There was happiness and rejoicing in the household of the Olofnkuas on September 8, 2022 when Mama Theresa Ajoke Olofinkua, matriarch of the family celebrated her 90th birthday in grand style. The event which started with Mass that had the celebrant’s priest son, Very Rev. Fr. Vincent Olofinkua as Chief Celebrant, was graced by family and friends, as well as priests and religious who came from far and near to be part of the celebrations. Delivering his Homily on the occasion, Very Rev. Msgr. Bernard Okodua thanked God for the celebrant’s life, as he noted that Mama Olofinkua shared the same birthday as Mother Mary. He said God has given the celebrant long life so that she can continue to glorify Him from that gift. He added that Mama Olofinkua has been able to do a lot of things within the gift of God. “The family God gave to you, you raised them in His love and fear, so well that God found it worthy to pick one of your sons to be His sacred minister on the altar.
“There are many who wish that was their own lot, but God has not called them. It is only those God has called that he chooses to become priests. If God has found in your family good enough son to make a priest, it means you did a good job on your children. He urged all mothers to raise their children in love and fear of God. In his message, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Catholic Archbishop of Lagos rejoiced with the celebrant, as he noted that her birthday is a day of joy and a blessed occasion which the Lord has made. Thanking God for her life, Archbishop Martins commended Mama Olofinkua for putting her years to the service of God and humanity. He stated that looking back, the celebrant can satisfactorily count the ways the Lord has blessed and enabled her to serve in various ways, especially in nurturing her son to the sacred priesthood and guiding the family in the ways of God. On behalf of the family, Architect Peter Olofinkua gave thanks to God the creator and he substance of their being for keeping their matriarch, Mama Olofinkua to mark her 90th birthday. He thanked all that graced the occasion; priests, religious, as well as the lay faithful for taking out time to come, celebrate with his mama. Mama Olofinkua was born on September 8, 1932 to the family of Pa Bolaji Guimaraes and Madam Virginia Adenike Da-Souza.
