June 9, 2021
June 9, 2021
TRIBUTE SUBMITTED BY DR ADERONKE AJAV, 'BEERE' OF BABA VENERABLE GODWIN ADEBAYO OGUNLOWO
I have personally gained a lot from reading tributes of even those I never met in life. Hence my desire to share things I think may be useful. It is not in any way to paint my dad as a perfect man who made no mistakes. We also desire that during Baba's burial and in all things about him and his demise, God will be glorified, Saint's will be edified and sinner's will embrace the truth, in Jesus name Amen. Do have a happy reading.
'My daddy, my daddy the Emeritus Venerable Nonagenerian Godwin Adebayo Ogunlowo J.P!' (Calling my dad with these words always brought a smile to his face and a nod of his head so I used it for routine greeting till he passed on). To God be the glory great things he has done! An inexhaustible list of such things God has done includes (i) bringing our father into this world, (ii) marvellously helping him to live to the relatively ripe old age of ninety-one years in remarkably good health and high spirits, in spite of the challenges encountered along the way and above all, (iii) helping him to finish well to be with our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven at the end of his sojourn on earth. HALELUJAH.
Childhood.
When I was about seven years old I heard my mum telling an uncle that “this particular child (referring to me) thinks the world of her dad and loves him too much” (not sure how she came to that conclusion). My dad took me to school and brought me back. He was very easy to approach and relate with. He was quick to apologize and quick to forgive. He was very appreciative and very thankful. He also treated his wife well; he didn’t use to shout at her.
Stories.
We were once together in a car and the brake failed while he was driving. I was sitting in the front and totally oblivious of what happened. He too didn’t panic or express any anxiety. When by Gods help he finally parked the car, he asked me if I knew what had happened. After I answered in the negative, he took time to explain what a brake failure was and the bad possibilities God saved us from. He then said I should thank God, he didn’t let moments of thanksgiving pass by. This continued till he passed on eg he always thanked my husband for his cooperation. (‘Emma, thank you for your cooperation’)
Another time my dad was asked to share the word of God in a gathering; he was given a one week notice. He was certainly not born again at that time. I remember he took me with him to the house of one uncle Adeleke (who went to be with the lord some years ago). On getting there he expressed his inadequacy in the area of sharing the word of God, and wanted uncle to please show him relevant bible portions. Uncle Adeleke was glad to assist and used the opportunity to emphasize the need for a personal relationship with God as well as the need to be grounded in the word of God.
When I gave my life to Jesus Christ (actually when I became openly committed to Jesus Christ), my dad beat me, withdrew me from school and threatened to disown me, but when he too gave his life to Christ, he understood that we should all be following Jesus because He is The Way.
Dad tried (with mum) to visit on our birthdays to sing, pray and share the joy of the day with us. On my birthday of 2020 I went to greet him at home (he was unwilling to go out because of Covid-19). By 2021 I had to remind him on the day and asked for a birthday song. I decided to sing for myself when he didn’t respond promptly. He later joined in a low voice but smiled all through. I didn’t want to allow the thought that it might be the last birthday I will have with him around. It turned out to be.
On one of my birthdays, daddy called me aside to express his displeasure at the grown grass in my compound. (Because the gardener was away) He advised that we maintain the cleanness he had always met. Also, when he visited me during my house-job in BMC, Ogbomosho (1988/89), he expressed delight at the neatness of the house. These two acts lend credence to his neatness as a person. My dad was very neat and tidy; he wore clean shirts that were well ironed and didn’t wear a shirt for more than one day at a time.
Daddy was peace-loving. This story is about a lady he spoke roughly to one day in church. At their next service he quickly went to meet her to say “I didn’t tell mummy what happened so don’t feel awkward in her presence and I have also forgiven you so be yourself.” It was the lady herself who thereafter went to tell my mum all that had happened; she was amazed at such openness and peace loving disposition of his heart.
Daddy had faith in God. About a week to my engagement, my mum reminded him that he hadn’t given her money. He replied that a week is a long time that God knew exactly when the money will be required. True to God’s word, a big message of supplies came few days to the event that more than took care of everything. God is faithful. May we be among those who experience his faithfulness.
