SAD END OF MAMA AJASCO - Son relives mum’s ordeal


As Mama Ajasco, a character in the popular comedy series, Papa Ajasco & Company, her life was presumably hinged on the pillars of happiness and laughter but this is far from the truth because in reality; her life as Iyabo Momoh was one that perilously dangled between persistent hardship and an endless struggle to lay the foundation for a bright future for her children. This is the story of Mama Ajasco.

Her life is perhaps best captured through the words of her son, Mr. Peter Aruna, who spoke to SimplySamad at his Ikorodu residence a day after his mother was laid to rest.


Papa Ajasco and Company
“When she was cast in Madam Aworuru in a Yoruba flick, a man walked up to her and asked her if she would ever make a mark in the Nigerian movie industry. Back then, she had nothing. She told the man that if God was with her, she would ‘make it.’ The film eventually came out as ‘Bata Wahala.’ During her life, she suffered. She sold all sorts of things to take care of us. She sold leather slippers, raw foodstuff and so many petty things. She had started acting but things were so difficult that she had to take up a job at PZ and was still acting by the side. However, when she discovered that the work was disturbing her acting career, she quit.”
Her demise in the early hours of January 27, 2009 came to many as a rude shock. The fact that she was 53 further heightened their initial disbelief.

Speaking on the last memorable moment he shared with his mother, he narrated the experience as though it occurred a few days ago.

“On June 5, 2008, she was at my place where we put a small get together to celebrate her 53rd birthday. We were even promising her that when she clocks 55 years on earth, we would give her a bigger bash. Her death is a very sad thing and it hit us hard. She suffered a lot and death took her away when she should be reaping the fruits of her labour. The last time I spoke to her was two days before she died. I was not at her death bed the last thing she did before she gave up the ghost was pray. She prayed for everybody before she gave up on January 27, 2009.”

When asked to describe her kind of person, Aruna said his late mother was an advocate of peace. “She was very caring, humble, quiet and disciplined. She doesn’t fight or make too much noise. She always stood behind us throughout thee days of her life no matter the condition. We are five in number and she always did her best to ensure that we got the best of what she could give. Whenever we had a problem, she was always there for us. My mother was a man in a woman. She always worked like a man to provide for us. She went through a lot.”

While her death might have come as a surprise to many, to Aruna, her demise did not just come out of the blues. He revealed that his mother had been sick since 2008.

“When the illness started in August 2008, I was in church when my younger brother called to inform me that he had taken her to the hospital. She was there for about five days and the doctors ran series of tests on her but could not tell us in clear terms what was wrong with her. They only said we have to treat her. The doctors said it was an attack. That was all they said. We spent about N500, 000 and they eventually gave us a letter to Idi-Araba. She was there for a while and she was later transferred to UCH in Ibadan. We still had to take her away from UCH to another private hospital in Lagos where she gave up the ghost. She spent a good life but what pains me most about her death is that she suffered to give us the best of what she had to offer yet death took her away when it was time to pay her back. She wasn’t too old. She was just 53 years old and it is very painful.”

Aruna also revealed the role his mother played in his romance with the Nigerian movie industry. “I fell in love with the film industry because of her. I am an actor and a producer. I have produced two films and I am Funke Akindele’s Production Manager. I also worked with Wale Adenuga Productions as a Set Designer for ten years. I joined Wale Adenuga in 1996 when we started Binta and Friends before we started Papa Ajasco in September 1997. I later quit in 2005 to start my own thing. The first film I produced was ‘Ota’ (Enemy) and the second one was ‘Fenu Menu.’ I’m presently working with AK Media Consult owned by Benson Akindeju. He’s the producer of ‘Face 2 Face’ and ‘Family Ties.’”

He however revealed that he is not the only child to take after their mother professionally. “There are two of us who have taken after mum’s footstep. Besides me, my younger sister, Fatima has showed great interest in the film making industry. Ibrahim is the first child, then me, Yakubu, Bukky and Fatima.”

It should be recalled that late Mrs. Momoh joined the ‘Papa Ajasco and & Company’ series on September 1997 and was first aired on TV on October 1, 1997.

Aruna however expressed his appreciation to everyone who supported the family during their trying moment.
“I want to thank everybody who supported in one way or the other; the family, her associations, individuals, Mr. Wale Adenuga, Mr. Benson Akindeju, friends, neighbours, the church and every other person. During the burial, the guy came. Wale Adenuga, AK Media, ANTP, Mr. Benson Ogundoyin, Adebayo Salami, and a host of other people came. There are so many others I cannot mention here.”


By Samod Biobaku
simplysamad@yahoo.com 







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