Mrs. Tamunominini Olufunke Makinde, wife of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, reportedly explained how she was given her Yoruba name in an interview with the newspaper’s correspondent, as reported in today’s online edition of The Nigerian Tribune.
She explained how she got her name, Olufunke, and mentioned that she and her husband, who is now 52 years old, have been married for more than 32 years.
She recalled, “It was probably the second year or so that I began making regular visits to his house.” When he had friends over, they’d all yell “Omi, omi” at me. My full name, Omi, would be shortened to “Omi.”
She explained that Seyi Makinde had anticipated the pronunciation barrier when they first got married, even though she had never spent much time in the Western portion of the country before. So, she has no clue what Omi is referring to.
She remarked, “I do not know the ramifications of how names are shortened and the pronunciations and the connotations.” My husband came up with the moniker “Olufunke” for me and asked that I legally change my name to include his new surname.
She claimed responsibility for its creation, explaining how she came to be known as “Olufunke.” When she inquired as to the meaning of her name, he said that it refers to “the one that God has given him” (Seyi Makinde) in order to nurture, and she found this very endearing.
