Dear Sky. Thinking of you today, my dear brother in law. We miss you and talk of you so often. We miss your big laugh, heart and presence. The sadness doesn't dull for us. We take comfort knowing you are up in heaven laughing again with our Dad. God bless. You would poke fun at me for saying that, I know. You can laugh, I laugh with you, but I wish you God bless just the same. Anita (Minnie)

Dear family, friends and colleagues of Tope,
These messages and photos are a beautiful tribute to a beautiful man and inspiring scholar, whose presence was always a light to all. I am deeply sorry to learn of his passing and grateful for your memories and expressions of love.
Nancy

How can I forget the day I was returning to Nigeria from UK November, 2016. Sky practically 'followed' me through every road, track and air path I took. He was reminding me of the need to pursue my research proposal which he guided me to write when I was at Roehampton University, London as a Fellow of the Commonwealth Scholarship.
  Tope, although its about 3 years since our last discussion, I remember every word you said to me. Those words are golden. You meant well. Death cut you short but you live on in my memory.
Karen and children always remember that you will reap the unharvested good works your husband and father planted. They are just getting ripe.
My Prof. Live on. I love you.
  Pastor Deji Orija writes from Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Two years already! May your gentle and kind soul continue to rest in peace.

Dear Tope,
It has been already two years, so hard to believe... You have not ceased to be an inspiration for me, though, and never will. Thank you for your friendship and care...
With gratitude,
Marta

Yoz tall man. Having a good time up there with big boss man. We will see you again in time.
Keep making poetry ... farts.. presidents and all

Thinking of you now as I have done so often over the last two years

Still remembering you, dear Tope. It's incredible that two years have gone by already. You are always on my mind.

Dear Tope,
It's hard to believe it has been two years since your passing.
Continue to rest in peace.
Missing you!
Fraternally,
Nkonko

May your soul continue to rest in peace and keep praying and asking God that you are with, to take care of Karen and your children, We miss you.

To my darling husband,
The pain does not dull. I want to be with you wherever that is.  Rest my love until we meet again.  Karen x

Dear Tope,
I am writing to wish you a happy birthday. When you and I last communicated, you were working, as guest-editor, on a special issue of the journal Current Issues in Language Planning, of which I am co-editor, on Language Planning in Ghana. I promised that I would work on the issue while you were recovering. I hoped, then, that you would recover, but that was not to be, sadly. This is to inform Karen and the loved ones you have left behind that I have, together with the team you were working with on the special issue before your untimely transition, completed work on the issue, and it is now in production. There is a very beautiful tribute in there, written by Professors Nana Amfo and Jemima Anderson of the University of Ghana. I tried to contact Karen, but to no avail, to get additional information from your biography for inclusion in the special issue. In any case, what we have gathered from your stellar published work is enough to let peers know that you continue to make a contribution to the field.
Rest in eternal peace, my dear BROTHER.
Missing you!!
Nkonko
Nkonko M. Kamwangamalu
Howard University.

Farewell Sky and rest in eternal peace. May God strengthen your dear wife, Karen, the children and family that you left behind.

May you rest in peace dear bro. You will always be remembered, your humour, big heart and wisdom can't be forgotten. God bless your family; Karen and the kids.

Rest on Prof Omoniyi (Sky), fondly remembered.

We won't forget you dear Tope.

Happy Birthday my love.  The children and I have celebrated today with a visit to a country park, the way we used to do.  The sun came out on this cold day and it kissed our cheeks. We knew it was you.  We talked all day about how you made us laugh and teased us. We remembered the foods you loved to eat. We miss you so much it still hurts.  We love you ...... x

My deepest sympathies, my thoughts and prayers are with Tope's family and friends. I found out about this at a graduation ceremony where I was hoping to see Tope and personally thank him for all of his help and support from my first year at university to my PhD. I learned that day, that this was not possible. It is clear from all the messages on this page that Tope is remembered in the same, positive and kind light, having inspired and helped so many people. I will always be so grateful for having had the opportunity of being taught by Tope, and I will always be thankful for all of his encouragement, optimism and support throughout my studies. I am deeply saddened. Tope, you are truly missed...

Dear Professor Tope,
I am now in Melbourne. Living alone as a visiting scholar reminds me of the days in London. I will never forget the days with you. You helped me and encouraged me not only academically. Miss you forever

As I depart for a quick visit to Ghana next week, I will be thinking of Sky and his affection for that country and his colleagues there. Those colleagues are also my colleagues, and when we meet we will remember our friend.

