{"id":2502,"date":"2025-05-21T12:44:05","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T12:44:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feelnubia.org.uk\/?p=2502"},"modified":"2026-09-05T17:00:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T16:00:35","slug":"queens-and-mothers-eyelua-modupe-oshin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/feelnubia.org.uk\/index.php\/sage\/queens-and-mothers-eyelua-modupe-oshin\/","title":{"rendered":"Queens and Mothers: Eyelua Dupe Oshin, Emure-Ekiti, Nigeria"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Eyelua (Queen Mother) Modupe Oshin of the kingdom of Emure EKiti<\/p><\/div>\n

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Olori Modupe Oshin: A Life of Love, Service, and a Godly Legacy<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A Divine Beginning: The Birth of a Destiny<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Born Mojisola Obaweya on December 15, 1935, in Igede Ekiti, Rhoda Modupe Oshin\u2019s life began with a miraculous act of love and sacrifice. Her mother fell gravely ill shortly after her birth. In desperation, her father carried both mother and newborn on foot for hundreds of kilometers to Akoko in search of healing.<\/p>\n

Faced with an impossible choice between saving his wife or his infant daughter, it was her mother\u2019s niece, Esther, who stepped in to raise baby Rhoda while the mother received treatment. When mother and daughter returned months later, both healthy, her father named her \u201cModupe” (a heartfelt Yoruba expression of gratitude_. It was the name he lovingly called her for the rest of his life.<\/p>\n

Faith That Transformed Generations<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Modupe\u2019s heritage was steeped in spiritual transformation. Her mother, Yeye Marian, was a trailblazer, abandoning ancestral worship in Emure Ekiti to become a Christian. She was betrothed to Prince Oshin Oluseri Okaso, who was her father’s friend. It was to be a powerful match that united the family of the head of the kingmakers\u00a0 (Olisa)with the ruling house (Abenimota) – an unprecedented power alliance. Before the wedding could hold, Marian ran away from Emure with Evangelists Mr. and Mrs. Rankelor to Ibadan after a crusade in her hometown of Emure. Her decision set the tone for future generations. She later married a man with a similar story: a former native healer turned Christian, who changed his name from Faweya to Obaweya to reflect his new faith.<\/p>\n

Together, they helped establish both the Baptist and Anglican churches in Igede Ekiti. Their daughter, Modupe, carried this powerful spiritual legacy forward, becoming a passionate disciple and mentor in the Christian faith.<\/p>\n

A Fortuitous Union<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many years later, Modupe met and married Prince Adigun Oshin, grandson of her mother’s former betrothed prince, thereby finally uniting the powerful Olisa family with the ruling house as their ancestors had hoped. This combination of kingmaker’s ancestry and Queen Consort gave Modupe leverage at court, which she used to her husband’s advantage after he became the Elemure (King of Emure) in 1983.<\/p>\n

Education and Service: A Journey from Local to Global<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Modupe\u2019s educational journey was marked by resilience and brilliance. After early teaching certifications in the 1950s, she traveled to London in 1961 with her husband, Prince Adigun Bamidele Oshin. He encouraged her to pursue higher education while he trained as a chartered accountant.<\/p>\n

She graduated from the prestigious London School of Economics in 1966, where she also served as Vice President of the African Society. Although she received a scholarship to Harvard, she chose to return to Nigeria to support her husband and raise her young family.<\/p>\n

In Lagos, she worked with social welfare services, later becoming Executive Secretary and Principal of the Vocational Training Center for the Blind in Oshodi. Her passion for the marginalized led to pioneering rehabilitation efforts for prisoners, the disabled, and under-served communities.<\/p>\n

Royalty, Responsibility, and Revival in Emure Ekiti<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In 1983, her husband ascended the throne as the Elemure of Emure Ekiti. He took the regnal name: Omiyomade I\/Atobiloye II (the latter after his great grand-father, Oba Atobiloye I who died in 1867), and Modupe became Olori (Queen). On her 70th birthday in 2005, the King conveyed on her the title of Eyelua<\/strong> (Mother of the Court). For 23 years, they ruled with grace and impact. Some of the most notable achievements of their reign were the creation of Ekiti state and Emure Local Government Area in 1996, the fruit of years of networking and advocacy work in concert with a number of other Ekiti traditional rulers. Through their combined effort, the Science School was also located in Emure LGA.<\/p>\n

Olori Modupe was not just a ceremonial figure, she was a visionary leader who transformed women\u2019s roles in society. Through her work with the National Council of Women\u2019s Societies, Better Life for Rural Women, and local cooperatives, she positioned Emure as a hub for women\u2019s empowerment. Aso-oke weaving, bead making, and Adire production thrived under her guidance, attracting national recognition.<\/p>\n

Olori Modupe\u2019s Social and Spiritual Impact6<\/strong><\/h4>\n

A fierce intercessor and quiet socialite, Olori Modupe combined grace with godly influence. Her impact spanned decades:<\/p>\n