Reports show that daddy had a good testimony at work. He was a dutiful, respectful, responsible and dependable person at work who stood for the right among other good qualities. He rose to be Chief Protocol Officer and served four (4) governors/military administrators in Oyo State. Someone told him he should have used the platforms to enrich himself. He was a diligent administrator who knew and followed the civil service rules. He also headed the Oyo State Civil Service Training School at a time. On an occasion, hot water poured on the thigh of a female member of staff in his office. The other members of staff felt application of raw pap (ogi) was the best first aid and unanimously agreed my dad should take the lady home to apply ogi. They said they were certain my dad would not tamper with or defile the lady at home. Thank God he truly did not.
Towards the end. On 9th march 2021, I passed by Iwo road to see how daddy was recovering from a bout of malaria. He was sitting on a small bench on the veranda outside the house upstairs. He even accepted to eat some carrots. I finally left him in the company of a neighbour, as I had returned to U.I. I was surprised with a call after about four hours that he was in a bad state and needed care. It was finally decided that he should be taken to stay with me in U.I. it turned out to be the parting gift of fellowship with him on earth before his demise.
The Big Scare About two weeks after his ninety-first birthday, daddy called as many of us (children and others) as he could to thank and pray for us one by one. He also uttered some sentences that both amused and scared us, for example “Awayemalo ko si, eyin ni ki e se okan giri; (No one lives on in the world forever, brace yourself up for the eventuality) “laala alagbase tan!” (the task of the labourer is over) “baba ti lo”; (daddy has gone) “aku ara feraku odun ajina si ra”. (we shall miss the departed, may deaths be far and inbetween).
“Tell the eye doctor that I won’t be able to keep his appointment, you will explain why to him when you see him”. He also said “the greatest guest I am expecting has arrived. I want to celebrate it with Holy Communion, tell Venerable Akinade to come and give me communion at 5pm this evening.” And during the communion he told the Venerable “you will preach at my commendation service”. When I said daddy where are you even going, he said heaven. Are you afraid? He said no.
After the Scare About a month after the scare, daddy started requesting to go home saying “take me home so that I can go home. I want to go home, to my house, where my room I, where I sleep. Take me home so that I can go home.” When it was obvious that he meant it, he was finally taken home (Iwo road) on the 28th of May 2021 at about 9pm. And he went home (Heaven) at about 6am on 29th of May 2021 after singing songs of victory throughout the night. I thank God that my dad has gone to be with the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I thank God that as the Lord Bishop of Oke Osun Diocese (Anglican Communion), the Rt Revd O.A Fabuluje put it ‘Eja ka dupe pe Baba yi ko doju igbagbo ti wa’ (we should be thankful that the departed baba did not disgrace the household of faith) i.e. his departure matched his profession. He said it would have been a disgrace, if at the time of his departure he was found to be a cultist/ occultist or manifesting any other position apart from being in Christ. All of these have served as a real and rich comfort to me since his departure. TO GOD INDEED AND ALONE BE ALL THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE. AMEN.
Sundry Lessons
Wemimo (my niece the ‘lawyer-nurse’) and I observed an unofficial routine of checking daddy to confirm he hadn’t passed on overnight. One day the Holy Spirit helped us to realise that any of us could have passed on overnight not only daddy.
Others
Me: Daddy, we have been on this cup of Milo (beverage) for two and a half hours and you haven’t finished it, please hurry up for my sake so I can get to do other things
My Dad: Be patient
Me: Daddy what additional patience are you demanding for after two and a half hours?
Holy Spirit to me: Yes be patient. Your patience is not to yourself, it is to others. Be patient.
Me; yes sir
Daddy: Your cousin gave me a thousand naira. I paid tithe of N100, gave two people N100 each. I now have N700.00. Have I lost anything?
Me: You have not lost anything sir.
Thank God he truly didn’t lose any thing
When I read in the Bible that if parents being evil know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will our Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him (Mathew 7 vs 11), I immediately retorted in my heart that my dad was not evil. It was after a while that the Holy Spirit helped me to understand that if God calls what I think is that good evil; it should help me to understand how infinitely good God is. God is good! On this premise permit me to say that if you are yet to do so, please give your heart to Jesus Christ TODAY
We certainly love and will miss Daddy. It is comforting that our Father in Heaven will fill the gap for us.
