Happy Father's Day, bàbá mi òwón❤️

Happy birthday dad. You would have been 91 today.

I miss and love you always❤️

You would have been 91 years today, precious dad.
Happy posthumous birthday.
You are so loved and greatly missed.
Keep resting in the bosom of the Almighty.
❤️❤️❤️

Dear Dad,

You (Gladdy male) & mom (Gladdy female) would have celebrated your 60th anniversary today.

Happy anniversary.

Love always

You're very fondly remembered today, as always. In these times, your role as a peacemaker is sorely missed. I wish you were here! Rest in peace and remember us to all our people on that side of the veil!

Dear Dad,

I'm grateful for the privilege of calling you "dad."

I'm grateful for the privilege of being loved & raised by you.

I can never stop loving you.

Rest on dad.

#7years

On this 7th anniversary, dearest Dad, the memory of you remains vivid and cherished. You were truly exceptional, a father beyond compare, a guiding light in our lives. As I sang the hymn you last sang before your heavenly transition, tears fell, but within them, there was solace knowing you reside in a place of peace. The day we reunite, never to part again, brings comfort.

Your endearing nicknames, melodic voice, shared songs, infectious laughter, and warm jests are dearly missed. The memories we crafted together are treasures close to my heart. Since your departure, your heartfelt prayers for us and our children have been answered by God.

In honouring your legacy of love, truth, integrity, diligence, peace, and unity, we strive to carry forth the values you instilled. Your presence lingers on, eternally etched within our hearts, dear Dad.

With love that transcends time and space,
Oluwagbemisola, as you always affectionately called me ❤️❤️❤️

Yesterday, I was in church for a night of hymns. As I sang the hymns, I suddenly became that little child standing beside you at "our" pew at the Abadina wing of the Chapel of the Resurrection, University of Ibadan. I could hear your voice: that distinctive tenor, loud & clear. I remember with fondness the countless times we sang hymns together, both in church & at home. Such priceless memories; what a great childhood we had with you dad; what a privilege, a blessing to have had you as our father.

I love you dad & I look forward to someday singing hymns together with you, in glory, as we worship our maker.

Dad,

There's so much I want to tell you, but maybe you know already.

Thank you for always looking out for me.

You would have been 90 today. I can hardly believe it's 10 years now that we planned the surprise party on your 80th. I still remember how dumbfounded you looked when we all showed up and when you discovered we had planned everything, even secretly inviting friends/family from near & far.

I miss you dad; your baby misses you.

Thanks for being the best dad ever.

Love always,

Your "Oluwafunmike mi òwón"

Dear Uncle,

You are always missed! Rest on in peace in bountiful glory!

Love, Maliya

Thinking ever so fondly of you today, as always! You're forever in my heart. Sleep on peacefully! Ebami ki Mama UI, Papa, Maa'mi, ati Iyawo mi. Odarin na ko! Odo ju ala!

I never imagined a world without you could ever exist until I had to live in such a world. Now, it's six years. I miss you, dad.

Your baby,
Olufunke Olukoju-Fagbeja

I neither questioned nor doubted your love. You loved wholeheartedly & unconditionally.

Thank you for teaching me how to love.

I love you now & always.

Happy Father's Day dad❤️

May 17 has always been so special to me. My precious dad would have been 89 today.

I love you always dad.

I have missed you so much. You’ll forever live in our hearts. Sun re o. Omo Okia ipepe. Omo Iroho Gbade Olu, Omo amo Ehin efon to re. Continue to rest well with Christ.

Another day,
Another year,
And it still seems like yesterday.

5 years gone,
Still, memories of you linger on.

It's impossible not to miss you,
Unimaginable to stop loving you.

I loved you then,
I love you now.

You will always be a part of me.

Rest on dad.

Your "baby of the family" misses you.
Your "Oluwafunmike mi owon" misses you.

My dear Uncle,

You're remembered and loved today as always! We miss your gentle and loving ways. Sleep well with your ancestors until we meet again! Ebami ki Mama UI, Maa'mi, Papa, ati Iyawo.

