrister Ayomide Ogunsakin, as well as other grandchildren and members of the extended family.
For her children and grandchildren, she was not only a mother and grandmother but also a source of guidance and continuity within the family.
Her life reflected the experience of a generation of Nigerian women who combined family responsibilities with economic activity, often building businesses and supporting their households under difficult circumstances.
For more than six decades, she remained connected to the commercial life of Ado-Ekiti through her textile business. Her longevity in the trade made her part of the history of Erekesan Market and gave her a unique perspective on the changes that took place in the city’s commercial environment.
Those years also enabled her to establish relationships with traders, customers and residents who came to know her through her business activities.
Away from the market, her involvement in the Ratibi Mosque and the wider Muslim community gave another dimension to her public life.
She was regarded as an elder within the community and remained committed to her religious responsibilities until her later years.
Her passing, therefore, represents the loss of a woman whose life was closely woven into the commercial, family and religious fabric of Ado-Ekiti.
The family conducted her burial on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at her residence in Ajowa, Dallimore, Ado-Ekiti, in accordance with Islamic rites.
The funeral provided an opportunity for relatives, friends, business associates and members of the Muslim community to pay their final respects to the late matriarch.
Her passing has also brought reflection on a life that spanned nearly nine decades and witnessed profound changes in Nigerian society.
Born into an era when opportunities for women in formal economic activities were considerably more limited, Mama Tafa built her own path through commerce and sustained her business for decades.
Her story was one of perseverance. She combined the demands of running a business with the responsibilities of raising a family and participating in community and religious activities.
Her legacy will consequently be measured not only by the years she spent in business but also by the family she raised, the relationships she built and the community in which she lived and served.
At 89, Mama Rabiat Abeke Ogunsakin leaves behind children, grandchildren and other relatives who will continue to preserve her memory.
She also leaves behind friends, business associates and members of the Muslim community who knew her as a woman of enterprise, faith and strong family values.
For Ado-Ekiti, her death marks the departure of one of the older generation of women whose lives were closely connected to the growth of the city’s commercial and community life.
For her family, it is the loss of a mother, grandmother and matriarch.
And for those who knew her through Erekesan Market, the Ratibi Mosque and the wider Dallimore community, Mama Tafa will be remembered as a woman who spent more than six decades working, raising a family and serving her community before bringing a long and eventful life to a close.