Dr Aderonke B. Ajav
‘Beere’, and the Chief of them all (according to daddy)
I have personally gained a lot from reading tributes of even those I never met in life. Hence my desire to share things I think may be useful. It is not in any way to paint my dad as a perfect man who made no mistakes. We also desire that during Baba's burial and in all things about him and his demise, God will be glorified, Saint's will be edified and sinner's will embrace the truth, in Jesus name Amen. Do have a happy reading.
'My daddy, my daddy the Emeritus Venerable Nonagenerian Godwin Adebayo Ogunlowo J.P!' (Calling my dad with these words always brought a smile to his face and a nod of his head so I used it for routine greeting till he passed on). To God be the glory great things he has done! An inexhaustible list of such things God has done includes (i) bringing our father into this world, (ii) marvellously helping him to live to the relatively ripe old age of ninety-one years in remarkably good health and high spirits, in spite of the challenges encountered along the way and above all, (iii) helping him to finish well to be with our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven at the end of his sojourn on earth. HALELUJAH.
Childhood.
When I was about seven years old I heard my mum telling an uncle that “this particular child (referring to me) thinks the world of her dad and loves him too much” (not sure how she came to that conclusion). My dad took me to school and brought me back. He was very easy to approach and relate with. He was quick to apologize and quick to forgive. He was very appreciative and very thankful. He also treated his wife well; he didn’t use to shout at her.
Stories.
We were once together in a car and the brake failed while he was driving. I was sitting in the front and totally oblivious of what happened. He too didn’t panic or express any anxiety. When by Gods help he finally parked the car, he asked me if I knew what had happened. After I answered in the negative, he took time to explain what a brake failure was and the bad possibilities God saved us from. He then said I should thank God, he didn’t let moments of thanksgiving pass by. This continued till he passed on eg he always thanked my husband for his cooperation. (‘Emma, thank you for your cooperation’)
Another time my dad was asked to share the word of God in a gathering; he was given a one week notice. He was certainly not born again at that time. I remember he took me with him to the house of one uncle Adeleke (who went to be with the lord some years ago). On getting there he expressed his inadequacy in the area of sharing the word of God, and wanted uncle to please show him relevant bible portions. Uncle Adeleke was glad to assist and used the opportunity to emphasize the need for a personal relationship with God as well as the need to be grounded in the word of God.
When I gave my life to Jesus Christ (actually when I became openly committed to Jesus Christ), my dad beat me, withdrew me from school and threatened to disown me, but when he too gave his life to Christ, he understood that we should all be following Jesus because He is The Way.
Dad tried (with mum) to visit on our birthdays to sing, pray and share the joy of the day with us. On my birthday of 2020 I went to greet him at home (he was unwilling to go out because of Covid-19). By 2021 I had to remind him on the day and asked for a birthday song. I decided to sing for myself when he didn’t respond promptly. He later joined in a low voice but smiled all through. I didn’t want to allow the thought that it might be the last birthday I will have with him around. It turned out to be.
On one of my birthdays, daddy called me aside to express his displeasure at the grown grass in my compound. (Because the gardener was away) He advised that we maintain the cleanness he had always met. Also, when he visited me during my house-job in BMC, Ogbomosho (1988/89), he expressed delight at the neatness of the house. These two acts lend credence to his neatness as a person. My dad was very neat and tidy; he wore clean shirts that were well ironed and didn’t wear a shirt for more than one day at a time.
Daddy was peace-loving. This story is about a lady he spoke roughly to one day in church. At their next service he quickly went to meet her to say “I didn’t tell mummy what happened so don’t feel awkward in her presence and I have also forgiven you so be yourself.” It was the lady herself who thereafter went to tell my mum all that had happened; she was amazed at such openness and peace loving disposition of his heart.
Daddy had faith in God. About a week to my engagement, my mum reminded him that he hadn’t given her money. He replied that a week is a long time that God knew exactly when the money will be required. True to God’s word, a big message of supplies came few days to the event that more than took care of everything. God is faithful. May we be among those who experience his faithfulness.
