Tunde, son of the late renowned social critic, Dr. Tai Solarin, said his mother, Sheila, died on Sunday as a result of injuries she sustained when she fell out from  a chair.

He said his  mother was fond of gathering children around herself while sitting on the chair from which she fell.

Tunde, who described his British mother as “an educationist who devoted the whole of her life time to teaching”, said the deceased sustained injuries, which eventually led to her death while trying to get up after she fell.

He said, “Even at old age she would sit on her chair, gather some children of staff members and others who used to come to her from outside and teach them.

“She died as a result of injuries sustained when she fell out from  her chair while trying to get out of it.”

Sheila, 88, died on Sunday afternoon at the Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State.

She had reportedly slipped while going to bed some months back and was rushed to the hospital where she was operated upon.

She was reported to have sustained a broken hip as a result of the domestic accident.

Tunde,  who spoke in Ikenne, said his  mother would be buried beside her husband in two weeks’ time after a meeting  with other family members.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has described Sheila’s passing  as “a big loss to the nation”.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President said  Sheila’s demise has left a big vacuum in the educational system of the country.

“Her remarkably long period in running the popular Mayflower School, Ikenne and teaching English in that school, made her to leave an indelible impact on generations of students who today occupy prominent positions in all sectors of the Nigerian society,” he said.

Wife of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief HID Awolowo, and other eminent Nigerians also condoled with the Solarin family over Sheila’s death.

Awolowo in her condolence letter to the Solarin family described Sheila as “a close family friend who would be greatly missed by all”.

HID added, “We are really going to miss her greatly and pray God to give the children and family the fortitude to bear the great loss.”

In  his condolence message, Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Mr.Olusegun Odubela, on his said “we cannot talk about education in Ogun State and Nigeria in general without mentioning mama’s name”.

Vice-Chancellor, Tai Solarin University of Education Ijagun, Prof. Segun Awonusi,  said, “Sheila was to our university both a physical and philosophical strength.”

President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin,  in a statement on Monday, said Sheila’s death “is a colossal loss to the Mayflower family, the education community in Nigeria and all admirers of the exemplary life of the Solarins all over the world”.

 – The Punch