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The recognised earliest patriarch of modern Coker family was John Oshiwoolu Coker, of Iporo Ake, who belonged to the Ake Ruling House of Egbaland and titled Omo Alade Okikilu. His wife was Marry Dotumu Coker with whom he gave birth to four princes namely Harry Somide Coker (Teacher), James Osolu Coker (Ajobo), Daniel Ade (Reverend), and Abigail Mojiren Cole. Harry Somide Coker fathered 21 (twenty-one) children, the first three of whom were Mrs Martha Shitta, Samuel Taiwo Coker and Albert Coker. Similarly, James Osolu Coker had 30 children between many wives including Prince Dr. Taiwo Ojoye Coker and Prince Revd. Jacob Kehinde Coker (first set of twins), Madam Nancy Coker and Jonathan Kushimo Coker (the fourth born and hence the Alaba after the twins). Jacob Kehinde Coker (or simply J.K. Coker) would later become popular as a founder of African Church and the Father of African Traditional Churches. The prominent Egba traditionalist, lawyer and politician, Chief Akintoye (Toye) Coker, SAN, was one of the children of Jacob Kehinde Coker.



Out of the four original princes came the huge Coker family of Iporo of today. The following is a list of just the third generation (grandchildren of John Oshiwoolu Coker.)

Children of Harry Somide Coker

Mrs Martha Shitta, Mr Samuel Taiwo Coker, Mr Albert Coker, Mr Christopher Coker, Mr Arthur Coker, Mr Sotunde Coker, Mrs Adepeju Savage, Madam Olayinka Coker, Madam Phebean Ibirinade Coker, Mr Isaiah Agboola Coker, Mrs Cordelia Renner, Mama Abegbe, Mr Farayola Coker, Mr Adebayo Coker, Mrs Adeyinka Benjamin, Mrs R. A. Ewulomi, Mrs Modele Cole, Madam Oshimi Coker, Mr Noah Adegunle Coker, Madam Kate Coker, Madam Docas Coker.

Children of James Osolu Coker

Jacob Kehinde Coker, Dr. Taiwo Ojoye Coker, Madam Nancy Coker, Jonathan Kusimo Coker, James Coker, Amos Bajela Coker, Ben Coker, John Coker, Phillips Taiwo Coker, Mr Tenidade Coker, Madam Alaba Coker, Mrs Rachael Thomas, Mr Robert Coker, Mrs Tejumade Luis, Mrs Bola Cole, Mr Sophie Coker, Mrs Jane Wey, Mrs Alaba Cadmus, Mrs Alice George, Mr Ololade Coker, Mr Owen Coker, Mrs Durodola Sonubi, Obadiah Malomo Coker, Madam Leah Coker, Madam Subola Coker, Gabriel Oyedola Coker, Mr Ajayi Coker, Madam Adebomi Coker, Mr Samuel Coker, Mr Oladapo Coker.

Children of Revd Daniel Ade Coker

Mr Percy Coker, Mrs Olajumoke Odunlami, Mrs Lina Olulode.

Children of Mrs Abigael Cole

Mrs Omoyeni Dedeke, Mrs Caroline Ponphillo, Mrs Mariam Oladuni Alakija, Mrs Olayinka Pearce, Mr Daniel Cole, Mrs Abiola Rosiji.




This is the direct maternal genealogy of Fikayo Adeyemo:

John Oshiwoolu Coker begot James Osodu Coker;
James Osodu Coker begot Jonathan Kushimo Coker;
Jonathan Kushimo Coker (wife: Comfort Lolade nee George Ajayi) begot Muriel Enilolobo Coker;
Muriel Enilolobo Coker (husband: Daniel Adebayo Adeyemo) begot Olufikayo Aderomolu (FIKAYO)

INTRODUCTION

Madam Muriel Enilolobo Sehinsola Coker-Adeyemo was born on the 8th March, 1932 to Jonathan Kusimo Coker and Comfort Lolade Coker, nee Ajayi. Her father, Jonathan, was a grandson of the first patriarch of the Coker royal family, John Oshiwoolu Coker and son of Prince James Osolu Coker (Ajobo).

The first child of Muriel's parents was a girl who died in infancy. Hence, Muriel, who came later, was named Ẹnílọlóbọ̀ and became the eldest among her siblings from the same mother. Her younger ones were named Sarah Omolola, Roy Akinyele and Elizabeth Yetunde.

EARLY YEARS

Muriel was born into a large family of moderate means in a rural, largely agrarian setting. There were many brothers and sisters - not to mention cousins, uncles and aunts from both her paternal and maternal sides.

She started attending elementary school at African School, Ifako at a very young age, learning the basics until entering standard I and continuing until she graduated to standard V. She then left for Bishop Oluwole Memorial School (BOMS), Agege, as it was then called, to finish her standard VI GII at the age of twelve. After BOMS, she started teaching at UNA, Iju Aga. She had been admitted to Ilesa Grammar School but her parents believed that she was too young to go that far away from home.