Reports show that daddy had a good testimony at work. He was a dutiful, respectful, responsible and dependable person at work who stood for the right among other good qualities. He rose to be Chief Protocol Officer and served four (4) governors/military administrators in Oyo State. Someone told him he should have used the platforms to enrich himself. He was a diligent administrator who knew and followed the civil service rules. He also headed the Oyo State Civil Service Training School at a time. On an occasion, hot water poured on the thigh of a female member of staff in his office. The other members of staff felt application of raw pap (ogi) was the best first aid and unanimously agreed my dad should take the lady home to apply ogi. They said they were certain my dad would not tamper with or defile the lady at home. Thank God he truly did not.
Towards the end. On 9th march 2021, I passed by Iwo road to see how daddy was recovering from a bout of malaria. He was sitting on a small bench on the veranda outside the house upstairs. He even accepted to eat some carrots. I finally left him in the company of a neighbour, as I had returned to U.I. I was surprised with a call after about four hours that he was in a bad state and needed care. It was finally decided that he should be taken to stay with me in U.I. it turned out to be the parting gift of fellowship with him on earth before his demise.
The Big Scare About two weeks after his ninety-first birthday, daddy called as many of us (children and others) as he could to thank and pray for us one by one. He also uttered some sentences that both amused and scared us, for example “Awayemalo ko si, eyin ni ki e se okan giri; (No one lives on in the world forever, brace yourself up for the eventuality) “laala alagbase tan!” (the task of the labourer is over) “baba ti lo”; (daddy has gone) “aku ara feraku odun ajina si ra”. (we shall miss the departed, may deaths be far and inbetween).
“Tell the eye doctor that I won’t be able to keep his appointment, you will explain why to him when you see him”. He also said “the greatest guest I am expecting has arrived. I want to celebrate it with Holy Communion, tell Venerable Akinade to come and give me communion at 5pm this evening.” And during the communion he told the Venerable “you will preach at my commendation service”. When I said daddy where are you even going, he said heaven. Are you afraid? He said no.
After the Scare About a month after the scare, daddy started requesting to go home saying “take me home so that I can go home. I want to go home, to my house, where my room I, where I sleep. Take me home so that I can go home.” When it was obvious that he meant it, he was finally taken home (Iwo road) on the 28th of May 2021 at about 9pm. And he went home (Heaven) at about 6am on 29th of May 2021 after singing songs of victory throughout the night. I thank God that my dad has gone to be with the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I thank God that as the Lord Bishop of Oke Osun Diocese (Anglican Communion), the Rt Revd O.A Fabuluje put it ‘Eja ka dupe pe Baba yi ko doju igbagbo ti wa’ (we should be thankful that the departed baba did not disgrace the household of faith) i.e. his departure matched his profession. He said it would have been a disgrace, if at the time of his departure he was found to be a cultist/ occultist or manifesting any other position apart from being in Christ. All of these have served as a real and rich comfort to me since his departure. TO GOD INDEED AND ALONE BE ALL THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE. AMEN.
Sundry Lessons
Wemimo (my niece the ‘lawyer-nurse’) and I observed an unofficial routine of checking daddy to confirm he hadn’t passed on overnight. One day the Holy Spirit helped us to realise that any of us could have passed on overnight not only daddy.
Others
Me: Daddy, we have been on this cup of Milo (beverage) for two and a half hours and you haven’t finished it, please hurry up for my sake so I can get to do other things
My Dad: Be patient
Me: Daddy what additional patience are you demanding for after two and a half hours?
Holy Spirit to me: Yes be patient. Your patience is not to yourself, it is to others. Be patient.
Me; yes sir
Daddy: Your cousin gave me a thousand naira. I paid tithe of N100, gave two people N100 each. I now have N700.00. Have I lost anything?
Me: You have not lost anything sir.
Thank God he truly didn’t lose any thing
When I read in the Bible that if parents being evil know how to give good gifts to their children, how much more will our Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit to those that ask Him (Mathew 7 vs 11), I immediately retorted in my heart that my dad was not evil. It was after a while that the Holy Spirit helped me to understand that if God calls what I think is that good evil; it should help me to understand how infinitely good God is. God is good! On this premise permit me to say that if you are yet to do so, please give your heart to Jesus Christ TODAY
We certainly love and will miss Daddy. It is comforting that our Father in Heaven will fill the gap for us.
Dr Aderonke B. Ajav
‘Beere’, and the Chief of them all (according to daddy)