She had some qualities similar to Florence Nightingale – attractive, slender, graceful, pleasant, hardworking, approachable, ever smiling, respectful, understanding and a complete gentle woman. Patients would come and go without paying their medical bills, she would smile and with a wave of hand she would say, “well, go, health is wealth”. On her death bed she told her children to forgive those who burnt down her Hospital and Maternity and she quoted the bible “1 Timothy 6:7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it”. This piece is about Late Mrs Fajoyomi The Florence Nightingale of Owo, Ondo State. Nigeria.
Late Mrs. Fajoyomi was well known in the ancient town of Owo in Ondo State, Nigeria as the Florence Nightingale of our time as she would go from one household to the other to treat sick residents for free. Mrs Felicia Ibidun Adekunbi Fajoyomi was born on September 27,1927 to Prince Adedapo Orimalade (The First Nigerian Accountant General of the Federation) and Madam Susanah Orimalade a trader/business woman both from Owo, Ondo state. She got married to Chief Fajoyomi of Owo in 1954 and was blessed with children. Her husband was once Owo Local Government Chairman.
Consequent upon the need to assist the Community she was among the few ones who left to study Nursing Program which she did successfully at Wesley Guild Hospital Ilesha, Osun state and University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan respectively after which she came back to Owo to work at St Louis Hospital Owo, where she eventually retired as Chief Matron in 1986.
Life after retirement very interesting for her as she had the time to read her Holy Bible and was able to take care of the sick ones. Her retirement gave her the opportunity to establish her own private Medical Centre called Orimalade Memorial Hospital and Maternity Home situated at Aralepo Street, Owo, where she cared for people, the young, old, pregnant women and students and she trained so many Auxiliary and Aides Nurses free of charge as part of her own contribution to the development of the Community.
In year 2000, a political riot broke out and her Hospital and Maternity was torched nothing could be salvaged as the Hospital was burnt down by the rioters. When she got the news of her burnt investment , she smiled and prayed for the rioters. Ten years after she fell sick as she could no longer continue her practice consequent upon destruction of her Hospital and Maternity. Mrs Fajoyomi passed on to the glory in 2010.
Mrs Fajoyomi was until her death a staunch member of St. Andrews’ Cathedral Church, Owo. Ondo State. Nigeria. When she died the ancient town stood still, sympathizers trooped in droves, some of these sympathizers would come very early in the morning to express their condolence and would utter words like “who would step into the big shoes the woman left behind to assist the less privileged or the down-trodden ones now?” No wonder she was fondly called The Florence Nightingale of Owo. May her gentle Soul continue to Rest In Peace.
