Mrs. Muibat Titilayo Salahudeen: The Woman Who Serves Offa Descendants Union (ODU) For 30 Years

By Balelayo Barakat Ayomide

For three decades, the heartbeat of the Offa Descendants Union (ODU) secretariat has echoed with the quiet diligence, resilience and unwavering loyalty of one woman—Mrs. Muibat Titilayo Salahudeen, fondly known as Iya Hammed.

Hers is a story of service rendered not for wealth or acclaim, but out of an enduring love for Offa and its people.

Born Muibat Titilayo Salahudeen (née Sanni), she traces her roots to the revered lineage of Obanimomo, with her maternal home in Obadaboye.

Her ancestry runs deep into Offa history, as her great-grandmother was Saawo Aroworale, a name that still resonates within the community.

Mrs. Salahudeen’s educational journey mirrors the trials and triumphs of many women of her generation.

She began her early schooling at Ansar-Ud-Deen Primary School, Offa, before life took an unexpected turn in 1976 when she moved to Ikare Akoko to live with her married sister. There, she continued her education at St. Joseph CAC School, later attending Lion Jubilee Girls’ School.

Her ambition to sit for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination in 1984 was stalled by financial constraints.

A year later, after working to save money for the exam, she suffered another setback when her savings were lost.

By 1986, with her educational progress slowed and circumstances becoming increasingly difficult, she returned to Offa—surviving a near-fatal road accident on the journey home.

Back in Offa, her brother, Alhaji T. A. Sanni, encouraged her to continue schooling under the newly introduced Junior Secondary School (JSS) system.

She enrolled in Nawarudeen Grammar School, Olohunkuse, becoming part of Nigeria’s pioneering JSS cohort.

She later sat for her WAEC at Ansarul-Islam College, Ikotun.

While awaiting her results, she pursued a long-standing passion—typing. “I loved typing from childhood,” she recalls with a smile, noting how even a sachet of paracetamol could become an imaginary keyboard in her hands.

That passion took her to Minna, where she mastered typing and later advanced into computer training.

Her determination paid off when she gained admission into the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, as part of its second intake (1993/1994), to study Business Administration.

Though illness disrupted her studies, the typing skills she had acquired earlier opened doors for her, including employment as a typist at the Offa Descendants Union (ODU).

Mrs. Salahudeen formally joined the Offa Descendants Union (ODU) on August 12, 1996, during the tenure of the late Professor M.O. Oyawoye, CON, with Late Alhaji S. A. Raheem as General Secretary.

Her interview was conducted by Alhaji Muritala Popoola, and this marked the beginning of a career that would span generations of leadership.

Appointed as a Clerk Typist, she has since worked with six ODU Presidents, witnessing key transitions and milestones in the Union’s history. From the foundational leadership of Prof. Oyawoye to the long and impactful tenure of Late Chief E. O. Adesoye, OON; from Late Chief Alhaji Hamzat A. Adedeji to Alhaji Najeemdeen Usman Yasin; from Dr. Funsho Rabiu Oladapo to the current President, Alhaji Dr. Azeez Muideen Olaniyi Salako, Mrs. Salahudeen has remained a constant—steady, committed and dependable.

She has also served under four administrative heads, each bringing different styles and challenges, yet all benefitting from her institutional memory and dedication.

Asked about the challenges she has faced, Mrs. Salahudeen speaks candidly. Low wages, verbal abuse, and years of financial hardship tested her resolve.

She recalls earning as little as ₦800 monthly when she started—an amount that gradually increased over time but never truly reflected her years of service.

“Someone younger than my children can insult me…..But the love of Offa is stronger than all that.”

That love, she explains, is what binds Offa indigenes together and what has kept her at the ODU secretariat for three decades. “Even if I am not working here, Offa remains my priority,” she adds.

Her years at ODU have made her a living archive of the Union’s achievements.

She recalls how Chief E. O. Adesoye spearheaded the establishment of the Vigilante Group, restored water supply in Offa after critical equipment was stolen, and brought the Marriage Registry and Social Welfare Office to Offa—saving residents from dangerous journeys to Ilorin.

She also recounts the story of the iconic ODU Big Hall, whose foundation was laid during Baba J. D. Soleye’s era, advanced under Prof. Oyawoye, and significantly completed through a personal donation of ₦5.3 million by Chief Adesoye.

The hall was later renovated and commissioned in December 2011 during the Ijakadi Festival.

Today, under the current leadership, she points to projects such as the Fire Service Office, Immigration Office, Mopol Barracks, Driver’s Licence Office, and One Innovation Hub as evidence of continuity in development.

Mrs. Salahudeen got married in 1993 to an Offa son from the Jisun (Ejisun) lineage, with maternal roots in Ajele.

She is blessed with four children and remains deeply grateful to God for sustaining her through life’s ups and downs.

As retirement approaches, her aspirations are simple and heartfelt.

She desires gainful employment for her children and a peaceful life free from dependence. Though many assume she is wealthy due to her long service, she dispels the myth with humility, noting that she has relied largely on her craft—bead-making and traditional adornments—for self-reliance.

“I don’t want to work under anybody again…..I just want peace, stability for my children, and to thank God for how far He has brought me.”

In an era where loyalty is often fleeting, Mrs. Muibat Titilayo Salahudeen stands as a testament to enduring service, humility and community devotion.

Her 30-year journey at the Offa Descendants Union is not merely a career—it is a legacy of love for Offa, written quietly but indelibly into the town’s history.

Balelayo Barakat Ayomide is an HND I student of Strategic Communication and Media Studies at the Federal Polytechnic, Offa (FEDPOFFA), Kwara State. She had her OND in Mass Communication at Lens Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State.

She’s from Osogbo, Osun State capital.