OLUWABUNMI OMOTAYO ADETOKUNBO ADEDAYO…GONE TO BE WITH THE SAINTS Bunmi was a very remarkable student.Despite the years which have rolled by and though he spent only one session in ss3 in our evening school we will never forget him.He lived a short but very meaningful life. Today i can still recollect his young face.Ever smiling making you feel he might be up to some mischief. But that was just his nature.Perhaps that is why his colleagues ever milled around him and from the way he interacted with them one was bound to recognize immediately the traits of a born leader. Today i still remember the way he used to buy many pieces of doughnuts from the lady in my wife’s shop in the school while it was still on 3rd Avenue Festac Town.Most of those doughnuts ended up in the stomachs of his friends (followers?). Today i recall his intelligence and his mother’s wish that he be brushed up more in one of the sciences.We thank God we made some contribution to the decent life he lived later.Personally,i developed special interest in his academic work and behavior but did not know he took notice of it all.Enough to be citing me and my ways to some of the staff of TFC later in life.He never told me he did but at least two employees did.And the wife whom i never met until after he died also attested to his mentioning me to her. Today,i remember he paid me a visit after he returned from the US.That was before he got married.It was also the first time i saw he had grown into becoming a giant. A gentle giant! Though i only got to know about his wedding through the media i thought that one day we were bound to meet again.But it was not the way God wanted it. Today i remember i paid a visit to TFC head office on Victoria Island about two and a half years ago when my daughter was going to get married.I was very sure we were going to meet again on that day.But alas,it was not to be so.Luckily i met the father that day and he gave me the phone numbers of Bunmi’s mother for later contact/connection.By the way have i mentioned she also happens to be my Ijebu sista? Today i also recollect that i wrote a proposal to TFC WHICH WAS PERSONALLY ADDRESSED TO BUNMI BUT WAS NEVER DELIVERED…However, i told Mrs Adedayo later that we also intend to do something in Bunmi’s memory which was never going to drain the purse of TFC and she gave her acceptance through a text from her office.We intend to follow up on this later with activities within Amuwo Odofin schools including Navy Secondary School ,Navy Town attended by Bunmi. Today i also remember the day a TV crew contacted me that i should comment on Bunmi’s life as part of a documentary being prepared about his life.As a parent,my first feeling was to ask myself if it was right to do so by Yoruba customs and traditions.But my true feelings about Bunmi became the decider.With anguish within and a straight face without i made those comments which were broadcasted as part of the documentary during the evening of songs at the Muson Centre.Throughout the renditions of beautiful songs it was a roller coaster of emotions until i begged my wife to let us leave after the exhortation! At a point, the memories and the event became too painful to bear.And at my age everything needed to be in what my wife call “proper proportions”! However, we took along the candles that were meant to be lighted in Bunmi’s memories at the event.They have been placed somewhere in our house to help remember Bunmi virtually each day! Thank God. So, to my dear sista and her husband,sorry we could not wait to let you know we were there with you physically and emotionally.Instead of saying EPELE I INTEND TO PUBLISH ALL YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT YOUR LOSS ON THESE PAGES IN THE NEAREST FUTURE.I feel this will be more satisfactory than just shaking your hands that night and going home.And by the way,Bimbo Oloyede was there too and left just before us.I know this because she was sitting just behind us.May be the event got through to her too having suffered a similar loss of a dear daughter! Just a thought only though. So,today we say may Bunmi’s soul rest in perfect and eternal peace.And may the Lord watch over his children,wife and parents in Jesus’ name…Amen. We intend to continue publishing articles,poems,wise sayings and other written materials on Bunmi’s beautiful life for a few days.So please forgive us if you do not exactly see that as your cup of tea. Many thanks. OLUKAYODE O. ODUMOSU EX-PROPRIETOR MASON COLLEGE/PASS TUTORIAL COLLEGE,FESTAC TOWN