TRIBUTE TO MY FATHER -IN- LAW, DR. DONATUS A. OKURUMEH
This is one of the most difficult times in my life since I met and knew my father-in-law. I write this tribute to show my gratitude and respect for grandpa who made life a lot more comfortable for me and my family and for paving a way for his children to be self-sufficient and entrepreneurial.
I remember our first encounter 11 years ago, when I went to Ado Ekiti to see my wife’s parents as an intending in-law, grandpa was so kind and warm and welcoming of a stranger. The feeling grew stronger when he realised I was the son of an old friend (Barrister Joshua Yarhere) he met in Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and nephew to his classmate (Late Dr. Odjoh). That was one of the most memorable occasions that will forever bring comfort in difficult times.
My children always loved to visit Grandpa Okurumeh (Grandpa Agbarho) because they would play at his feet or nag at him, and draw smiles from his face. They lacked nothing whenever they visited grandpa with lots of drinks, biscuits and sweets (choco milo) available for them. They loved to play with his big bouncing balloons, riding their bicycles in the compound and generally having a good feel of being with a gentle giant. I can say without any second thought that time spent with him have been a treasured time in my life, my wife’s life, and our children’s lives. We were so fortunate to have him with us for all those years.
My father-in-law has touched each of our lives in ways that cannot be expressed with words. Iris will forever know that she was the first to take a trip with grandpa out of the country when she was only 5 weeks old. Oghenefejiro and Kesiena will know that grandpa was a quiet and peaceful man who rarely, if ever, raised his voice at them even when they were being naughty. They will forever remember all the days he spent in their home, sitting at the front porch and watching them ride their bicycles. They are fortunate and blessed to have grown up with a super star model grandfather. They will remember humility, honor and grace in a man who exemplified all of these. They will also remember all the long rides to Agbarho, Ado Ekiti and Port Harcourt together, with gospel music playing in the background and mountainous vistas riding behind.
Grandpa built an empire with his wife, who always stood by him through thick and thin. St. Gregory’s Hospital, Ado Ekiti is known far and wide for her hospitality, care and professionalism in treating the elderly and the newborn. I remember one of my training days in Tel Aviv, Israel, I met a young man in a Nigerian restaurant only to find out he was born in St. Gregory’s hospital, Ado Ekiti and had his medical treatments there before leaving Nigeria. “Okurumeh” in Ado Ekiti is as popular as any good medical facility in Ado Ekiti and Nigeria as she strives for perfection daily. This legacy transcends space and time and we; the children have pledged to keep it glowing.
I still remember so clearly the pride on his face when my wife and I got married, when we both passed our examinations to become Fellows of the Medical colleges, when we took our newborn twins to visit them and when we moved into our new home. What we will miss most is the reality of not having him celebrate the many more birthday anniversaries, marriages, and graduations from educational and professional heights, that we and our children will achieve.
As now, he is gone, yet he is not. He lives eternally within all of us. We will always remember him for his loving nature, strong personality and the values he passed on to us. Praying to Almighty for his soul to Rest in Peace. Amen.
Iroro Enameguolo Yarhere
Son-in-law

I met Dr. Okurumeh in 1990. He was a brother to my late friend, Kingsley Okurumeh. Never will I forget his friendly mien and accommodating spirit. A wonderful doctor he was. Rest in Peace.

The news of your passing left a huge hole in my heart, you were a father in law like no other to my sister, The few times I met you, you went all out to help me when I was in a state of confusion concerning my son, Thank you for the legacy and love you showed to my Sister and your grandkids, thank you for the good times and the memories, you will be greatly missed, Your passing left a hole in my heart..My God be with Mummy and the rest of the family.
Rest well Daddy, I know your in a better place.

I cried endlessly when you died but i promise, I won't let the tears mar the smiles that you've given me when you were alive.missing you always daddy.
Eshofoniye Juliet Lawal.
NHIS Nurse
St. Gregory's Hospital, Ado Ekiti

You were one of a kind and a rare gem, your exit is painful but a fulfilling and glorious one. you will forever be missed and always remain in our hearts. Goodnight sir.
Arowolo Yemi
Patient Manager
St Gregorys Hospital, Basiri, Ado Ekiti.

Our Dear Daddy, We grieve your passing away solemnly, life has again shown us its hurtful side by taking you away from us. You showed us hospitality and humanity during your stay on earth and made us the best. Now, u have passed unto glory and your legacies remain forever. You are forever in my thought and prayers, someone as special as you can never be forgotten. May your soul rest in the bossom of God where Angels sing their sweet refrains and everything shines bright. Rest in Heavens Glory
Virginia Akomolafe
SENIOR MATRON
ST. Gregorys Hospital, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.

