How I Cope With My Role As A Young Celica Mother - Mother Superior Busayo Alade

She is young. She is beautiful. She is stylish. Olubusayo Adeonigbagbe –Alade is not only a gorgeous looking wife and mother of two adorable kids, she is also the daughter of the founder of the Celica Church of Christ, Ibadan, Revd. Adetunji Adeonigbagbe. But beyond all of these, Busayo also wears a big shoe that had been the exclusive preserve of women older than her. She is the Celica Mother, or, as some would prefer to call her, the Mother Superior of the Celica Church of Christ. 

For a young lady who only celebrated her 40th birthday a couple of weeks ago, many would say she is pretty young for the role and humongous responsibilities that come with being a Celica Mother. Traditionally, most of the women who take such positions are usually much older women. Indeed, the last Celica Mother was Busayo’s own biological mother, the very respected and loved late Revnd. Agnes Adeonigbagbe. But somehow, destiny has entrusted into Busayo’s hands the role of the Celica Mother. For Busayo, though there was already a message long before her mother passed away that she would become the next Celica Mother, but she did not expect the position would come to her 20 years or more from now. So, how has she coped with this massive responsibility? How has she been able to handle the pressure and challenges of her role as Celica Mother considering she is still quite young?

 A few days after the church’s successful hosting of it’s 32nd annual Adult Anniversary harvest, City People Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) spoke with the young and fashionable but highly spiritual Celica Mother Olubusayo Alade and asked her all of these questions . He also got her to share with us her journey so far as the Mother Superior. Enjoy excerpts.    

 How do you feel stepping into a position that was recently occupied by your late Mum, the late Revd. Agnes Adeonigbagbe?

 Oh, well, I feel honoured. I feel excited. But I must be honest with you, it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. I feel the weight of the position on my shoulder maybe because I was not expecting to be Celica Mother so soon.

 How long ago were you made the new Celica Mother?

 It's been over three years now that I was made Celica Mother. 

 And between then and now, how challenging have you found the position?

 Like I said, it comes with a lot of responsibilities. I have found it quite challenging because there are things I want to do that I can no longer do because of the position. It's a position that compels you to behave in a certain way. So, I am still learning, I am still trying to adjust myself to it, but it's also building me up spiritually and I am grateful for that.

 

Tell us specifically a few of the things that you can no longer do because of your position as Celica Mother? What are those things it deprives you from doing?

 (Laughs) I miss wearing a lot of my casual outfits. I love wearing short dresses. I love wearing armless tops and all that stuff, but I can't wear all of that anymore. I can no longer wear the kind of really nice and glamorous outfits that I would've really loved to wear as a young lady.

 So, the position has compelled you to drop some of your favourite outfits?

 Oh, yes, a lot of them. A lot of nice things ladies my age would love to wear. But I am not complaining, it's a sacrifice I have to make.

 Apart from the fashion aspect, what other things does the position deprive you of?

 Well, another thing is that, by nature, I am a very free and friendly person. I love playing with people, mixing with people and generally having fun gisting with people in the church. But now, they tell me, ‘you have to be a lot more reserved,’ like my mother was, that I can't be talking and playing with everyone. You know, mummy was a very reserved person and I don't have her kind of nature. I am the playful type. I love to be free and I love to mix with everyone. So, I am still trying to adjust myself in that regard.

 Another area I am having challenge with is calmness. I am by nature not a calm person, even me I know that (laughs). When something happens, I react immediately. I am more of an impulsive person. I react to things spontaneously. I am a bit of a restless person. When I am angry with somebody, I say my mind the way I feel it. I didn't know how to sugar coat words. I would express myself exactly the way I feel, not bothered if the words coming out of my mouth are harsh or not. But as the Celica Mother, you have to be more diplomatic in the way you handle situations with people. I am learning to be more patient with people and sugar coat my words so I don't offend anyone. It's not easy I tell you but I am trying. 

 When you were announced as the new Celica Mother, how did you find the news?

 Ah, I was excited. I was happy. I was also worried about how I will cope. You know, even before my mother passed away, the message already came that I was going to be the next Celica Mother. But at that time, I thought it would be like 20, 30 years from now when I will be over 60 years of age. I didn't expect at all that I would be Celica Mother before getting to the age of 40, when I still have a lot of things that I would love to do (laughs).

 What would you say are some of those things you learnt back then from your late mum that's helping you now to carry your responsibilities as the Celica Mother?

 Oh, yes, there are quite a few things I picked from her that's helping me now. Number one is her calmness. My mother rarely ever got angry. Sometimes, something will happen and I will be like, 'se woman yi o kin binu ni?' (meaning, doesn’t this woman ever get angey? )She will be so calm no matter the pressure. So, I have learnt that from her. I am a lot calmer now than I used to be.

 Another thing I learnt from my mum when she was Celica Mother is that she fasted a lot. Mummy was always fasting. And then prayers, she believed so much in prayers. She prayed a lot. And I am a lot more prayerful than I used to be. I learnt a lot from her back then and I didn't even know she was preparing me for the future role that I didn't know would come so soon.

 How supportive has the church been since you took up the position of Celica Mother?

 Oh, they have been wonderful. They have been amazing. They have been very, very supportive. You know, at first, I was scared that there would be a resistance to my becoming the new Celica Mother, nof just because I am still a very young lady and there are lots of older women in the church, but also because the last person that occupied the position was my mother. So, I was scared that, won't some people say, we cannot serve the mother and now serve the daughter as well? But none of that happened. Everything went smoothly. The people rallied round me and ensured that I am able to fulfill my duties. I am so grateful to all the members for their support.

 

What specifically are your primary duties as the Celica Mother?

 Primarily, being the mother of the church, I participate in a lot of activities that revolve around the spiritual well-being of the members. Both the women and men, I have to pray for them, intercede in prayers for them and lead a lot of prayer activities in the church on behalf of the members. The position has made me become more spiritual, more prayerful, more active in the work of God.

 But how do you handle your role as Celica Mother when you return to your base in the US where you are always working round the clock?

 I don't work on Sundays. My Sunday is dedicated solely to God's work. They know me, I don't work on Sundays because that's the only day I can have time for God's work. I am often on the phone speaking to members of the church and leading prayers and engaging in activities happening in the church on Sundays. So, despite the distance, I am still very involved when I am not in the country.

 What about Daddy, how supportive has he been? 

 Ah, Daddy has been my backbone. He has been my pillar, my rock, my all in all. He is always guiding me every step of the way. He is always telling me what to do when I am faced with any challenge in my duties as the Celica Mother. He will tell me, if your mother were alive, this is what she will do, this is how she would've handled this situation. He prays for me and faces spiritual battles meant for me. He has been wonderful, Daddy has been my biggest motivation.