Tribute to my Late dad (Professor Olasupo Adedokun)
Hello Papa, today makes it one year you passed and it is still very hard to come to terms that you actually gone.
Losing a parent actually made me understand the pain that comes with losing someone to death, have been there and now I know.
The wound still remains fresh like its yesterday, Daddy I still struggle with your absence.
Daddy you were a very private man, you were humble (you took things of life very simple till your death), you lived a complete quiet life, you believed in being humane and the fact that we all are equal and deserve to be treated equally irrespective of whatever.
You stood for the truth no matter what or who was involved, you fought for the truth even if it meant losing your life for that course, you were always keen on doing what is right (your entire life was a true definition of honesty).
You never forced your choices on us but you were always there to guide us (my dad will tell you – its your right, its your choice and I will never force anything on you but you know you could do it this way if you want and then he leaves you to make your decision). Daddy you were extraordinary.
Someone said to me: its natural for you to be favoured, your father was a complete truthful and honest man, he was a good man, was always himself.
You were and continue to be a true model of integrity, principles, work ethics, professionalism and you will forever be my number one hero.
You taught us contentment but to always give room for improvement (for one of your favourite saying was – only in contentment can man truly find peace), you taught us not to be judgemental of others but to always do the needful without being biased.
Thank you for those sessions of counselling (I remember you putting it to us then as kids – am sure you all wondering why I put you through this serious talk often, you’ll not appreciate all am doing now till you grow), am glad I made you realise during your lifetime those sessions had helped me come this far in life.
You taught us independence, self reliance, honesty and all the good virtues man can think of. You taught us NEVER to expect anything or feel anyone is indebted to us in anyway, you’ll say no one owes you nothing, whatever it is – you owe YOURSELF.
Am grateful you lived a fulfilled and complete life of virtue. May God almighty forgive your shortcomings (for of course there is no perfect human being), and grant your pure soul Paradise.
Your grandkids are grateful for you being the founder of their Education Insurance (their yearly birthday gift from their extraordinary grandpa😊).
You know Darrak still doesn’t understand you gone each time he asks of you and I tell him you now very far away from us, he says I will become a power ranger and get grandpa from wherever he maybe, you know he still remembers your random unannounced visits to him at school with goodies each time you were in town, just last week he saw a car parked in his school premises like yours and said to me – mummy see grandpa’s jeep and then he began to narrate how he sat with you in the car and you handing over those goodies each time you visited, he still remembers those rhymes you taught him & am sure misses the drumming sessions you had together, even little Nabillah sees your pictures and keeps chanting grandpa!!!, you loved those kids so so passionately.
Thank you for everything you were to us and the grandkids. We will uphold your legacies and never shall we forget your wishes before you passed.
You said you were never going to betray us and I see you are still with us – thanks for always showing up the way you do – am worried before I go to bed and in my sleep I see you confidently having a chat with me, calming my tensed nerves, telling me never to worry about a thing because of this I know and believe you are in a much better place.
You worked so so hard during your lifetime even forgetting the fact that you were aging, you’ll do whatever needed to be done without having to wait for anyone (your independence was beyond imagination), I just wished you stayed around much longer to reap more fruits of your hardwork.
You are always remembered and forever missed daddy, but then I take solace in your words which were usually ‘ Am over seventy already and can drop dead anytime, nobody tells me what to do and when to, at this point in my life I just want to live and when my time comes to depart I want to leave prepared – we humans are just here for a period of time and we all shall someday leave whether we like it or not and then you’ll cap it all up by saying ‘ igba laa ni , enikan o laye’.
You were prepared, you bid us farewell more than enough ( but we were naive, we thought you were just being your usual wise saying self, we never knew it would happen this quick, you were always full of life, so I never gave much thought to a time when you wouldn’t be around)
Thank you for all those beautiful prayers….you fulfilled and completed your obligation as a father and professional (a life of purpose dedicated to service of humanity through research, you worked day and night on your free non – profit making Research Institute: you had it all planned), you ended well daddy. It is true that life is not measured by its duration but by its donation.
To every beautiful soul (within and off the shores of Nigeria)who stood by us during our trying time, we appreciate your time, prayers, calls, gifts and messages. May God meet you at your point of need. Eniyan ni aso iyi wa. Gbogbo wa la ma gbeyin arugbo wa lagbara Olorun. Thank you!!!
With Subtlety but firmness, daddy you prepared us for the future. If I were to choose my father, I will choose you over and over again. I will do my best to keep up your ideals.
Thank you Daddy!
I love and respect you even in death.
You forever remain my number one hero.
Continue to Rest in peace a man with a heart as pure as gold – baba oninure, abiyamo tooto Adigun omo Bello Adedokun!
Written by
Folake Adedokun Odebunmi
Daughter
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