Tope was to be a keynote speaker at the 22nd Sociolinguistics Symposium in Auckland next June, a recognition of his status in the field. Instead, we will be holding a memorial seminar in his honor.

Sky was such a wonderful friend and brother.

We met in the early 90s at Idiroko, Ogun State Border Town, Nigeria when he was writing his Phd thesis (linguistic and cultural influence of a border town) on Idiroko, my village. .

We became so close, Sky and his wonderful wife, Karen were chosen as God parents to my niece in London.

So painful, but i take solace in the Almighty Father.

Rest in peace dear brother...

Today I am thinking even more so about ‘my’ Sky.  The first birthday without you.  We plan to have a birthday cake today and to tell our stories and remember all the things we did as a family.  I can hear your laughter and it makes me miss our funny joking around. We certainly did laugh a lot together.  Miss you and love you.  Rest my darling x

Tope Omoniyi was a colleague and a true brother. We were brought together as part of the Nollywood team which worked on a one year pilot project 2006-2007 to introduce the Open University and UK public to the Nigerian film industry. Afterwards, we continued collaboration on Nollywood through emails and built a research proposal meant to develop a Nollywood archive at the University of Lagos, which unfortunately did not get any funding. In 2015, I was the PhD examiner of one of his students at Roehampton, and appreciated the sterling work he was doing with doctoral students. In March 2011, we both attended the Lagos symposium on Reading & Producing Nollywood. The last time we met was at SOAS where he was doing a presentation. Some three months before his death, he turned down my invitation to contribute to a journal issue, saying that he was too busy - I never guessed that he would leave so soon. He will remain in my memory as a true, passionate scholar and a gentle colleague whose life was cut short way too early.

I logged into my facebook today and the first thing I saw was your birthday. I used to send you my best wishes and tease you calling you 'old man' but today I can only say that you left us very early. You will always be remembered dear brother, may god bless your family and give them the strength to carry on. I will never forget you my dear Sky

Hello Topsy. Happy birthday to you and wonderful to know you will forever be missed. Rest peacefully brother.

Rest well my beloved brother. you won the victory and have a place in Christ where we shall meet to part no more. Today I remember you for all your impact in my life and my family. Thank you for being a brother and a father. My joy is that you are not lost, but resting in Christ. What a day it will be when we all meet again in the day of Christ. Until then I love you. Rest well my beloved brother. Atanda ogbo! Sun re o!

The pain of the news of his passing away still hurts deeply. Almost, everyday, something or someone reminds me of Tope- and when I feel low- memories of his words come back to remind me of a greater purpose I must continue to strive for. To God we belong and to Him we will return. Dear Karen and family, please accept my condolences.

Walaa Halimah

Baba Sky, gone too soon; you're sorely missed. Adieu!
To Karen and the children - comfort, and a wish for the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.

Dear Professor Tope,
I write this tribute in remembrance of the little interaction we had. Thank you for reaching out to me and giving me an opportunity to learn from and be mentored by you. You gave me an opportunity to work on a project with you and sourced funding for me to undertake the field trip. You actually went the extra mile, when I submitted our book chapter for review by insisting that my name should go first. Your humility as an academic was mind-blowing to me. Through your pain, you remained so supportive and displayed great faith. I read the other tributes written by others and I smile because I know you touched many lives...May the Lord in whom you trusted keep and comfort your family. Rest in the eternal arms of our Lord.

I just got the news of your departure today, deducing it from an email sent to me to review a paper to be part of a book that is a memorial tribute in your honour. I went into shock mode. I could not believe that the cold hands of death could sneak in and take you away from us in this manner, without any warning.
Yes, we only met in 2015 when both of us went to University of Ghana for our sabbatical leave. As is your nature, we got to be more than colleagues to become brother and sister. And more so when you got to know that my husband used to be your colleague in Unilag.
Your brotherly and kind nature showed its sterlingness in your relationship with us throughout and after our individual sabbatical period in Ghana.
We cannot question the Almighty God as His ways are past finding out, I guess, He takes away the righteous before the evil day, the scriptures declare. May the Lord grant you eternal rest in peace. I also pray that He gives your family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss in Jesus name.

I still find it hard to believe that you have gone. Though i only got to know you briefly while at Roehampton, you showed a warmth and heart that is testament to your character as a giver and helper. I still remember the brief time we had lunch together, sharing stories about Nigeria and the UK. Reading the tributes here just confirms what an inspiration you were to many, and though i am very sad to hear of your passing, it really has been a privilege and blessing to have known you. May your soul rest in God's peace.

