Iconic Adewale Adesoji Adeeyo lives forever in our hearts

BY OLUMIDE LAWAL

Many are still in utter shock and disbelief; others are yet to come to the reality of the devastating transition to glory of a great man of the people, an intellectual icon and a boardroom guru, known as Adewale Adesoji Adeeyo (OON). On October 14, 2021, he bade the world goodbye in Dubai in a blaze of glory. Adewale Adesoji Adeeyo went back to his creator and was interred at Eternal Home Cemetery, Km. 35, Oyo Road, Ibadan, having rekindled hope in many people. An exceptional and gifted human being. We were all deeply distressed at the funeral service. A sober gathering it was. Strain etched on the faces of mourners.

And as well-wishers and associates gathered at his 76, Oduduwa Crescent, G.R.A. Ikeja residence, on October 14, 2022, to mark the first year anniversary of his glorious transition and cherish his fond memories, the magnetism of Dr Adewale Adeeyo was yet to wane. It was clear, that Sir Eyo, as he was fondly called by his admirers, pursued and delivered his earthly ambitions with diligence and rare wisdom. Sir Adewale Adeeyo was one heart full of love. May God bless his heart of love and meekness. He was a very sparkling and dynamic personality.

The outpouring of affection and respect for him at the occasion was evidence that he fulfilled his pledge of unassailable service to mankind. Adewale Adeeyo used his high public profile to draw attention to the plights of the underprivileged. The great son of Olodooba and Alusekere Compounds in Ede, Osun state, came, saw, and was impactful on so many aspects of human endeavours. He traversed the universe like a colossus and excellently too. Sir Eyo, in good and bad times never lost his capacity to smile and laugh and inspire others with his warmth and humility.

Adeeyo’s kindness and love for all that crossed his path remain our solace. And for that, we thank him for his unalloyed loyalty to the causes he believed in, together with his sharpness of mind and high cerebral quality which continue to propel us to be of immense service to humanity, just as he was during his lifetime. Sir Adewale Adeeyo, did a good work by sermonising that parents should do a good job of giving their children the affection that nature demands to help them tremendously to be good citizens of the world. Adeeyo was an encyclopedia of raw knowledge and native intelligence in all ramifications. He was unique in all his undertakings, measured in styles and strides. His trouble-shooting skills that brought peace to many troubled homes, endeavours, and relationships were exemplary and legendary. Mankind misses seeing his sartorial and elegant appearances in whatever apparel he chose to appear in. We miss your velvet and rich voice, from where intellectualism was dispensed with confidence at different fora. All he cared about was life more abundant for all, though he did not suffer fools gladly. Very readily forgiving. From Adewale Adeeyo’s good heart and beautiful soul, there was no malice. No ill-feeling. He was ready to sit down with anybody that has issues with him and resolve the differences amicably. He avoided controversies.

And here we come to another truth about ’Wale Adeeyo. For all the status, glamour, and applause he garnered, he was almost ‘childlike’ in his desire to do good to the genuinely downtrodden of the earth and release them from deep feelings of unworthiness. He saw himself first, as the son of Baba Aminu Adeeyo, that great cocoa merchant who toiled in old Gold Coast (now Ghana) in the early 30s to make life meaningful for his children and acquaintance. Hence, his own resolve to always help others very readily.

Adeeyo’s unique, dignified, irreplaceable, extraordinary, and urbane personality, will never be extinguished from our minds. We give thanks to Almighty God, for those qualities and strength that endeared Adewale Adeeyo to us during his lifetime. Guide Adewale Adeeyo family, oh thou great Redeemer. May flights of angels continue to sing his soul in his rest.

He was a man who did not tolerate half-measures in getting things done. Sir Adewale Adeeyo was extremely sympathetic to the cause of promoting the educational advancement of indigent but brilliant students. His refrain was; “give education to many and you build a solid nation”. He was very lively and humorous to a fault. This world has very few people like Adeeyo, who worked devotedly for the well-being of the poor. All of which he ventured into within his limited resources. Sir Eyo was an amazing and remarkable personality. A loyal person to his friends, associates, and family members and a genuine crusader who did a great deal for others without expecting anything in return. To promote his religion, Islam, he wrote on weekly basis in the Vanguard Newspapers, a small column known as BARKA JUMAT.

Adeeyo offered his wide shoulders for many people to lean on and in the process, provided succor to them; wiping off their tears. The world is incensed by his courage and persistence in getting up and going on whenever life knocked him and brought low time. He was unrelenting in the pursuit of fairness, justice, and truth. His Midas touch was an invaluable asset that kept him at the loftier side of life. Sir Adewale Adeeyo manifested a total family man as he dotted over his four adorable children – Aminu, Bashir, Aisha, and Faridah. He was a lovable husband of his darling wife and soulmate, Awwa Adeeyo, who by the grace of God, has been holding the home front well with grace and candour. He promoted core family values and virtues among his kindred and siblings.

An incurable nationalist, he wrote in major national newspapers under the heading; ‘Buhari, Gambari signpost a new direction’ to commemorate the 60th independence anniversary of our great country on October 1, 2020. Adeeyo displayed his intellectual iconism. He wrote and I quote: “May the sublime combinations of the president’s inner strength and crucial obstinacy that sustained him in five presidential electoral campaigns with three harsh defeats and two splendid and triumphant victories, mingle with subtlety, caution, imagination, empathy and God’s mercy to fill our Mr President with sturdy encouragement and his collaborator, the chief of staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, with sound wellness and zealous wit as they calmly and astutely serve our dear nation”. That was vintage Sir Adewale Adeeyo, A patriot to the core. It was to be his last intellectual exercise and most painfully too.

He ended up his earthy sojourn as the chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and made a very good show of it. He shone like a lone star in the sky. The media industry, where he was the publisher of the defunct highly successful Anchor Newspaper, the academic and corporate environment, the Islamic community, and humanity in general miss his sweet company and sound advocacy. Adeeyo showed this writer true love and guidance. I drank from his wealth of invaluable experience and fountain of wisdom. He taught me like many others, lessons in hard work, never-say-die spirit; endurance, and perseverance, even at the height of extreme hardship. He imbued in some of us, the reality that we should venture into difficult terrains of various human endeavours and score in a grand style. We are holding high, these lofty ideals. We miss your wise counsel. You were truly a proud son of Ede and a great citizen of the world.

I implore all well-wishers to strive to establish a foundation in his honour to enable his worthy legacies thrive forever including the completion of a mansion he was speedily putting up at Ede that was to be his retirement home. That gigantic edifice is a monument that should survive him. He would be happy in his grave to see that done. Dr. Adewale Adeeyo was simply irreplaceable.

Sir Adewale Adeeyo as our rose, may you will ever grow in our hearts. You were the grace that placed itself where lives were torn apart. Now you belong to heaven and the stars spell out your name. Aljanat Fridau, grant him oh Allah SWT

Lawal wrote from Ailaka Compound in Ede, Osun state