Happy Father's Day, dad.

Dad,

When you left, it seemed like the world had ended or stopped; but I was surprised when the sun still rose the next day, the birds flew & people still went about their daily business, like nothing happened.

I was perplexed. My mind screamed: How can everything still be the same? How can people still go on when the world has stopped?

I then realised that it wasn't the world that stopped; it was I who stopped breathing.

Slowly, I've learnt:
     to breathe again; but with every breath, I miss you & I love you.
     to sing again; but with every hymn, I hear your melodious voice.
     to laugh again; with your laughter ringing loud in my memories.

Rest on dad. Thanks for all you were & all you did.

On April 26 2017, I didn't just lose a father; I also lost a great friend.

Sometimes, I still scream in anguish that you're gone; but no one hears it, except me.

My biggest hurt, my greatest regret is not being there to hold your hand or hug you tight and say "good bye".

You were ALWAYS ALWAYS there for me and it hurts deeply that I wasn't there when you took your last breath.

Rest on dad; my "one-of-a-kind", loving father.

It's 4 years today since you left dad. 4 years without your unique laughter; your look of mischief when you're trying hard not to smile; your strong tenor as we sing in harmony; 4 years since anyone called me "Oluwafunmike mi owon".

I miss you dad.

I love you "always and forever".

Dear dad,

You would have been 87 today. Wow!!!

I have always loved the month of May because of you.

We are all planning to meet tonight via zoom to share our fondest memories of you.

Love you always.

You are 3yrs today in heaven. I love and miss you. Continue to rest well in Christ. SUNRE O.

BABA MI OWON

Baba mi owon,
My sweet and loving bestie;
The one who taught me,
To be the best I could be.

Baba mi owon,
The best chef ever;
My personalised encyclopedia,
For you were that clever.

Baba mi owon,
Filled with a great sense of humour;
A man of refreshing candour,
You provided so much succour.

Baba mi owon,
Humble and unassuming;
I remember you singling and whistling:
Thoughts of you keep me smiling.

REST ON DAD. LOVE YOU ALWAYS


Olufunke
(Omo Baba Olukoju)

Dearest Uncle,
Thinking of all that you were, I remember your joyful self when, a very long time ago, Dupe and I came to visit you in Oshogbo and we spent a lot of time playing music and dancing. I remember you were the best dancer of all, and you danced with such joy, such elegance! Remain joyful and blessed--until we meet again. The kids are doing well! Ebami ki gbogbo awon enia wa ni odo yin o! Ema gbagbe wa o!

Aburo yin,

Fadeke 

Happy birthday, dad.
You would have been 86 today.
Love you, always.

I stll cherish every memory shared with you learning, praying gisting, singing, dancing and laughing.
Proud to have been nutured and mentored by you.
Thank you for all you did and gave Couldn't have asked for a better dad. One so loving, caring, and responsible.You lived well. You did great.
I miss you dad. I really really miss you.❤️.
Rest on, my hero.
Rest on, Baba mi owon, Baba mi oninure, Baba mi atata.
I look forward to seeing you again in glory.❤️❤️❤️
Love you forever.

No last goodbye,
Nor parting words;
Just a phone call,
To say you're gone.
Miss you dad.
Olufunke Olukoju-Fagbeja

Dad,
It's 2 years today since you left and it still feels like yesterday.
We were asked to write about a significant event that involved you and my immediate response was "Just one? They are too numerous for one to be singled out".
Undeniably, you were an awesome dad. You loved each of us, not just in words, but also in everything you did.
Your love and kindness extended beyond your children to all those who came in contact with you.
You are the best that there ever was and I love you so much.
Thank you for all you were to me and all you did for me.
I thank God for the blessing of having you as my dad.
Miss you dad.
Rest well.
Olufunke Olukoju-Fagbeja

O D'ARINAN KO! O D'OJU ALA!
Dearest Uncle,
Twice, a week ago, you let me know that the anniversary of your transition was approaching. That meant the world to me. I will never forget you! Rest on with God and our ancestors! Greet Mama UI, Papa, Ma' Mi, and Iyawo for me!
Love always,
Fadeke

Always in our hearts, and always fondly remembered. Continue to rest in peace, Uncle! 

