11/05/2026
My mum was the true epitome of love, kindness, and diligence. She raised us to believe in these three core values, and they remain the foundation of who I am today.
One of her favourite sayings was “atelewo eni ko ki n’tan eni je” — literally, “the palms of your hands will never deceive you.” But like most Yoruba proverbs, the weight of it sits beneath the surface.
Meaning: the work of your own hands is the only thing in life that will never betray you. People will disappoint you. Connections will fail you. Luck will run dry. Shortcuts will collapse. But the labour you put in with your own two hands, the skill you build, the sweat you invest, the honest work you do, that will always feed you.
It is a call to self-reliance, to integrity, to refusing the temptation of easy paths, and to trusting that diligence is its own reward. She was telling us that dignity is found in effort, and that no honest work is ever wasted.
If you don’t like my guts, then you simply did not meet my mum. She taught me to never back down in the face of adversity. She taught me that nothing is impossible for a man or woman who believe in themselves and trusts God. Every ounce of fire I carry into a room, every refusal to shrink, every time I have stood my ground when it would have been easier to fold, that is my mama still speaking through me.
As a father now, I see the priceless role my wife plays in the lives of our children and much of what she does many times are unnoticed, unthanked, and unmeasured, and yet it is the very thing holding our family together.
I have also witnessed and watched many women labour day in and day out, not just for their own survival, but for the survival of their children, their families, and their communities.
Women who carry mountains quietly. Women who give until there is nothing left, and then somehow find more to give.
So today, as I celebrate the legacy of my late mother, I am also celebrating every woman pouring herself out to make her home, and our society, a better place.
You are seen. You are honoured. You are loved.
Happy Mother’s Day ❤️
