TOS Funerals, LTD. Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria,
Africa
In 1997, whilst working as a nurse, Taiwo had a dream about going into the funeral industry but no knowledge of where or how to begin. While serving as a private nurse to a terminally ill patient, Taiwo nursed her, they shared stories of their own lives and became friends. When Taiwo went to the mortuary to see her body, she looked very different. The dream began to nudge at her. She recalled rarely seeing any deceased lying-in-state look like they did when they were living. This thought continued to linger with her and she prayed. Taiwo heard God say "you can make a change". She decided to embark on the venture tagged "Nigerian Funeral Industry Revamp" with the support of her late husband, Olalekan Ogunsola.
In 1998 Taiwo began an apprenticeship in the UK, with East Surrey Hospital and J.E. Gillmans & Sons of Tooting, London to gain a diploma in embalmment and mortuary management. With a business and nursing background, she was able to rapidly understand the technical and business management aspects of the industry.
In 1999, Taiwo returned to Nigeria after successfully concluding her training and began a partnership that became Lotard Funeral Services Ltd, in which she was Managing Director, CEO and Chief Embalmer. Taiwo conceptualized the business; arranged the commissioning of the project; secured the land; supervised the construction of the physical infrastructures; landscaped the site, and ordered and supervised installation of the 24 chamber mortuary. Within the first three months the business had already embalmed approximately 50 corpses and arranged 40 funerals. However, due to differences that were unsettled, Taiwo left the business in 2000. Despite being very discouraged, her late husband encouraged her to forge ahead, count the losses and begin again.
Taiwo registered the company name TOS Funerals Ltd. (Taiwo Ogunsola and Sons- TOS) in 2000 and began to apply for bank loans and freehold land with her husband.
A bomb blast disaster in 2001 in Lagos led to the government seeking professionals to embalm and preserve the bodies of victims totaling over 200. Taiwo took on and implored the job successfully with the help and support of her husband. This assignment gave Taiwo the first insight into the conditions of the government managed mortuaries in Lagos State. As always, she prayed about the situation and the duo then wrote their first proposal to the state government to equip and manage the mortuary facilities.
Finally in 2002, their efforts won through as Taiwo was awarded the contract with Lagos State Government to supply and install 48 chamber body mortuaries to renovate Gbagada General Hospital Mortuary, and in addition supply and install 100 chamber body mortuaries to renovate Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Mortuary; projects which also both involved rebuilding the existing structures and landscaping the grounds. Further to building and equipping both mortuaries, Taiwo was also given the contract to operate and manage both mortuaries under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme with Lagos State Government. To date both mortuaries have a staff count that is 50 strong.
Gaining the trust of the Nigerian healthcare profession took time, especially entering into an industry where there were already funeral home establishments in their second and third generation ownership, so attaining the opportunity to make an impact and make changes took a lot of patience. To enhance the company Taiwo took membership with several international professional bodies and became certified in the funeral service field: Certified Crematory Operator; Member of the British Institute of Embalmers with Higher Diploma in Mortuary Science; Certified Funeral Services Practitioner; Member of the Organization: 100 Black Women in Funeral Service, USA; Member of NFDA, USA; Member of NFDAMA, USA; Member of NAFD, UK.
It wasn't until 2008, after several years of proven success that Taiwo was again awarded further contracts by Lagos State Government to supply and install 52 and 140 chamber body mortuaries to renovate Mainland (Yaba) General Hospital Mortuary (now known as the Social Responsibility Centre for Lagos State) and Lagos Island Hospital Mortuary respectively. In preparation for the Cremation Bill that was to be passed in Nigeria, Taiwo also supplied and installed a crematorium at the Mainland (Yaba) General Hospital Mortuary, the very first in the State for Lagos Government.
Once again a testament to the hard work of Taiwo and TOS was the award of the contract to supply and install 72 chamber body mortuaries for Ogun State Government in 2009.
In 2012, TOS began managing the Mainland (Yaba) General Hospital Mortuary facility on behalf of Lagos State Government. It was in this year that the Dana Flight 992 Disaster occurred and Taiwo had to equip and operate the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Mortuary as the crisis center during the aftermath.
2013 saw TOS Funerals acting as consultant for the Lagos State Government and managing an emergency project to close Isolo General Hospital Morgue, involving the delicate transfer of corpses, management of families and notification of the public. This year also saw the long awaited opening of TOS Funerals first private mortuary in Alausa on Wednesday 10th April 2013, and was dedicated in memory of Taiwo's late husband.
Taiwo is thankful to God for the support she had from her late husband and for the great children that he blessed her with. Together with her 3 children, with the rest of the great TOS team, TOS Funerals will keep reaching to greater heights and will build a legacy that will outlive them, generations to come.
Award of Excellence Recipient Nancy Lohman
Florida Funeral Operations, Ormond Beach, FL
The International Cemetery Cremation and Funeral Association marked its 126th founding year in Tampa, FL with the historic election and inauguration of its second female president, Nancy Lohman. Nancy serves as the Regional Director of StoneMor Partners LP, Florida Funeral Service Operations including Lohman Funeral Homes, Cemeteries and Cremation.
Nancy is a licensed funeral director and past president of the Southern Cemetery, Cremation, & Funeral Association.
Nancy was honored by the 100 BWFS with the 2013 International Award of Excellence for her historic leadership, professionalism, dedication and work ethic in the funeral service profession.
100 BWFS proudly salute and recognize the experience and greatness of Historic ICCFA President Lohman and pledge our support for our sister of funeral service in all of her endeavors in the profession.