Love, Maliya

My Dear Uncle,

You know you've not been forgotten and never will be! It's hard to believe that you've been gone for a whole year! Rest well! We love you forever!

Fadeke

Continue to Rest well in Christ Dad,
Until we meet Again

A light from our lives has gone

A voice we loved is still.

A place is vacant within our hearts

Which never can be filled.



A bouquet of beautiful memories

Sprayed with a million tears.

I wish God could have spared you

If just for a few more years.



We hold you close within our hearts,

And there you will remain.

To walk with us through out our lives

Until we meet again.



So rest in peace dearest Dad

And thanks for all you've done.

We pray that God has given you

The crown you've truly deserved.



Your vacant place no one can fill

We miss you now and always will.

DR. EBENEZER OLUWOLE OLUKOJU

May 17th, 1933 - April 26th, 2017

Daddy,my loving uncle,the most loving human being i ever knew, continue to rest in the bosom of our Lord. I miss your kindness and laughter. Nobody call me the name you used to call me again.SDaddy,my loving uncle,the most loving human being i ever knew, continue to rest in the bosom of our Lord. I miss your kindness and laughter. Nobody call me the name you used to call me again.Sister Dupe.RIP. daddy. Sister Dupe.
RIP. daddy.

It's seven months that I woke up to a world without my daddy in it. As a Christian, he had fulfilled his calling here and left us, to be with the Father.  

He and mother had been inseparable . They were a solid team. I am convinced that he loved her more than he loved himself!

His leaving, left a void for all of us. For months, I felt numb. He had been my greatest Cheerleader. He supported me. He demonstrated such sincerity and humility in sacrifice for us. He taught me to laugh and keep a few good jokes in my pocket. He taught me the value of keeping a good name. And even more important, he loved me and was never ashamed to tell me.

So today as I reflect on his memory, I am forever grateful to God for the gift of my dad, Dr. Ebenezer Oluwole Olukoju.

It's 7 months today dad. I've missed you every day. The tears won't stop flowing. Thanks for impacting my life so greatly. Love you always.
                                   Olufunke Olukoju-Fagbeja

I was given a severe jolt when I heard of my dad’s passing. It seemed like my world, as I knew it, had come to an abrupt end. Even now, three weeks down the line, I still can’t comprehend that my dad is gone. It still seems so unreal to me. I look at his pictures and he looks so alive. I hear his voice from previous recordings and it’s like he’s at home in Ibadan; miles and miles away, but still alive.

My tears are still somewhat unpredictable. People say I’ve changed; that I’m withdrawn now. I actually feel so, like I don’t know how to be me again.

How can he be gone? I just can’t grasp it. So whenever I’m opportuned, I go to the mortuary to see him. Each time I see him, time stands still and I don’t want to leave. I study his face, taking in every feature: his eyes closed, like he’s asleep; his lips a little bit opened like he’s about to say something. He looks so at peace, I find that soothing. I stroke his face each time I go there and tell him, Thank you for being the best father. Thank you for everything”. I’m oblivious to everything else around me.

Each time I go, I feel better. Maybe it’s my way of finding closure; maybe it’s my way of trying to accept what has happened.

My heart yearns for him; my mind cries for him. I want my daddy back so badly, it hurts. However, one thing I’m grateful for is that as a family, we never doubted our love for one another. We knew how much he loved us and he knew how much we loved him. No regrets. No wishful thinking that “I wished I had told him I loved him”. He was never in doubt. We all thrived in his love for us and we all reciprocated that to him.

I love you dad; now and always.