I'm still under the shock. I can't believe Sky is gone. I knew him at BAAL conference in 2002 in Leeds. We became close friends since that day. I felt very confortable talking to him about everything. I was going through hard times and he listened with patience. Sky was more than a friend, he was a brother and a confident. He shared my happiness as well as my sorrows. His words were full of wisdom and his sense of humour had always softened the blow. He visited me twice in Tunisia and spent days with my family. My kids love him so much and are always asking about him. They still can't realise he left us for a better world. I also knew his wife Karen when I was a PhD student at Reading University. Sky, Karen and the girls attended my graduation ceremony in 2007. May he rest in peace and may God bless his family. Sky will always live in my heart. Rest in peace brother.

From: Pastor Obi
Tribute to Professor Omoniyi

I met him only twice but I think that in those two times I can tell a brief story. Prof as he is fondly called by his brother Pastor Olu and Sky by his beloved wife is a man after God's heart and a kind hearted man in all his ways.

I saw a man who loved God and loved his family, a man who knew God and gave opportunity to other's to know the God that he knows. I saw a man who was fearless, calm and at peace with himself, knowing whether in the body or out of the body he belonged to God. I saw a man who understood that the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his words were full of wisdom, hope and faith. I saw him last at the hospital and I remember on his knowing that I had come in, he lifted up both hands to heaven and said "the yoke is broken. At that moment any reservations, concerns, uncompleted tasks in his mind were all settled, he knew his wife and children that he would be leaving behind were taken care and would follow after the God that he so loved and so he was ready to go.

He fought a good fight of faith, he believed to the very end and there is a crown of righteousness laid up for him. He is in heaven now, a place where there is no sorrow with a glorified body that has no sickness, disease or infirmity so while we will miss him here on this earth, we look forward to meeting again on that glorious day.

Pastor Obi Chiemeka
Zonal Pastor
Christ Embassy UK Zone 3

My dear Tope. Words alone fail me. I could write million words in a million times to express how special you were to my life. I could write a million times to express my grief. But this could not be enough.

Thank you for the life well lived. For your humility and generous heart. You saw the best in your JC as you fondly called me. You got the best out of me. You made the best of me.

Thank you for walking me through the long path till I reached my destiny: from my first year of PhD programme in 2012 till the day of my Graduatilon in 2016. You remain my intellectual father of all times.

You had been there as my father, friend and mentor. You had been there in my lows and in my highs. I am not sure the best adjective to describe what a genuine friend I found in you. I saw Jesus manifesting in you.

JC from Malawi...will always forever celebrate your life - SKY

I am so deeply shocked to learn of Tope's passing. He was so warm and friendly to me in all my time as an administrator for English Language and Linguistics. I was privileged to know him, and to be invited to his amazing Professorial lecture, which gave me much food for thought, as did his poetry. Never to be forgotten. Warm wishes to his family.

Dearest Tope, I have started writing this message a number of times. No words seem to be able to express the feelings caused by your passing. A true brother, as you would say, will always be remembered in the best possible ways. May you rest in peace. May your family be in peace. Ire o.

this tribute was added by Boateng Acheampong emmanuel- 2016 commonwealth fellow
I got to know prof Sky through my boss and since then I never regretted meeting him since 2015. The 2016 fellows use to greet him ..."our prof" and the usual response from him was always " my people" .little did I know that he was going home so soon. I must say that I have learn a lot from him within the short period I met him. To me, he has gone too soon but God knows best. Prof I love you but God loves you more. I will be that ambassador you have always wanted me to be.
Fare thee well.... SKY.

My dear bro.
rest in peace. the assurance you gave to most of us will continue to stay with us and your family.
we will miss you!

The question that has been going on in my mind since I heard about the passing on of Prof 'tope is 'What will I be remembered for when my time expires?' Prof 'tope made such a great impact on my academic life within the short time we started working on my research at the university of Roehampton, London. Oh! what an outstanding personality gone too soon!

We have lost
Heaven has gained.

To Karen and children,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and I offer my condolence.

I had the honour of knowing Tope as a colleague at Roehampton. As a scholar, colleague and all-round warm person, Tope supported my work and development as an academic. I will miss him. My condolences to Karen and Tope's daughters for their loss.

