Olayinka Adeleye Adebayo: 50 Cheers To A Royal Romeo By Maxwell Adeleye

I enjoin the world to help me celebrate my elder sister, a woman of grace and valour, on the celebration of her golden jubilee. Writing this piece, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude and admiration for this woman birthed before me only to become my guardian angel.

Olayinka is more than just my sister. She is my second mother; a pillar of strength. As the first daughter of our parents, from the very beginning, life demanded sacrifices from her, and she bore each with fortitude. Born to teachers’ parents, where it was a hassle to make ends meet in those days, my sister bravely put her dreams on hold, deciding to forfeit her access to tertiary education just so we her siblings could be upperly educated. So we could have the life she dreamed of for us. After graduating from the Ekiti-State Technical College, Ado-Ekiti, she relocated to Lagos to work tirelessly, selling eggs on the streets of Lagos and visiting farms just to cater for herself and the family she left behind.

Despite the hardships and the relentless battle against poverty, she remained undeterred, and her resilience never withered. Her courage and determination to rise above adversity have always been a source of inspiration to me. She fought not just for herself but for her family, ensuring that her siblings received the best opportunities she could provide.

Since I got married and to date, one of the few family members I can ever turn to and rely on remains my dearest sister. Writing this brought back the memory of the birth of my first child. With my wife in labour, I was in fear and confusion over what to do. My sister never left during our stay in the hospital. She held our hands through the new journey of parenthood. Same for the second child and the third who are twins. She never once left my side. Not once. She would leave her work for weeks to stay beside my wife, cook her food, and wash her clothes and take care of our babies.

When I was about to embark on my recent journey to the United Kingdom (UK) in pursuit of further education and greener pasture, threatened by financial constraints few weeks to the trip, it was my sister who stepped in. She did what she has always done best—she took care of me. She went above and beyond, gathering funds to make sure I never lacked, even as the world seemed to conspire against me.

When we arrived in the UK and my wife lost her biometric residence permit, and i had no funds to pay for a replacement, she was the only one who came to our rescue. Everyone I thought could borrow us money turned us down. When I was to pay the balance of my tuition fee through form A in the UBA and I needed to pay before the platform is shut down by the Nigerian government, my sister, alongside my mum, were the major people who went all out to search for naira for me. Since my birth, she has always been there.

She clothed me. She bought me my first telephone in the year 2005.

Her love, unwavering support, and selflessness have always been the bedrock of my life. Since becoming an adult, I have one backbone, the one person I could always count on— Olayinka Adeleye Adebayo, my elder sister.

Today, September 1st, as she celebrates her golden jubilee, I want the world to know about the extraordinary woman who made me into the man I am today. My sister is a testament to the power of love, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment. As you mark 50 years on earth, I celebrate you, my dear sister, with love. Your life is a shining example of what it means to be truly gallant. Happy 50th birthday, my royal romeo.

Maxwell Adeyemi Adeleye is a United Kingdom based Strategic Communications Expert and Real Estate Broker.