Olufunke Olukoju - Fagbeja

HOME CALL OF OUR GENTLEMAN PACESETTER.
It is with a heart full of thanks to the Almighty God for the gift of Dr Ebenezer Olukoju to the Olukoju family of Iroho-Okia, Oka -Akoko, Ondo State. I call him the gentleman of the family which he demonstrated by his love for all and willingness to help all. He was also a jolly good fellow who laughed heartily and welcomed all with a smile. He would also bend backwards to support us especially those of us after him. I recall with gratitude his typing my NCE final year project in Yoruba and driving down to Ondo to give me the bound copies. He was our icon and pacesetter in the family. First to have a University degree which he did in grand style with a First Class and also first to have a Ph.D at adult age. He was our worthy example, Mentor and wonderful Role Model. To have lived beyond 80 with his health challenge was purely God's mercy and grace; we give God glory for this. We shall surely miss you but I shall treasure your memory like my father's forever. You have lefty worthy footprints in the sands of time and in the Olukoju family. "Iroho 'Gbado Olu, omo a mehin, efon t'ore.........omo o sunwon leja, omo a sako dara bi egbin.... ". Eternal rest grant him, O Lord and let your light perpetual shine on him. Sunre o, Abiyamo Tooto!!! Mrs Adenike Fatogun (Nee Olukoju).

My grandpa will truly be missed. Even though I never actually met him face to face, I've spoken through the phone with him many times. From what I remember he was always so happy to talk to each and everyone of my siblings. I remember we would pass the phone to the next person he requested for. Me, being the youngest, would always speak to him last which did not matter so much to me because he never rushed to get off the phone with me after talking with 3 of my siblings. I always hoped one day I would eventually see him as the years grew on. He was one of the most influential people in my life and I will always love him deeply in my heart. I miss him so much.

"Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife"

Olu found a true friend in his wife, Christie. She meant the world to him. They brought so much joy to each other.

His search for love ended when he met her at Oka Akoko in Ondo state. They were the delight of many and the envy of a few who couldn't comprehend how the gentle but very handsome Olu won the heart of Oka Akoko's no nonsense Christie.

Olu and Christie exchanged their marriage vows on May 8, 1964.
Their love name, "gladdy", gladdened their hearts at its mention.

Like every marriage, they had their share of struggles, conflicts and pains, but through prayers, understanding, patience, commitment and submission, they made it work.

Blessed with five lovely children and many grandchildren, their 52 years of beautiful union was suddenly interrupted on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, when Olu transited to glory.

The whole family was greatly saddened by the loss of their Patriarch whose love and commitment to his family compared to none on earth.

Olu was an exceptional husband. A loving and responsible father and grandfather. His life of simplicity, humilty, kindness, and doggedness endeared him to many.
Olu and Christie would have celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary today. The family was eagerly looking forward to it as always.
We remember your wedding anniversary today with love, dad. You were a great husband to mum, you loved like Christ loved his church, and gave your best to us all. A great inspiration you'll always be. Your beautiful sense of humour brightened every moment we all shared with you.
Thankful to God to have been nurtured by these amazing parents.

#thankful
#celebratingmyparents
#celebratingtruelove

The news of your demise came as a blow, having spoken to you the previous day on phone, and as usual, we sang your sequence of choruses and hymns.
Little did I know when I visited at Easter that it was the last time I'd see you.
The reality of your transition to glory dawned on me when I saw your lifeless body at the morgue.

Times when we would be on the phone were the times I cherished. It was those days when I would be happy for the entire day because my grandparents always knew how to put a smile on my face! Grandpa, I will miss your sweet voice. I wish I had the opportunity to meet you. I love you very much ❤️

My uncle Dr. Olukoju was such a wonderful man, loved and respected by so many. I am so glad I was able to visit with him many times in his home at UI and witness his graceful and dignified demeanor. I am proud to be related to him.