To our Dear Founder,
Dr. DONATUS ADAIGHOFUA OKURUMEH, We were all deeply saddened to hear about his death. We knew him only a short while, but his impact in our organization has been greatly felt. Indeed he was a man of vision, intellect and abiding commitment to humanity.
A good name indeed is better than riches and fine wine, May your good qualities, Godly wisdom, Moral Courage and personal Integrity Continue to Out live you Sir.
Despite the pain that Lingers in the core of our being, We Pray for God to Grant you Peace and Eternal Rest.
Until the Resurrection Morning Sir Where we shall Meet to Never Part.
From:
ALL STAFF OF THE PHOENIX CBT AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CENTER, ADO EKITI BRANCH, EKITI STATE.

I wish Grandpa did not die, grandpa was a really Good man, grandpa was real, he was a great grandpa to me, I love grandpa.

When my mummy told me we had news about grandpa Basiri, I had hoped he did not die. I wished he was not ill, I wish he was still alive, he is one of the best people i know, he was kind to me, I hope grandpa will never leave me, my Grandpa, I was sad when I heard you died, I love you Grandpa Basiri.

MY FATHER MY FRIEND

How do i write a tribute about my father who is very much alive in me?
What do i say of a man who was everything to me? Where do I start to Describe his presence in all of my life and at every Milestone? They say the quality of a father, can not be seen in the goals, dreams and aspirations he sets on himself alone but for his Family and community, this is the truth about My Father, Dr Donatus Adaighofua Okurumeh. He was my leader, my teacher, my confidant, my friend, He was a hero, he was my hero, I say that boldly because everytime I encountered a problem in life he always Stood Infront of me and carried all my weight on his shoulders. He raised me to be Independent, Fearless and Confident, he thought me to believe in myself , he was my pillar of support, strength and Discipline.
Daddy was a selfless man, his good works go ahead of him till this day. He was a man of Peace and Mighty Valour
My Father was the perfect role model I needed growing up, I was his biggest Fan, I never questioned his love for me even when he was strict with me , I always knew he was preparing me for Life and all its Struggles. He thought me to work hard and earn an honest living.
My Father lives in me, I feel his presence with me each day and now I live my life For the Both of us.
I will continue to emulate your straight forward lifestyle without Compromise, Until we meet to part no more.
Rest in Perfect peace My Ever Gentle Father and Friend.
Your Son
(TopiTopi)

When Great Trees Fall
By Maya Angelou More Maya Angelou
When great trees fall,
rocks on distant hills shudder,
lions hunker down
in tall grasses,
and even elephants
lumber after safety.

When great trees fall
in forests,
small things recoil into silence,
their senses
eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die,
the air around us becomes
light, rare, sterile.
We breathe, briefly.
Our eyes, briefly,
see with
a hurtful clarity.
Our memory, suddenly sharpened,
examines,
gnaws on kind words
unsaid,
promised walks
never taken.

Great souls die and
our reality, bound to
them, takes leave of us.
Our souls,
dependent upon their
nurture,
now shrink, wizened.
Our minds, formed
and informed by their
radiance,
fall away.
We are not so much maddened
as reduced to the unutterable ignorance
of dark, cold
caves.

And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always
irregularly. Spaces fill
with a kind of
soothing electric vibration.
Our senses, restored, never
to be the same, whisper to us.
They existed. They existed.
We can be. Be and be
better. For they existed.

                      MY FATHER-IN-LOVE

I call him FATHER-IN-LOVE because that is what he was to me. Not just an in-law but one who was and is still so loved. His extension of Love, Care and Affection towards me was a Pivotal part of my Marital Bliss to his Son. If I had a second chance at life, I would choose him as a Father-in-law to love and honor for a lifetime.

Daddy was a man of few words, for me his actions always spoke louder than his words, he touched so many lives positively, mine too. I have been favored many times by strangers simply because I was related to daddy who at one time or another made a positive impact in their lives and they never could forget him.

I was privileged to sit and talk with daddy many times about life, whenever we were done chatting, I always had a new definition of the biblical saying ’ vanity upon vanity, all is Vanity, I left those small conversations with the benefits of leading and living a simple and Christ centered life.

Father-in-laws are not usually talked about much, but that is not the case for me and my wonderful Father-in-LOVE, he had an amazing Aura, he was a model of peace in our home, I could talk about him all day, His Death has snatched words away from my heart and Mouth in the most painful way.

Daddy accepted me wholeheartedly from the very first day I walked into his home with a big smile, a smile as big as his good heart, a smile no one would ever be able to replace. His death has left a deep Lacuna in my thought process, but his positive energy still radiates even in death, so much that it has brought his loved ones closer and more in sync.

I will cry many tears for my Father- In – LOVE and I will love him forever, I will speak of him with pride and preserve his memories, I will protect and Cherish everyone and everything of value to him in his Life time to the best of my Ability, So help me God.

My hope and Consolation is that Daddy Donatus Adaighofua Okurumeh now walks on Streets Made of Gold and Sleeps on A bed of Roses.

