Denrele Edun recounts How His Mother Raised Him During Hardship

To commemorate Mother’s Day on Sunday, media personality Denrele Edun reflected on his mother’s sacrifices for him and his siblings.

In a heartfelt post shared on his Instagram page, he recounted his mother’s dedication to ensuring a better life for them. She tirelessly juggled multiple roles in Lagos, serving as a class teacher, headmistress, and French and German instructor, among others.

He reminisced about the challenging period in 1989/1990 when his mother had to sell her Indian Saris and gold ornaments to gather funds for his Common Entrance exam fees, which he had missed the payment deadline for. Despite his distress over her sacrifice, knowing she had intended to use the money for her flight ticket to Mauritius, his mother reassured him that he was her greatest achievement.

Denrele also recalled the tumultuous experience of moving to their family house, where they faced constant turmoil due to conflicts with cousins. However, his mother fearlessly stood up for them, fiercely advocating for their rights and well-being.

“Our MOTHERS.….
They are beautiful, softened at the edges, and tempered with a spine of steel.
We want to grow old and be like them!

The hardworking, resilient, overtly temperamental (We never understood why, but now I do), MFM Prayer Warrior, Street Fighter, Fashion Killer all-round Superwoman named ANITA DHUNWANTEE EDUN!

My mother worked several jobs in Lagos to make life worth living for us kids. She was a Class Teacher here, the Headmistress there, a French and German teacher somewhere, and a Lesson Teacher everywhere!

I recall one time in Primary 6 (1989/1990) when I had no school sandals, my uniform was struggling at the seams and we had passed the deadline for payment of my Common Entrance Examination. My Dad was out of a job and my Mum (then) was working as a kindergarten teacher who tried incessantly to get salary advance payment but the School Authorities were already tired of her demands. She sold off her Indian Saris and gold ornaments (sold them ALL…every single one) and even though I was so distraught cos I knew she was saving them up for her flight fare back to Mauritius, she hugged me and told me,
“You silly boy. You are my investment. Make sure u pass your Common Entrance and buy all my Saris back”.
She muttered something in Hindi, tugged at my ears, and rushed off to another job.

Moving to our family house was HELL on earth!
There was never a moment of peace.
My cousins were always out to draw blood but here’s the crãzy part; My MOTHER STOOD UP FOR US ALL AND FOUGHT EVERYTHING FIGHTABLE!
Standing at 5ft 3, she was a FORMIDABLE FORCE and ONE MAN MOPOL! She even broke bottles faster than an Agbero but still Ebute Metta style! I always looked in amazement as she fought bout 8 women in our family house every frigging day whilst my Dad would always leave them to Baba GOD.
Try Anita’s kids and you will see her Indian wrath in all its volcanic glory!

It was my Mum’s Birthday on the 7th, IWD on the 8th, and now Mothering Sunday on the 10th;
Triple Celebration for IYA RELE.

A month ago, during an interview on the ‘Who is in my House’ Podcast, Denrele shared his harrowing childhood memories, reflecting on his past traumas, heartaches, and career journey.

He recounted a time when his family relocated from a mansion to an unfinished building near a farmland, lacking doors and windows. They struggled to afford meals, often resorting to boiled cassava for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Denrele recalled how his mother faced ridicule, even being labeled as a “poverty-stricken Indian prost!tute” while living with relatives.

In another instance, Denrele recounted an unsettling experience with a UNILAG lecturer who mistook him for a female due to his cross-dressing. Despite the lecturer’s initially friendly demeanour, Denrele revealed that the lecturer made unwelcome advances, propositioning him for oral sex during a visit to his office to submit an assignment. Denrele politely declined the offer, despite the lecturer’s persistent praises of his appearance.