- To my beautiful and gentle uncle, Dr. Olukoju, may you rest in perfect peace. We will all leave our bodies behind, but our spirits are forever alive.❤

TRIBUTE TO DR. EBENEZER OLUWOLE OLUKOJU

AN EXCEPTIONAL MAN:

Philosophers through the ages have wondered why it is that the very best among us have not been spared vulnerability to physical death. Some of us ordinary people have probably speculated on the same matter. We think about a very small number of people who have impressed us and the world as exceptional, outstanding, incomparable, distinctive, unmatched, unique, and irreplaceable, and we think they should have been spared physical death. Uncle Dr. Ebenezer Oluwole Olukoju was one of these people.

When Taye sent me a message saying, “Your uncle is ill,” I was devastated. In the ensuing weeks, we discussed treatment options. We prayed for his recovery.  I knew he was getting on in years, but I wasn’t prepared to think about his dying. Living thousands of miles away from home, I hadn’t seen him for quite some time. I wanted to see him again. I wanted to let him know how much our family has appreciated him all these years.  As the aphorism goes, “Man proposes, but God disposes.” My wish would not be fulfilled. So, as I grieve the loss of him who was so special to me, I want the world to know that I take immeasurable pride in the life that he led and the legacy he left behind. 

A MIRROR FOR OUR FAMILY AND FOR OTHERS:

His deep love of family first made an indelible impression on me when, over fifty years ago, he brought his fiancée to Ogbomoso to meet his family on his mother’s side. After deliberating with the adults and extolling his future wife’s good character, he turned to me and said, “She’s going to be your wife, too, so you better interact with her and let me know what you think.” Of course, we all approved. We sensed correctly that he had made the best choice of a life partner. After they got married, Uncle would refer to his wife simply as “Iyawo yin,” so to this day, that precious woman, that shining star and pillar of our family, goes by no other name than “Iyawo,” after all these years!

Like all human beings, Uncle had his personal challenges, but unlike many, he never allowed any challenges to impede him. He pushed on. He persisted. He succeeded. By so doing, he set an invaluable example for us. When he obtained his doctorate degree, in his honour, we went from calling him Uncle Olu to Uncle Dr. Olukoju when we spoke about him to others. 

Uncle was not only a scholar but also a model academic. Many of our family members looked up to him in our pursuit of academic excellence. I was very moved to discover that he was an example to other people as well. I was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan and lived on campus during his tenure there. I saw firsthand the extent of his influence on many of his students and the depth of the admiration that they had for him.

EPITOME OF KINDNESS:

Uncle Dr. Olukoju will forever be remembered as one of the kindest and most caring human beings to have graced this earth. There was not a single crisis in our family that he did not place on his shoulders. We always knew we could run to him without embarrassment or fear of censure.

As I mentioned to Toyin, the fact that I was a university lecturer did not erase his sense of responsibility and caring for me. He helped me in every way whenever he sensed that I needed assistance. It was not unusual for him and Iyawo to go to the market and on their way back, drop off some meat and soup ingredients at my house on campus! Nor was it out of the ordinary for him to spend valuable time, energy, and money to help several other family members and total strangers who were in distress, determined to wash away or alleviate their problems and free their spirits.

But for his and Iyawo’s kindness, I would surely have died from a pernicious malaria attack over thirty years ago! I remember them taking me to the late Dr. Opadeji’s home one evening when we had to make a critical decision about how to save my life. I credit that intervention for my survival. 

A CONSUMMATE PEACEMAKER:

Uncle Dr. Olukoju was the ultimate peacemaker with a huge heart. Not only did he strive to live in peace with other people, he also did all in his power to make sure that others around him lived in peace and harmony with one another. He used his talents and the gift of gentleness with which he was abundantly endowed in this mission.

Uncle was the only man I knew whose mother and wife lived together peacefully and with great mutual admiration, love, and deep respect, for decades, until Mama UI joined her ancestors! 

In his role as a peacemaker, he was as methodical as he was persistent and compassionate. His goal was to reconcile warring parties after effecting peace so as to ensure that the hard-won peace would endure.

His method was to hear the grievances of both sides separately with profound understanding, broker an agreement for them to meet face to face, in order for them to have the opportunity to “disabuse” themselves of possible mistaken beliefs about the other party. I heard him use that word, “disabuse” when working in this regard.

