Happy birthday in heaven dad. Your absence still hurts but your babies are learning to live with it. We hold tightly to our hearts all the beautiful memories of you so dear. Continue to rest in the bosom the most of High and keep watching over us. I miss you and will always love you. ❤️

4 years went by so fast… You are greatly missed. Keep resting well dad. I carry you in my heart. That’s where you’ll always be. ❤️

Happy birthday in heaven dad. We miss you, we love you and we will never forget you. You have probably seen Bro Abayo by now. It hurts so bad because we wanted to have him here longer but we accept it as the will of God. Keep watching over us dad. Forever in our hearts. ❤️

You have left us with many fond memories, and these memories keep us together, and we continue to honor and miss you. Rest in peace Dad. You will never be forgotten.

Still missing you Dad. There’s hardly a day I don’t think about you or mention you in a conversation. We are all doing our best to carry on without you but you will forever be in our hearts. Rest on Dad. Love you ❤️

It doesn’t get easier dad, I really thought it would. The difference is I have come to accept it. Accept the fact that things will never be the same without you and that we just have to make do. I miss you dad, more than words can say. People say my little one looks like you, sometimes I see it too and that comforts me. Continue to rest well my dear father. You are forever loved and sorely missed. ❤️

I still think about you everyday Dad and I miss you so very much. Happy birthday in heaven my Father and friend. Continue to rest with the angels. I love you forever.

I miss you so much Dad....

Happy birthday in heaven Dad. It's not the same without you. Thoughts of you still bring tears but they bring smiles and laughter too. I miss you beyond words. Keep resting well my father and friend, you will never be forgotten. Love you forever. ❤

Dad, you may be gone, but you will never be forgotten, and you will forever be a role model for your goodness. Happy birthday, and may your soul continue to rest in peace.

Dad, it's really difficult to write about you, knowing I have to do so in past tense. It's been 365 days without you and I'm not sure how I made it through because my heart doesn't hurt any less than it did the very first day. Not a day goes by without talking or thinking about you. I miss your words, your jokes, your laugh, your encouragement. I miss you daddy, so very much. I carry you in my heart, everywhere I go. Though I wish you had hung around a little longer, still I'm grateful. I will never forget you. Rest well my father and friend.

Daddy you're gone, but you will never be forgotten. We loved you then, we do now and we always will! Keep resting peacefully in our Lord's bosom, till we see you again on that bright morning.

Dad, it's your first anniversary. We are all doing well. We keep Hope Alive. Continue to rest in the bossom of our Lord. Thanks for all the life lessons and the legacy you left for us. We love you and we miss you.. Love, Lara

GOODNIGHT DADDY. My first love, first friend and first Superhero. The last two weeks has been so difficult and different without you like you knew it would be, which is why you told me an hour before you passed on 4/29/19 to be strong. Thank you for filling our hearts with so much love, joy and laughter. You were so proud of all your children and you made sure you told everyone you knew.Thank you for loving us in such a special way. You gave us what money could neither buy nor replace. It was unheard of in Africa in the 70s for Fathers to have Father/Daughter dances, yet you did with me. It was unheard of for Fathers to have Princess Tea Party playtime yet you did with me. I would jump from the top of your car with my cape pretending to be Wonder Woman and you, my SuperDad, caught me every single time. You watched every episode of Tom & Jerry with us. I still believe I'm the reason you lost your hair because you would sit patiently for hours and listen to me talk while I use your hair to practice how to do braids and cornrows. It was unheard of for Fathers to apologize to their children when they were wrong, yet you did. You made sure we saw the world, five Continents to be exact. You knew I had a voice and you made sure no one took my voice away from me. You always saw strength in me even when I didnt. Going to Church with you was so much fun. The best memories of my childhood was spending time with you and I will cherish them forever. Whatever we had need of, you made sure we had. You were a good, good Father and we were loved by you. You were a rare treasure, an uncommon Father. You had a gentle spirit and peaceful nature. You were a peace lover, peacemaker and peacekeeper. The last thing you said to me was "keep the peace". You were the sunshine on a cloudy day. You knew how to turn bad moments into good with humor. You loved people, treated everyone with respect and dignity. You chose to only see the best in people and I never heard you speak bad of anyone. You turned enemies to friends and friends to family. You were friends with the rich, the poor, the young and the old. You never looked down on anyone and never envied anyone. While others were stealing from the Country and encouraging you to do likewise, you turned down their offers. You chose a good name over many riches and you taught us that as well. You were so humble and very easy to please. It was no surprise I prayed for a man just like you. Thank you so much " Diya" for being a wonderful Father. You will forever be in our hearts. You lived in peace so I know you will also sleep in peace. I'm sure you've made friends with everyone in heaven by now and you are already making people laugh. I love you Daddy and I will miss you forever.
Your first Daughter
you nicknamed "Lara-Lee"
Omolara.

I still can't believe that Dad is gone. Seems a bit surreal to me. I hear of friends losing their loved ones and I wonder every time how anyone survives losing a parent. My Dad was a good man. He was contented and he taught us, his children contentment too. He was a happy person. Never took life too seriously, but lived and enjoyed it. My father loved people, and this reflected in all he did. He was a people person to the core. Working in Aviation gave him the opportunity to meet so many persons. He wanted people around all the time. Oh! How I miss him. He also had a very spiritual and sensitive side. I didn't pay much attention to it though, till the later part of his life. He had a big heart and was accommodating of anything that was brought to his knowledge. I remember he'd shed a tear sometime if he was moved by a situation or news. My fun dad...he was a storyteller. Anyone that knew him, must have heard one or two of those stories. He travelled a lot on account of his work, and this gained him much exposure to other places and cultures. He was a real jokester too. Sometimes, his jokes exasperated my siblings and I. He always wanted the best for us. He loved life and taught us to do the same. He was hardworking, honest and kind. I guess this is one of the biggest reasons why I miss him so much. He was a family man too! His family meant everything to him! He made it his personal project to be involved as much as he could in all of our lives, including his extended family's too. He spent the later part of his life struggling with elderly people's illness and I could tell it was hard for him, to have become so dependent, but he fought through it as best as he could. Dad taught me love. He understood what genuinely caring about others was, and I pray God gives me the grace to be as caring as he was. Daddy I love you, but God loves you more. I'll keep your memories alive for as long as I live. May you have eternal peace/rest in our Lords bosom. Amen. Your daughter, Oluwafunmilayo.

When I began to speak, I was unable to say the word 'dada'. Instead, when I called my dad I said 'Diya', and the name stuck.
Gabriel 'Diya' Ayotunde was born in northern Nigeria, and he later moved to Ghana where he later pursued a career in aviation, first with Ghana Airways, and later with Nigeria Airways, where he worked for about 17 years. He had aviation training in several cities including Amsterdam and Hamburg, and he worked in Ramp Control as well as Lost & Found. He was fluent in 6 languages, and managed airline stations in Accra, Ghana as well as Lagos and Kaduna in Nigeria. He was loved and respected by his staff no matter where he worked.
One thing Diya was well-known for was his sense of humor. Growing up, there was a lot of laughter in our home, and there was laughter wherever he was. Above the constant joy around him, he was a man with a heart full of kindness and of great integrity. He worked hard to elevate us from a life of modest means to one of comfort, and he did it all with a smile. I could not have asked for a better role model as a father myself.
Diya is survived by 7 children, 17 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. We thank God for His gift of him to us, and he will be forever missed.