Adeleke Babatunde

PMO — as we fondly called you.

You walked among us not as a visitor —
but as a vessel of grace.
Not as a title-holder —
but as the Ada of our family —
Obantu, the only girl, the gem of our lineage,
the founder and heartbeat of AMAA —
your beloved movie industry constituency.

Both within and outside the family,
your hands built bridges where others saw walls.
Your voice brought calm where chaos reigned.
Your presence was peace — quiet, steady, unshakable.

As Ada, you wore the crown with such grace —
without complaint, despite its burdens at times —
carrying ancestral honor with humble dignity.
You embraced every duty, fulfilled every rite, held every burden —
yet never faltered, never shrank, never asked for rest.
In all things, you made sure all had their voice.

In the city’s rush, you remained rooted —
an urban soul with village deep wisdom.
You held the family together like threads woven tight —
not by force, but by wise counsel and love.

Your love touched all:
the motherless child with no shoes,
the elder with no voice,
the stranger at the gate,
the colleague in crisis,
the rival who needed mercy, and much more. Your good deeds will speak for you.

For your constituency —
you turned red carpets into platforms of dignity,
applause into affirmation for African creatives.
With tireless energy and spirit strong,
you turned the unknown into the iconic.
You ensured that all who deserved it —
regardless of their journey — were celebrated:
One film. One actor. One award. At a time. All the time.

For over two decades, you did this —
and consistently showed up for your constituency.
All who deserved it — got their laurels.

You radiated uncommon humility.
Your vision wasn’t just about glitz —
it was about grit and craft.,
Like an Amazon on a great mission —
your energy gave great testimony to this.

For you, it was all about giving African cinema
the respect, dignity, recognition, and runway it deserved. Gladly, it all came to pass in your lifetime, leaving your protégés to carry on the message.

In your mission, you exhibited fierce grace and candor —
calm mien, yet bold laughter, courage, and relentless energy —
big enough to hold every artist, every dreamer, every underdog
who walked into your orbit — with open arms and a kind and warm embrace.

For your qualities — born of sheer love —
many in your industry, young and old,
succumbed to calling you “Mama”.

You saw no outsiders.
Only kin.

Your love was unconditional.
Your door was open to all.
Your table was shared.
Your time was given — freely, generously, tirelessly.

Your industry wasn’t just work —
it was craft. It was worship.
You poured passion into every project, every meeting, every handshake, every pursuit —
all with so much grace.

Colleagues adored you.
Competitors respected you.
But above all — you were cherished.
Deeply. Universally.

And your creed?

“There is room for all.”_
“There is space for every dream.”
“Competition divides — collaboration completes.”

You believed abundance was God’s design — available too for all who claimed it. You preached it, you lived it.

So you shared —
your time, your talent, your table, your wisdom, even your last coin.

Three years on —
testimonies from countless “outsiders” still abound,
giving credence to these special qualities of yours.

Your name still opens doors today.
Your spirit still fuels movements.
Your legacy still rolls out the red carpet for the next generation.

Your work lives on —
in every award handed out,
in every film celebrated,
in every actor who shows craft,
in every young director who dares to dream —
because your paths crossed…
and you graciously chose to make space for them. The echo of your professional voice stilll strong today.

Your legacy?
Not written in headlines.
Not cast in stone.
But in changed lives.
In transformed hearts.
Etched in the smiles of those you left behind —
the families you held together,
the communities you touched and nourished.

Three years on —
you leave behind:

• A family made better because you showed up —
  you were our glue, our comfort, our anchor. How can we forget?
• A constituency uplifted.
• An industry enriched by your presence.
• A world made kinder — and more importantly —
  hope-filled for those who dare to dream.

We will all miss you deeply —
and remain glad our paths crossed.

PMO — may your soul rest in perfect peace —
in the arms of the Divine,
where all burdens cease,
all tears dry,
and all love finds its fullest home and true meaning.

Obantu. Ada. Peace-maker. Love-giver. Legacy-carrier.

We wish you love and light always —
in the bosom of the Lord.

May you live in our hearts —
in everlasting remembrance.

Amen. 🙏🏾

THE ANYIAM-OSIGWE FAMILY