On Saturday, April 7, 1934, Louisa Olajumoke Oyelese was born in Lagos, Nigeria. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. I.B Akinkunmi, are being remembered with great reverence. On February 22, 2023, at the age of 88, she went to be with the Lord and relaxed.
By setting a shining example of her faith, compassion for her fellow humans, and love for her family, she was able to have a significant impact on a huge number of lives, both large and small, during her trip. We are witnesses to her journey.
The values that she cherished the most faith, character, love, and education—would be the defining characteristics of her. However, in order to have a complete comprehension of her life, it is essential to comprehend the circumstances in which she developed these ideals. Having a solid understanding of her origins is essential.
Her grandfather on her father’s side, John Makinde Akinkunmi, was a member of the royal house of Akinale, Abeokuta. He received his formal education in Lagos, and then went on to work as an accounting clerk for the European Nigerian Railway Company. Although she did not have a formal education, her grandfather’s grandmother spent her life working as a trader and merchant.
The great-grandfather of her mother was carried to Brazil during the time of the slave trade. He was originally from Ogotun, which is located in what is now the state of Ekiti.
Following his return to Nigeria, he established himself as a prosperous trader with a son who was three months old. He made his home in Bamgbose, which is the Brazilian Quarter in Lagos. The name “Viva Deus” was given to their own family home, which was a famous example of Brazilian construction.
Louisa’s grandfather, Joseph Metimo Francis, had a son who was only three months old at the time. Joseph Metimo Francis went on to become a teacher and a very devout Catholic. At the time when she and Joseph Metimo Francis fell in love, her maternal grandmother was a student at the Royal House in Oyo, where she had been born during that time.
