Born on the 9 of May 1957, at Parson's Green Hospital Fulham, London, UK. He was the older of the two children of Deacon Timothy Akintunde and Deaconess Ibidun Adubi.
He had his primary school education at Ekotedo Primary School, Ibadan and secondary school education at Government College, Apata, Ibadan. He was admitted into University of Ife to study medicine but left for Wayland Baptist University Plainview, Texas after he was given a tuition scholarship. There he quickly proved himself and made the Wayland Baptist University President’s List in no time. How proud his parents were to receive a letter from the then President Ronald Reagan to this effect. From there, he proceeded to Casa Loma College in Los Angeles.
Akinwale was brought up in the Yoruba way of life with strict Christian values. He was a very obedient, respectful, generous, dutiful and hardworking young man, and always very studious. From a very young age he knew what he wanted from life and tried his very best to achieve his dreams.
Wale was a very brilliant person, a voracious reader, with an insatiable quest for knowledge. There was no topic he did not have knowledge of, and could not discuss with authority and passion. He had been referred to by several people at different times as ‘Professor’ and rightly so, because he was an authority on most subjects ranging from the mundane to politics, the sciences, the arts and even extra terrestrial, esoteric topics. On esoteric and extraterrestrial topics he had such vast, extraordinary and astounding knowledge. He had storage spaces filled with books and had written us volumes, which as ordinary unlearned folks we found difficult to understand. He would no doubt have had a wealth of information regarding the current pandemic with some conspiracy theories thrown in for good measure.
Wally, as he was known in Culver City, LA where he lived, was very much loved in his community. He was always ready to offer help when needed if he felt someone else’s need was greater than his. He loved Los Angeles and the American way of life, which made it an impossible task to get him to relocate to anywhere else in spite of the prospect of a better life.
Wally faced challenges, disappointments and hardship with courage, fortitude and resilience. Life was tough, but he was made of sterner stuff and he coped as best as he could under extremely severe, unbelievable and unimaginable conditions of life. This is a quote from his friend Nathalie on learning of his death, ‘His life was hard but Wale was a happy man. He was free and very proud to be’.
Several times he himself queried why his life was the way it was, but there seemed to be no way of escape from the hell that life had become. He was caught in a thicket that he couldn’t extricate himself from, lumbered with a way of life he never bargained for. Notwithstanding, with dogged determination he kept his hope alive.
He rededicated his life to God in January 2019, acknowledging the Lord Jesus Christ as his Master and Saviour.
On Saturday 25th of January, my husband had a strong urge to speak to him, we were on the phone to him for over an hour, talking on a range of topics including his health, relocating to Britain, his dreams and plans for the future. Alas, that would be the last conversation we would ever have as the sun began to set for him later that very day when he suffered a massive brain haemorrhage and went into a coma he did not recover from. He died four weeks later on Saturday 22nd of February.
What is this life, but a shadow.
What is this life, but a mist.
What is this life, but a vapour !
It vanishes away.
....’’For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”
James 4:14 NKJV
My dear brother Wale,
Did you, while in coma, have a visitation from the Lord, and were shown the glories of the heavenly realm?
Did you compare the life you lived with the glimpse of heaven you'd seen and decide to take a bow?
Did you say to your spirit, for me to die is gain?
For who, after being with the Lord and catching that indescribable glimpse would want to come back.
I can almost hear you say ‘Funlayo, forget all that theory I was talking about, this is the real thing mehn!’
So my beloved, with a very heavy heart, sadly, reluctantly, helplessly, with our heart breaking in a million pieces, we let you go.
Take a well deserved rest.
Rest well my beloved,
Rest from your earthly toil and sweat.
Rest from the snares and cares of this world.
Rest from the torment of unfulfilled dreams.
Rest from the dangers within and without.
Rest in the everlasting arms of God our Saviour.
Akinwale Ayodele Akanni,
Omo Akintunde Ige Adubi Todegbe,
Omo Ayinla edu,
Omo Ibidunni Asake,
Omo ile Ikolaba, ni ilu Ara.
Omo eso ikoyi.
Ibidunni, nda ro e,
Olufunmilayo ati Olakunle nde le de e.
Oluwafayokunlefunmi, Oluwatuyi ati Oluwatofunmi nsun ekun kikoro.
Gbogbo ara ile ati ore ndaro e.
Tolulope nko Ha! o ma se o!!
Olayemi nsokun, nibo ni Brother Wale mi wa?
Johnny nbanuje, Oh Wally Wally!! why?
Nathalie nsope ‘my heart sinks’!
O se, igi da!
A ko ri Olufe wa mo,
O di arina ko,
O di oju ala,
Ipade di ese Jesu,
Nibiti a ko ni y’ara wa.
Sun re o, egbon mi owon.
May Wale’s soul find eternal rest in the bosom of the Lord and may his star shine forever.