I saw him in action as an exceptional man of peace when my dear sainted mother was terminally ill and was being treated at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Uncle insisted that family members needed to heal emotionally because of the bad blood that had preceded Mama’s illness. He traveled back and forth several times to meet with all those concerned; he did a lot of prodding to soften stubborn minds; and he finally succeeded in bringing about a sense of peace, for which he will forever be blessed, as a child of God, as promised in the Beatitudes. 

A GOOD DEATH:

Receiving the gift of a good death has always been an important part of my supplication for me and others. This involves the hope that when we are about to die, we are surrounded by our loved ones of all ages, in the comfort of our own homes, hopeful and ready for eternal life. Not everyone is granted this wish. Uncle was an exception. He had a good death!

A few weeks ago when I called the house and Idowu was there, visiting Uncle from his base in Abuja, he told me that Uncle found such great comfort in singing the hymns he had loved since childhood. Idowu engaged him in singing these hymns, and that gave me a great deal of comfort.

A couple of days or so before Uncle rested eternally, Taye sent me a video of him, singing a hymn, surrounded by his family whose voices were joined with his own. In the video, his eyes were turned heavenward, his voice was strong, and his heart was joyous. Something else that inspired me with awe, which I mentioned to Toyin and others, was my observation that when he accompanied the singing of the hymn with clapping, he wasn’t just clapping randomly or in imitation of the family members around him. His clapping was purposeful, rhythmical, and anticipatory. He was very much aware that he was homeward bound!

When I got the news that Uncle had passed away, my brother Tunde and I reminisced about his impact on the lives of so many people, particularly on our family, and we both agreed that Uncle was “THE LAST OF HIS KIND.” We just couldn’t see how anybody else on this earth could ever match his virtues. At that time, we were thinking only of our loss and grief. But then I had an epiphany!  Why does Uncle have to be “the last of his kind?” What about us? How could we best honor his memory and immortalize him?  Would his spirit rest peacefully if we were to just throw up our hands and say, “He was a gem of a human being, an incomparable spirit, a saint on earth, a true friend and counselor, the end of an age when humans strove to be most Godlike, and so on?” 

Are we going to allow his legacy to be buried with him? Of course not! Didn’t we see him as a mirror for us all when he was here among us? Yes, indeed! The best way to honor his memory would be for all of us to emulate his great virtues and remain for the rest of our own lives, the kind of people he would be proud of-- as we were always proud of him.

If we need to adopt a measure of moral re-armament to be worthy of him, that’s exactly what we must do.

I want to end this tribute to Uncle by including one of my favorite Metaphysical poems, “Death, be not proud” (Holy Sonnet 10) by John Donne, 1572-1631:

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy’or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.


FOREVER LOVED; FOREVER MISSED:

We will forever be grateful that we were part of his life. We will miss him forever.

May God continue to rest his soul. Amen! 

M. Fadeke Adewumi Bucknor-Smartt

I'll miss the excitement in your voice anytime we spoke. I love you so much and wish I could've at least hugged you! My only regret is not seeing and speaking with you more. I miss everything we had and will cherish my memories of you. You were the funniest, most loving, and sincerest ever; life is so fleeting and I never want to feel like I'm not obligated to do something, ever again. I love you so much "grand-baba" and will miss you to the extreme! On the phone, you always said how much you loved me, oh how I yearn to hear that once more. ❤️

You were the best Dad in the world. A true, loving father to the Core. Thank you dad for bringing us up with the right values. You taught me hard work, excellence, persistence, patience, integrity, honesty, determination and the importance of loving, caring, and respect for humanity, and for that, I am very grateful. Though we grieve, we do not grieve like those with no hope-1 Thessalonians 4:13. You were a dedicated father, husband, uncle, who loved and served God well. I know you are with Christ. So rest well my father, until we meet to part no more. We love you but God loves you more. Sun re o, Abiyamo to to. I will miss you so dearly.