Being a teacher did not excuse her from the usual chore of hawking ògì first thing in the morning like the rest of her siblings. She was, however, granted a reprieve when the headmaster of her school came to appeal to her mother that the optics of one of his teachers hawking ògì was not complimentary. 

Muriel soon stopped teaching at UNA, Iju Aga and started teaching at her old school in Ifakọ̀ under the leadership of Mr Àyánlẹ́yẹ, the legendary headmaster. She did not go alone to her teaching job in either school. Her little sister, late Yetunde tagged along as a non-regular but uniformed student. Yetunde went to school for many years this way before she started school. 

CAREER

After her father's demise in 1950, she went to CMS Teachers Training Center, Àkúré, for her grade III teaching certification.

On completion of the training, and due to her brilliant performance in her courses at Akure, she was invited by the missionaries to teach at Abeokuta Girls Secondary School. She gladly took the job in Abẹ́òkúta (1954-55) while continuing to train for the grade II teaching certification. She was at this time staying with her cousin, Chief Toye Coker. 

Muriel was a natural teacher who loved her profession. However, on getting married (see below), she suspended the formal practice of her beloved profession in order to adequately face the training of her children. She eventually returned to the teaching career when the children were sufficiently grown up and resumed the practice of her profession, teaching in several schools until she retired honorably from service. Her last school was St Kizito's Catholic, Iju.

MARRIAGE / FAMILY

While living with Toye Coker at Abeokuta, she met, fell in love with and married Mr Adébáyọ̀ Adéyẹmọ, an Agricultural Officer who was an Ibadan indigene of the Dalegan lineage at Oke Ofa, Atipe, Ibadan.

Their union was blessed with seven children viz. Dr Olufikayo Adeyemo, Mrs Aderiyike Adekanmbi, Mr Oluduro Adeyemo, Ms Oluyomi Adeyemo, Mrs Olutomi Jaiyeoba, Mr Olurokantan Adeyemo, Miss Olufolahan Adeyemo.

Both Oluduro and Oluyomi preceded Muriel in death.

GENERAL LIFE

Muriel was a temperate person who was not given to undue satisfaction of appetites. She was neither a smoker nor drunkard and kept full control over base passions, always maintaining proper chastity as becoming of her station.

She was not a fashion buff but always had a sense of beauty and class, which she maintained throughout her life. In all her endeavours, she always spurned every trace of ostentation.

She was born into a christian family and followed the religion in various ways according to her understanding and spiritual light. In the fullness of time, she came to the saving grace of Christ and remained therein to the end. She was a standing member of the Foursquare Church, Fagba, Iju.



So, maami is really gone!

Well, that is the lot of all mortals - one way or another. One day, we are born; and another day, we die. What matters therefore is what happens in-between those two days. I am grateful to God for being involved in how Muriel Enilolobo Ajike lived the period of her sojourn between these two days.

My earliest memories are blurry images of diverse food items being devoured by ever-increasing number of little mouths. The downside of this was that I had to do very terrible chores like picking pepper and vegetables, and when I got older, even going to the neighbouring market for simple items. Ouch!

Needless to say, my mediocre performance in this area was the major reason why I knew the harshness of her ẹgba (in contrast to Father's kòbókò) and several variations of slap especially àbàrá.

But why were there so many mouths? You see, maami had this habit of regularly bringing in a new baby into our house approximately every two years and she didn't stop until she had seven of us. In the earlier days, I used to think that there was a special place where married women went to pick their allocations of babies! I either didn't notice her prior protruding belly or utterly failed to associate it with the new babies that followed. But I soon got wiser!

One thing that has remained indelible in my mind is Maami's superb sewing, knitting and embroidery skills. Growing up, our cardigans, socks, underwears, school uniforms and all manner of casual garments were her handiwork. She also made embroidered pillow slips for every one of us. Thank God for special occasions like birthdays, festivals and parties when we got 'ready-made' clothings!

Although maami was a trained teacher, she suspended her teaching career and became a homemaker to see to the proper nurturing of her children. That's not to say that her excellent teaching skills were dormant in those days. No! We, her children, were her pupils on whom she expended her uncommon talent. I dare say our eventual academic, professional and moral attainments are a testimony to the efficacy of her foundational efforts in those early days.

In spite of all this, she still found time to engage in poultry farming which was an extra source of income for the family. We could therefore be rightly called ọmọ ìyá ẹlẹ́yin or ọmọ ìyá aládìyẹ.

In addition to being a great mother, maami was a very loving wife. (Well, with seven kids, there had to be huge doses of loving! Right?) She was also a dutiful and supportive wife. She was a great partner to her husband, my father, with whom she had this uncanny way of being an effective helpmeet without being intrusive.

I had hoped for more years to savour the richness of maami's eventful and exemplary life, but God's plans are far above ours.

My highest joy is that in all her ups and downs, trials and successes, gains and losses, whether in the physical or spiritual realm, she did no miss personally knowing the salvation of Christ whom she also served as best as she could.

Sleep on, Mama Fikayo.