A star has fallen!

A tribute to a fallen star, my sister, my Deki…

We’ve always been six, five of us girls and one boy. We were raised to treasure and support each other and that’s exactly what we do. The riches of this world do not matter as long as we have each other. 

We’ve always been very close too – a tight-knit family who share an unbreakable bond. Oh yes, the occasional squabble and bickering, not to forget the endless jests and teasing. However, we comfort each other, we applaud our successes, we share, we carry, we always stand by each other!

But one of us is gone! Cruelly ripped from us by the cold hands of death! How can it be? How can we be incomplete! 

This is a  tribute to a fallen star, one I was privileged to call my big sister Diekolola Olatanwa Olaotan Oluwatoyin. 

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipO-3RTZkRL9u_iP7aeTApaQWDja4fEJ94eIW72Z

Deki remains one of the few people who have known me all my life and remained consistent. She was a true star indeed as at every stage in her life her star shown brightly, maybe a bit too bright for some who always tried to stop the shine, yet they couldn’t, how can anyone stop a shooting star? And shoot she did until the star fell and the glow dimmed. But not after making an incredible impact – lighting up its environs thereby leaving a big hole on the earth it fell into. 

You have left a big hole my darling egbon, one that can never be filled! My Voltron and defender, you were a sister indeed, holding my hands when I needed it, dancing with me when the occasion called for it, crying with me when it was necessary, rooting for me and cheering me on all my life.

I lay awake most nights as I still struggle with what has happened, when I finally drift off I wake up to the reality that you’re no more, perhaps I should stay in the bliss of sleep cause this reality is one too painful to bear! A real cold reality it is, what dirty slap life has given us. I don’t know how to recover from this Deki, my heart is broken, my spirit in tatters, how cruel life can be…

The boys are struggling with it too, Josh prayed and kept praying assured that Jesus will raise his dear aunty up, I watched as his dad explained gently to him that the Lord sometimes just wants the person to come home to rest, he had to be careful so as not to dent this young believers faith. 

How can I ever get over this, you were such a huge presence in the family. A stickler for excellence, hardworking and virtuous. You gave over 100% into everything you did and so you couldn’t understand why anyone would give a lack-lustre performance! You certainly didn’t suffer fools gladly and you abhorred mediocrity. Oh Deki mama you had such exquisite taste and standard and settled for nothing less, the spirit of excellence was certainly on you. You were a straight shooter, no pretence bone in you, people always knew where they stood with you. Your loyalty to people was always without a doubt and you expected nothing less in return. I’ll emulate that Deki. I’m glad I never hesitated to celebrate and appreciate you, I’m glad you knew you were loved by your family. I can only hope I was a good enough sister to you!

I take joy in knowing how thrilled you were the last months before your demise. You had prayed and waited for a child, oh what Journey that was, a 10+ year wait, the treatments, the pricking, the prodding, the pain, the heartbreak! Yet you didn’t give up, you held on to God’s promise and your beautiful child finally arrived and you gave your life for him. What sacrifice, a love so beautiful, so amazing. A love that is costly too, but a little too costly for us as we lost you. He will be raised well Deki, raised to remember the loving, amazing soul his mother was. We’ll make sure he remembers you. He will celebrate you, his children will as well, so your legacy lives on my Deki.

Please Celebrate my sister with me, celebrate her, she did well!

Once again you stung us o death, you stung us badly. But where is thy sting, where is thy victory now o grave! Deki will live forever, forever in our hearts, forever in our thoughts and forever in our discussions. You won Deki , you fought a good fight and won. 

Rest now my beloved sister, rest, the toiling is over, it’s time to rest. Odaro egbon mi atata till we meet to part no more. 

Please visit https://diekoliveson.com/ to share pictures and tributes.

Thank you.

You can also read For the love of books.