She made a mark of her own
View(s):Living to be a hundred is a blessing, and so it is with Aunty Rowena Ahlip who has reached this magical mark.
Born the eldest progeny of that Malay statesman, educationist and Cabinet Minister in the first post-Independent government of Ceylon, the late Dr. T. B. Jayah on November 27, 1916, she had her schooling at Ladies’ College, Colombo where she was a prefect. In later years, for a while she lived in Pakistan where her father was posted as the Ceylon’s first High Commissioner.
Married to Enver Ahlip, they had six lovely children – five girls and a boy. The girls inherited the mother’s beauty with two of them, Yolande and Saiang being crowned Princess of Lanka (1970) and Miss Sri Lanka (1975) respectively while eldest daughter Yasmin was runner-up in the Miss Ceylon Pageant in 1960. Son Firdouse (Maiyo) was a fine cricketer who played for his alma mater Zahira College and subsequently Division I Cricket for Nomads Sports Club, Moors Sports Club and also the Colombo Malay Cricket Club.
Aunty Rowena brought up her six children in the best Malay traditions and it is to her credit that they grew up in this environment with some of her daughters being great exponents of Malay cultural dances.
Aunty Rowena was an energetic and dedicated social worker who was in the forefront of many organisations. She is today, the oldest living member of the first Ceylonese cricket club, the Colombo Malay Cricket Club founded in 1872 and also the Sri Lanka Malay Association (1922). She was a pillar and among the founding members of the Sri Lanka Malay Association Rupee Fund.
In 1984, she went to Baghdad at the invitation of the Iraqi government to attend a conference on the “Gulf War and its consequences”. Again, in 1985 Aunty Rowena went to Iraq – this time invited by the General Federation of Iraqi Women where she presented a paper on “Muslim Women in Sri Lanka”.
In a hard-hitting article in the souvenir published to mark “The Malay World Symposium 1985” held in Sri Lanka titled “The Curtain Falls”, she espoused the cause of the Sri Lankan Malays stating that what was being sought was not state patronage, but Malay representation in the legislature to look after the interests of the Community.
Aunty Rowena, you shouldn’t only be congratulated for reaching 100, an amazing milestone in itself, but also praised for the love, caring and wisdom you’ve given so generously every day for many of the 100 years. Happy 100th birthday!
- Branu Rahim