Alhaja Idayat Ayinke Sanyaolu, nee Olopade, has passed on at 90.
This was announced by her son, Mr Kunle Saheed Sanyaolu, a former Senior Editor with The Guardian.
Born on September 12, 1930 into the family of the late Alhaji and Alhaja Kareem Olopade of Gbagura Owe Community in Abeokuta, Ogun State of Nigeria, she grew up under the tutelage of her parents.
She helped her mother in petty trading, while her father, popularly known as Lemomu, ensured that she attended Quranic and Arabic School.
Idayat left Abeokuta in 1947 after her marriage to Alhaji (Chief) Bashir Osho Sanyaolu, and relocated to Lagos, where she went into full-time trading, specialising in food spices.
For many decades, she was very popular at Alade Market in Somolu where she maintained a stall. Although she had no formal education, she brushed herself up and was able to communicate effectively in pidgin English with her non-Yoruba customers.
Her popularity was partly informed by the honesty and sincerity with which she dealt with her customers and neighbours in the market and at home. She was respected as a peacemaker, as she constantly preached and practised good neighbourliness.
She naturally carried these traits of character into Nawair-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Somolu/Bariga Branch, of which her late husband was a pioneer and highly respected member. At various times, she and her husband held several official positions in the Society and Mosque.
She served in many committees in the Society, playing both practical and advisory roles. She was on many occasions acknowledged to be of tremendous benefits to the society, particularly the Women Wing, of which she was the Head in Somolu Branch.
In recognition of her motivational and inspirational activities in the Mosque, she was honoured with the title of Alakinkanju Adinni of Nawair-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Somolu/Bariga Branch in 1995. This was at the same time her husband was equally honoured with the title of Giwa Adinni of the Mosque.
In 2008, she was honoured with Majeobaje Adinni of Nawair-ud-Deen, Mushin/Oshodi Branch, and later, she became Iya Adinni of NUD, Somolu/ Bariga, in Lagos.
She was a prominent member of the Alasalatu Group of Alhaja Omilabu in Bariga.
Alhaja Idayat Ayinke Sanyaolu is blessed with children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. They include Mr Kunle Saheed Sanyaolu, a former Senior Editor with The Guardian.
After her husband died in April 2006, she rededicated herself and devoted her life and resources to the cause of humanity, and progress in Islam generally, and in Nawair-ud-Deen in particular.