I LOVE YOU DADDY!
Barr (Mrs) Winifred Phoenix Okurumeh.
Your Daughter-In-LOVE.

He was the first doctor I met when I was about to birth my first born and I knew I was in safe hands. He was a man with a mission, a vision and he accomplished them all. He set a standard for hospitals in Ado Ekiti and beyond his legacy will indeed live on. As you have been called home by your creator my prayer is that you find enteral rest. Rest In Peace Sir.

TRIBUTE TO LATE DR. DONATUS ADAIGHOFUA OKURUMEH.
YOU LEFT ADMIRABLE FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME.
In the seventh stanza of the poem A Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, it is
written:
”Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time”.
Here, I humbly bow to write a tribute to a man who won my heart the very moment I encountered him.
He was the very first voice that spoke to my tender heart when I was much younger in the medical
profession. He said, “Dr. Pius...why not put up a private medical practice“. What he saw then, I did not
see but he had a long range vision which was later vindicated by the Almighty God. His voice was very
calm but it descended into the dividing asunder of my spirit and soul, and my joints and marrows. He
was as an Angel of God sent to kindle a vision.
I was just about 2 months into the civil service but a visionary came my way. Oga, as we fondly called
him, motivated me with few words that served as golden nuggets that descended from the throne of his
humble heart. God's grace found me and I took a step into a full-time private medical practice that
transformed my life. Great men like Dr. Okurumeh may not be on a platform to preach but they carry
great unction to function in their areas of calling.
I have always watched him and I have always seen in him a great Mentor, a role model, a motivator, a
pathfinder and a trailblazer. He inspired many doctors who came across his path owing to his great love
for decent medical practice. Sincerely, he left admirable footprints on the sands of time.
Again, I saw in him a Superstar who transcended the entire world of medical practice vis-à-vis Obstetrics
and Gynaecology, General Surgery, Orthopaedics, Paediatrics, Ultrasound sonography etc. Behold, he
was endowed with much wisdom and strength from his Creator. Indeed, Dr. Okurumeh was a great gift
to humanity. He will be greatly missed by those of us who love him and the entire medical community,
particularly Ekiti state, where he invested his huge medical might.
My heartfelt condolences go to his immediate family, his innumerable friends and colleagues. We are all
pained but the good Lord will grant us the grace and the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Adieu Great Man of Valour!
May your gallant Soul rest in peace.
Dr. Pius Izundu Okpoko,
Supreme Faith Hospital,
Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State

A TRIBUTE TO LATE DR. DONATUS ADAIGHOFUA OKURUMEH BY THE EKITI STATE BRANCH OF THE ASSOCIATION OF GENERAL AND PRIVATE MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS OF NIGERIA (AGPMPN).
It is said that one's life achievement is not measured by the length of days he resides here on earth but by the positive and lasting influence that he has on others. Again, manoeuvering life's daunting challenges to align with one's mission, vision, and values, and having a deep desire to be a generational blessing in the cause of one’s pursuit to attain a lofty zenith in his profession is a gift from the Almighty.
Our very own Dr. Donatus Adaighofua Okurumeh met and exceeded these qualities. He was a complete gentleman but superhuman with extraordinary abilities in his chosen career. With an eagle-eye, he saw, defined and redefined private medical practice in the former Ondo state( (now Ekiti state) when there was but a very few who dared the hazy nature of the practice then. Dr. Donatus Okurumeh with the heart of a Lion courageously nurtured a full time private medical practice from the cradle and brought in modern medical innovations to lend an enviable support to the healthcare system in the present Ekiti state. Meanwhile, with his deep dedication to duty and singular commitment to salvaging the menace of diseases and afflictions, he placed in the very hearts of his patients and colleagues the love to work for God through the dimension of healthcare system.
This Superstar was everything that defines a successful medical practitioner. He was a trailblazer, a teacher of teachers, a Mentor, a Role model, a motivator and a great achiever. We have truly lost a rare gem.
On behalf of the entire members of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Ekiti state branch, I commiserate with the family of our dear colleague in this moment of bereavement. We are deeply pained but the grace of God will comfort us all.
May the gallant soul of our dear colleague rest in peace.
Dr. Yekeen, T. G.
The Chairman,
AGPMPN, EKITI STATE.

On the resurrection morning,
Soul and body meet again,
No more sorrow, no more weeping,
No more pain.

Here awhile they must be parted,
And the flesh its Sabbath keep,
Waiting in a holy stillness,
Wrapped in sleep.

Soul and body reunited
Thenceforth nothing shall divide,
Waking up in Christ’s own likeness
Satisfied.

O the beauty, O the gladness
Of that resurrection day,
Which shall not through endless ages
Pass away!

On that happy Easter morning
All the graves their dead restore,
Father, mother, sister, brother,
Meet once more.

May your gentle Soul Continue to Enjoy the Right Hand of Your Creator Daddy..