About the Olapeju Comfort Aina Memorial Foundation
Our Background
Mrs. Olapeju Comfort Aina, our beloved mother, was born in the quiet village of Etan Aiyegbaju in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. She came from a devout Christian home, raised by Pa Israel Adebayo and Madam Dorcas Ajayi Adebayo, who both served faithfully as Baba Egbe and Iya Ijo of Saint John Anglican Church, Etan. Their values of faith, integrity, and service shaped the woman she became.
Mommy was the proud mother of seven children. Though we lost one at a tender age, she lovingly raised the remaining six of us five boys and one girl. Despite limited means, she carried the weight of raising her children with strength, dignity, and unwavering devotion. With support from her parents and her siblings two uncles and one aunty she instilled in us the core values that continue to guide our lives today.
Her Life and Legacy
Fondly called “Olapeju” by her family and peers, our mother lived a life defined by discipline, hard work, deep faith in God, and an unshakeable commitment to her family. Though she did not have access to Western education a common reality for many girl‑children of her time she passionately believed in the power of education. She sacrificed everything she could to put us through elementary school and, with her very limited resources, even managed to send some of us to secondary school an extraordinary achievement for a struggling young mother.
Sadly, she passed in October 1975, before any of us had finished secondary school. Yet, the foundation she built in our lives viz moral discipline, love of God, kindness, and a strong work ethic carried us through. Today, with gratitude, we echo the words of David in Psalm 37:25:
“I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.”
Mommy lived with a heart full of compassion. Whether caring for her six children, supporting neighbours in distress, or comforting total strangers, she gave selflessly and without hesitation. Her generosity was not defined by abundance, but by the purity of her spirit.
Why the Foundation Was Created
This foundation was established to honour her unwavering love, her quiet sacrifices, and her lifelong service to others. We seek to carry forward her legacy by supporting those who, like us in our early years, need a helping hand to discover their potential.
Our primary focus is on educating indigent, brilliant children who might otherwise lose the chance to continue their education beyond primary school. This was a struggle our mother understood deeply, and one she fought valiantly to overcome for her own children.
The foundation stands as a continuation of her belief that education can change the trajectory of a child’s life and help them “find their feet” in society.
