ForeverMissed
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His Life

PRAYER TO OBATALA

November 26, 2014


Obatala king of kings
Your kingdom in the sky
Your glory, hope, faith & charity
Father of all good of all white

Obatal king of kings
Your emblem is peace
Give us the wisdom to understand what
cannot be understood
Give us courage in this stressful time
Patience and resignation to endure any pain
Give us peace of mind and in our hearts

Father Obatala take care of us and our
families night & day in vigil or while a asleep
We trust your ala your sheltering mantle
We trust your power, supreme redeemer 

November 26, 2014

Our Parents Kenneth and Enid Smith came to England in 1954 and 1956 respectively. Married in Jamaica in 1953 their first son Wayne was born there.

My Brother Andrew Smith aka Oxalando Efuntola-Smith was both on January 30th 1957 at St Stephens Hopsital in Chelsea, South West London.

Andrew became the second son of Enid and Kenneth Smith and the younger broth of Wayne who was born 5 years earlier. 3 more children folled Andrew - Ian, Janice and Susan - that's me. 

The five of us grew up in East Dulwich in the family home at Gowlett Rd. We had a great childhood.
Sunday trips out to the zoo. Our father and mother always made a point of having a family day...time spent in Goose Green, Dulwich and Battersea Parks
were our foundation of our childhood.


Andrews' nickname was Druge. Because he liked eating sugar wine gums.

My elders brother recalls, Andrew as a toddler liked to pet Dogs.
One day in Dulwich Park with our parents he petted a dog "hi doggie nice doggie' the dog growled
Andy thought uh oh jumped on his tricycle started to peddle as the dog gave chase... relaizing the tricycle could not move on grass he jumped off and took off like a rocket dog in toe...
Dad resued him - Wayne fell about laughing.


By all accounts, Andrew was a stout baby, an energetic toddler, an advertourous child, rebellious teenager all the time with lots of energy, mischievous, adventurous and always ready to take on a dare of some kind.

Andrew attended Grove Vale Primary School in East Dulwich from Sept 1962 to July 1968. He attended Boys Brigade with his brother Ian & Sunday school with his siblings.

My father recalls Andrew and his younger brother Ian playing Sheriff & Villain Ian becoming upset because he was always the Villain and Andrew always was the Sherriff never the villain, often Ian refused to play.

Dad says Andrew was always the first one out of school he remembers fondly.

Andrew attended Thomas Calton Secondary School in Sept '68 to July 73'. It was during the early years in secondary school that Andrew thought it would be a good idea to go down a hill on a bike with no brakes and went thru a glass shop door... that was a long night in Casualty but he emerged ever triumphant battle scars and all ready to take on something else no fears what's next?


Summer holidays were spent in Goose Green Park. Little brothers and sisters with food at the top whilst the elder brothers and their friends played football at the other end. 

After leaving school he became a newspaper boy for the evening news.
He worked as a Sound Engineer at GTO records.
On Saturdays he had a stall at Portobello Road doe a few years, until he decided to go back to study and expand his mind.
That led to Andrew attending
Morley and Southwark College,
The Laban Centre and Roehampton Institute.
Gaining accredited qualifications in various media fields.


One job he loved was a residential care worker at St Mark's Children's Home in Ladbroke Grove, he worked tirelessly for the bettering of his young charges.

This led in between his transition to travel to Brazil and Gambia to name a few places were he embraced his ancestors and gained a higher understanding of self and history of those that have come before us. 

His visit to Bahia in Brazil was pivotal and changed him from Andy to Oxalando. Embracing Candomble.

This started a passage of rites and helped my brother to find his vocation and purpose in life to help others, educate, support and inspire.

Andrew's love of Music was vast he liked many genres. Bohemian Rapsody was his all-time favorites. He saw them in concert in 1975 in Wembley - he invented the air guitar... well I think so.

He was a Musician, a drummer with Afrobloc, London School of Samba and regularly played at the Notting Hill Carnival each year without fail.

Andrew and I both danced in a dance group called 10 Percent. We performed at many different events all over London in the early 80's. Brother Wayne was the manager of the group.  

My Brother taught me about London so I would never get lost. I learned about football from him we would watch Match Of The Day together and dress up in Man Utd colours
watch the cup final eating fish & chips. Even in his final days he was listening to Talk Sport.  


Family was at his very heart, as I am sure all of us can testify to that. Family by blood; Family by spirit and family by common purpose.
His kindness, thoughtfulness, his Bear Hugs, his Wry Smile and endless knowledge resonant with every single one of us tofay.


This has been but a snapshot into who Our Brother Andy, Andrew, Oxalando is.
My Brother was and still is a kind hearted, thoughtful man who loved his family very, very much and loved his friends and leave a legacy of achievement.


We celebrate his life we celebrate his passing. We will miss you our brother, our son, my beloved, our cousin, our friend
Andrew - Oxalando Efuntola-Smith. 


We know the Ancestors have much more work for you to do. 
Spread your wings and Fly...

Ashe Ashe Ashe