I spent my three exiled years in Amosun’s Lagos home, says Lawson

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NIGERIA: FOR the first time, the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs.) Alaba Oluwaseun Lawson, has revealed in public where she hid herself for three years that she went on exile.

Lawson, who is also the Iyalode of Egbaland, said that she was hiding in the Lagos home of the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, where she was treated with respect and dignity by the Governor’s wife, Olufunso.

The woman industrialist had gone into exile from Abeokuta, her home town, after she narrowly escaped being killed by hired assassins who stormed her Quarry Road residence.

While she escaped unhurt, her security guard was killed by the gunmen, who besieged Lawson’s home in the midnight.

Lawson spoke at the music concert organised for Amosun’s wife by Lawson Group of Schools to mark her 50th birthday.

The event was held at the June 12 Cultural Centre on Sunday in Abeokuta.

She told the gathering that it was due to the warm embrace she received at the Amosun’s Ikeja home that motivated her reciprocatory decision to organise a befitting musical concert to honour the Gateway State First Lady.

Lawson said that while staying with Amosun, who was yet to become the Governor, she was well treated without any regret for a second throughout her stay.

“But I must let you know the humility and God-fearing type of person she is,” she said of Olufunso, adding: “I lived with her for about three years and 11 months and not for once a second did she nag at me.”

Iyalode, who owns Lawson Group of Schools, said that the Governor and his wife did not let her feel any absence of her fleeing from her Abeokuta home, adding that the couple even organized a befitting 60th birthday for her.

She added: “And this one really thrilled me that I could celebrate this woman at 50 because she celebrated me when I was 60 and she was not a wife of a governor then.”

She further stressed: “So if she could celebrate me when I was 60 and I was far away from home, so definitely, I should celebrate her. And what can I give?

“As a proprietress of a school, the only thing I can do is to arrange something that can showcase her and that is why I thought and prayed about it and I decided to give her a musical concert. Silver and gold I don’t have but what I have, I have to give. And that is what I have given her today.”

“I want other women to learn that wherever situation you may find yourself keep your good and cordial relationship with everybody,” she said, adding: “And that is Mrs. Amosun for you and I admire that a lot in her.”

“The day I was celebrating my 60th birthday, I didn’t even think of it, but she came calling; so definitely I have to celebrate her and I wish her many more useful years as she is gracing up peacefully because she doesn’t even look 50,” Lawson said.

She further said: “And now that she is the wife of the governor of the state, she should please keep on all the good things she is doing for the young, the needy, the girl-child, the jobless graduates, footballers and everybody.  She should keep on the pace and the Lord will continue to bless her.”

In her response, the First Lady expressed appreciation to Lawson Group of Schools for organising the music concert as part of her golden birthday.

According to her, the concert would remain memorable in her life.