Precisely on Saturday, October 26th when my sister and I went to the Yoruba House in Staten Island to see Paadi Tubosun Odunsi, Sisters Taiwo and Kehinde’s names came up. So I decided to use the opportunity to call them to see why we didn’t hear from them on their birthday. Usually both would have commented on the birthday wishes friends sent to them that day. So I went outside the hall so people would not hear what I was discussing with them. I spoke with Sister Taiwo, and she told me “Vickie, we’ve both been sick. Remember we told you how sick we had been? Right now we’re both very sick.

I didn’t feel good about what she was telling me. I asked if they had gone to the hospital. She reminded me the episode that happened to them over 20 years ago when one of them, I don’t remember which one now, almost died at the hands of some doctors at a certain hospital in New York. If you’re a Christian and you’ve read the books written by Dr. Rebecca Brown you’d understand.

Anyway, I wanted to come see them, but Sister Taiwo insisted to wait because she didn’t want me to see them in that condition. Now I hear Sister Kehinde is dead. Well, ordinarily I would brush it aside as rumors because that’s how people rumored about Baba Faleti’s death for years before he eventually passed away a couple of years ago.

Well, I have just spoken to Sister Taiwo, and she confirmed: “Vickie, Kehinde ti ku. O ku l’ana.”

I will be seeing her before the day runs out.

You talk of beautiful souls? They are in the persons of Sisters Taiwo and Kehinde Lijadu. To know them is to love them.

Sister Kehinde, I will miss you. I will miss your love. I will miss your reprimands when you thought I was being silly. I will miss your educating me about a whole lot of things.

REST IN PEACE.

• Folashade Oshun