O ko mi, Monsuru Kolawole Ajao as I fondly call my darling, my sunshine is “the reason for my existence in Ikorodu.” He is my best friend and my play mate. “Tani Monsuru, se emi egbe eni? Why is it that any time I wake up, you will wake up? Why? Won ti fi mi se e ni….” My typical song with my friend.
Usually, it is followed by my dancing for him and at the end of the dance, I will earn twenty naira (N20) and from N20 to hundred naira (N 100) now. Till today, I still sing and dance for him every morning to earn my hundred naira daily blessing which to me has emotional significance.
Our journey together was not so easy at the beginning simply because I was an introvert and Monzor, an extrovert because of the nature of his work and also because he is a very restless person. Secondly, Oriwu Sun is Monzor’s first wife. Out of the 24 hours in a day, Monzor devotes 18 or more hours to Oriwu Sun.
I love to go out to dinner with my husband or go away to spend a quiet week-end together. I want him to give me birthday cards, and cards on every occasion I want him to come back 7.00pm to have dinner with me and the children All those are not possible with him when he comes back late. I will be moody but trust that he will make sure I smile in a matter of minutes.
Monzor, will tell me, “Biodun, I know that I love you very much, but most of the things you want me to do are not my style and besides my job is very demanding. I am
a Journalist, I have to go and get all
the stories you see in my paper.”
Sometimes, he will say, “Biodun, o kan
bere oko lowo Olorun, you did not specify
to God that you wanted somebody that
will come back to the house at 6:00pm,
sit in front of television and read
newspapers, while you are
preparing dinner.”
A man that will come back
from work at 6:00pm and
you will rush to meet him
and loose his tie and say
“I love you darling”.
“You requested for a
husband and I was the
one available and God
gave me to you; so
Biodun, there is no
where you can go; just
accept what God has
given you.”
I remember a day I was in
the U.S.A, discussing with
my younger sister, Kehinde,
she said, you met uncle when
you were both adults. 1f
you really love your
husband, you just have to
accept him for what he is. She
said if you don’t want to change,
why do you want to change him. As you enjoy your life style, so also he enjoys his own. It will be better to meet yourselves halfway.”
Since then, I have accepted what God gave me and it was the beginning of a better relationship. Apart from Monzor not stay at home all the time, he is a very good man. He loves me and the children. There is peace in our home. Honestly, he gives us absolute peace. He is always assuring me of his love for me.
Not that he loves me alone, he loves all members of my family and respects them a lot. He calls my mother “Ore mi,” always teasing her that lkorodu is bigger and better than Ijebu-Ode. When my mum was alive, anytime she came visiting, Monzor will be with my mum teasing her for more than thirty (30) minutes before going out in the morning.
He demonstrated the love he had for my mum during her burial. He buried my mother as if she was his mum. Oko mi, thank you so much for all you did at the burial. Monzor means different thing to different people, but as his wife, I am the closest person to him. I know him to be a very good person. When you get to know Monzor very well, you cannot but love him. He is an open book if you are ready to read him. He is very friendly and his friendship with people cuts across all ages.
He is very respectful and always ready to prostrate for anybody older than him. Monzor is amiable, highly intelligent and has a very great sense of humour.
Monzor does not pretend; he will say it the way he sees it. He will not gossip about you and if you love yourself, don’t discuss people with him. He will report you the way you said it. Whatever he feels about you, he will tell you and sometimes, that puts him into trouble with some people. If you ask him why he said it, he will tell you, “you did not ask me not to tell him,” and that truth is constant.
Some people will say “Monzor o gbon,” that is a great mistake. He is wiser than most people think. When you talk to him, he will be saying “e hen, e hen,” asking you innocent questions. 1f you forget that he is a journalist, well you are on your own.
Monzor is very dedicated to Oriwu Sun. He is a versatile and an accomplished journalist. He is very hard working and very focused. It is evidenced in many awards the paper has received from both the state and federal governments. He shows strength in his character which flows through his responsibility at his work. My husband is very contented with whatever God has given him. He is never interested in contracts even though he is very close to Alausa Oko mi is neither greedy nor avaricious. He is strong willed, determined and self-convincing.
He loves God very much. In everything, he is always grateful to his maker. He believes God is the most powerful and the ultimate. I will say that is why he is so fearless. Because he believes in God backing him, no evil can befall him and his family.
When it comes to this great town, Ikorodu – Oga, Monzor is really the son of the soil. He loves Ikorodu so much. To him, Ikorodu is the best city in the whole world. He is very passionate about his root, Ikorodu. Because of his passion for Ikorodu, I have naturalized to Ikorodu and I will boldly say “Ikorodu San mi”. Ikorodu is indeed ‘Oga’ anytime and any day.
My friend, my play mate, oko emi ni kan soso, I thank you for looking after me for more than twenty years. For bringing me into Ikorodu Kingdom, for the peace I have enjoyed in your palace.
For being a wonderful husband to me. For those things that make me love you and the fun we share, I will say: (i) You are a treasure that is priceless. (ii) My gem worthy of search. (iii) A gift to me from God.
Oko mi, as you turn 70, may the Almighty God bless you indeed. May His hand be mightier upon you and may He expand your coast beyond your coast, sight and expectation.
May the next chapter of our life together be wrapped in love, peace, fragrance of God’s protection, His blessings and mercies.
Monzor, I want the world to know that you mean so much to me. I love you and love you and love you. You are everything to me and if I come to this world again, I will marry you forever.