Dear Prof., It has been a pleasure to have been touched by your life. I will never forget some of the things you shared during the first edition of Auxano initiative at Christ Embassy Reading. You helped us to see that visions can become reality if pursued with faith, determination and perseverance using some of your personal experiences to drive home the message. But you did not stop there; you not only showed me the path to professional greatness and achievement, but like a true mentor you guided me on that path. Thank you for having lived an impactful, glorious and a most generous life. You are missed.

"Dearest Prof,
I still remember our usual greeting....."Onye ihe na agara nke oma"
Ever humble, always smiling and ever ready to help no matter the circumsatnce. I am a beneficiary of your wisdom and inspiring council, your unique choice of words and personalised illustrations at some of our Christ Embassy Reading Mens fellowship meetings were always remarkable. Your love was so tangible and real that it left permanent mark on those that just met you for the first time.Your life is an epistle worth studying and the impact you made in so many lives will live on and stand the test of time. You were a precious gem and a light to many.
Bro Sky, you were more than a brother and friend to me, I will forever miss you and will always cherish your memory as I take comfort in the knwoledge that you have passed on to Glory!.....Therefore we shall surely meet again".

"Hi bayo,
I know you don't know me. I met your dad sometimes in the past. I am tope omoniyi from the same hometown. I learnt of you just concluded your MBBS and have life full of prospect. I wish to introduce you to many academic opportunities here......." Those were part of his mail to me.
He was a humble, kindhearted man who was always ready to help and his words always encouraging and reassuring. I am still in a state of denial. How I wish this is all but dream. His demise is a colossal loss to me and to humanity. Adieu Prof. Sky.

To Karen and the kids, the Lord is your strength.

A Poem in memory of my dear true, kind and inspirational Brother, Sky, Tope Omoniyi who passed away on 27 May 2017:

The world has lost a true light,
A candle was too soon put out
It was once flaming, burning bright,
But now we stand without.

The pain tears a hole, it always will,
When near becomes so far.
And as you would want me fulfil
I leave a song for all you left afar:


To Karen and the children:

You’ll never walk alone
When you walk through the storm
Hold your head up high,
And don’t be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm
Is a golden sky
And the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind,
Walk on through the rain,
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart
And you’ll never walk alone.
You’ll never walk alone

With SKY above, you will never walk alone.

Joseph and family, Lynne, Joshua and Georgia

It was an honour and a privilege to have served with him on the Ethics Committee of the University of Roehampton. I benefitted greatly from his ethical concerns and his enormous wisdom. Sadly missed. Garry

Sky-Pee,
The news of your death was shocking to me and members of my family.You were indeed a dear friend and good brother. You were a great ambassador of our country and generation. I used to jokingly tell my colleagues that I have a friend who teaches English to English people in England ( o nko oyinbo ni oyinbo ni ilu oyinbo). You were indeed a great inspiration for the completion of my Doctorate in 2015. Your love for your extended family particularly your parents endeared you to me. I just couldn't imagine how mama will take your loss other than to pray that the Lord uphold her. Your dear wife, Karen was loving, caring and highly emotionally attached to you. I pray that she find solace in the fact that she gave you her best.
May the good Lord grant you eternal peace and give your wife, children, family and friends the fortitude to bear this great loss.
You will be sorely missed!!!

I didn't know you Prof. Tope very well but on the few occasions we met you were so warm and approachable. You had that rare quality of giving someone your complete attention and interest. Then I saw you give that speech about the passing of Joshua Fishman at SS21 in Murcia, Spain, last year and I thought to myself, wow, what a sensitive and genuine man.

I was very very fortunate to have you as an examiner for my PhD thesis and your comments and encouragement meant so much to me. I am deeply sorry that I didn't get the chance to thank you in person for the support you have given me and I am full of regret that I won't get to know you more into the future.

From the posts on this site I can see that you had such a big impact on many people in this world and that you have a loving partner and family. What a loss for all of us. Travel well Tope Omoniyi.

Tope was a Visiting Scholar at our English Department at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2015.  He was a buoyant and caring member of our Department during his short stay here, and we all miss him and are saddened that he has passed on. I know that the many students he taught, both in Hong Kong and all over the world, will miss him too.

I first heard the sad news from my supervisor, Prof. Viv Edwards. I am particularly sad because Viv had contacted him to be the external examiner for my Viva interview, and he had very graciously agreed. (That was at the end of last year.) I was looking forward to get to know him there as he was very knowledgeable and interested in the use of indigenous languages as resources for development, and also because as a Nigerian he would understand the situation there well. My heartfelt condolences to his wife and family,
Marianne Aaron, PhD Researcher, Institute of Education, University of Reading