I have always thought I had the whole time in the world to say thank you for an awesome job, against all odds, in raising sons and daughter of impeccable character that you were indeed proud of, without any shadow of a doubt. However, God had a better plan, with the reward of eternal rest, which is comforting.
Thank you, papa, for your sacrificial love and care for your family, through thick and thin. In those tough moments of our lives, you had prioritized our desires over your needs. Papa, I remember you did not shy away from disposing of your only vehicle as seed funds, towards my first tuition fee. Indeed, that seed did bear fruit, embodied in my education; however, in your characteristic minimalist disposition, you had turned down a car gifted to you, few years down the line.
Thank you, papa, for the discipline instilled in us. You did not spare the rod where necessary and gave out carrots for excellence. The fear of the rod kept me out of troubles, while the desire to earn your praise drove me towards excellence. Back in the day, it’s the first position in my class or nothing
Papa, thank you for your unflinching dedication to our education. You were hands-on through till my college days. You were active engaged in our daily class assignments review. You enforced a stringent reading timetable. You didn't have lots of money; but of the little, you prioritized books. More importantly, you made that little money count so much, by walking several miles, hopping from one book store to another, looking for affordable used textbooks. This effort would have sufficed by any standards, but you did not stop there papa; you went further. You made sure you read all the thousands of books procured for your kids, highlighting the key points in the books. In reminiscence papa, it did not matter whether it was a Physics textbook or Government or Accounting; you read them all.
Papa, we love you so much, but God loves you more. Continue to rest in the bosom of our lord
Dapo Abejirinde