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Quadri Yahya
Biola, the widow of the late popular Yoruba broadcaster, Toba Opaleye has died 16 years after her husband’s demise.
The 45-year-old second wife of late Toba-Opaleye lost her life at the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Idi-Aba Abeokuta, Ogun state ward after battling with cancer related ailments.
The widower, Toba Opaleye had died April 2006 after a brief illness.
The late Biola was a teacher with St. Peters College, Olomore in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital breathed
The deceased, who was 45, was survived by a mother, two children, Wonu and Tinu Toba-Opaleye, and would be buried on Tuesday according to Christian rites in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) mourned the death of the late influential broadcaster’s wife.
FIBAN president, Desmond Nwachukwu described the death of the mother of two, Biola, as shocking and sad.
Nwachukwu lamented that the wife, Biola was a backbone to Toba-Opaleye, and continued to be supportive to the broadcast industry.
“Her death is shocking. I still find it extremely difficult because she was one lady that I an quite close to. When as chairman of Ogun state chapter (of FIBAN), I introduced Gbenga Adeboye and Toba Opaleye memorial lecture that takes place every April 30.
“The lady that just died, I must confess, was very close to Toba Opaleye in truth and in spirit and I was told him through thick and thin.
“I was told that the lady stood with him through his most challenging time along with his most senior wife”, he said.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the president of the broadcasters, Nwachukwu reminisced on the lifetime of Toba-Opaleye, who died on April 29, 2006.
“Not just a broadcaster, he was one of the people that when I took over as FIBAN in Ogun state in 2011, I looked through in the arrangements, I did a profiling. And then, I realised that there are basically three categories we have in Ogun state.
“The first was the group are people who were directly or indirectly trained by Gbenga Adeboye.
“The second group are people who were directly or indirectly trained by Toba Opaleye.
“And the third people like myself are people who doesn’t go through any form of tutelage under both of them.
“And I tell you that Toba Opaleye remains one of the greatest who impacted and contributed to the development of the broadcast industry especially from the angle of independent content provision.”
PLATFORM TIMES further reports that Nwachukwu described the late Mrs Toba-Opaleye as an incredible person during her lifetime.
“She was one of the few people that appreciate it immensely and show degree of appreciation for that concept.
“So, getting to hear of her demise, it is shocking, unfortunate and sad.
“Another thing about her is that despite the fact that her husband died when she was pretty young, she refused to remarry; it is alien in our culture. She told me, in person, that what is important to her is the proper upbringing of her two kids much more than having to remarry.
“One can only pray for repose of her soul and I want to believe even though she died untimely and pretty young, if the dead see, Toba Opaleye will acknowledge the fact that she loved him in truth and spirit.”
