Posthumous 80th birthday of Kaleyewa House founder commemorated in Iju, Nigeria
An event marking the posthumous 80th birthday of Dr. Olukemi Selina Adamolekun, the founder of Kaleyewa House, which helps elderly people, was held in Iju, Ondo State, Nigeria, on July 17. More than 300 guests gathered in the hall, mostly elderly residents of Iju and neighboring Itaogbolu.
The event and Adamolekun's legacy are described in a Premium Times Nigeria column by Itote J. Ifedayo, global publicity secretary of the Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School Old Students Association. According to her account, it was a celebration with food, music, and reunions of old acquaintances rather than a memorial ceremony.
Work with elderly people
Olukemi Adamolekun was born in Iju on July 14, 1946. She was the head girl of the 1966 graduating class at Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School in Akure. Adamolekun initially trained as a nurse and midwife and later received education in psychology, counseling, and social work.
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In 2000, she founded Kaleyewa House to help elderly Nigerians age in dignified conditions. As explained in the column, the name Kaleyewa derives from a Yoruba wish that the evening of life — old age — should be better than its morning.
Continuing her work
The column's author writes that Adamolekun was killed on May 4, 2002, during a trip connected with the work of Kaleyewa House. After her death, her family continued the institution's work in Ondo State. In November 2023, Kaleyewa House marked 20 years of activity.
A full university scholarship for students of Fiwasaye Girls’ Grammar School, from which Adamolekun graduated, was also established in her honor.
