Your death has 'Reset My Brain' For Good
(You Just Looked Too Lively to Die)The Following Week.
For me, It's now far more of making Heaven than making it in life I will pursue more of fear of God than earthly ambition like never before .
So, Segun it was your valedictory phone call.So you made that call to bid me goodbye for life.No wonder you spoke at length and longer than usual.
Little surprise, that our conversation on phone was more of you taking stock of your stewardship over the years and less of what you planned to achieve in future. It is crystal clear to me now why you dwell extensively on admonishing me to pick up the gauntlet of navigating the path to higher height.
"Segun Omo Adeleye" as I fondly called you, your death which our 'aburo' and professional colleague, Kunle Olayeni broke to me this morning jolted me excruciatingly to my bone marrow. More infectiously, it has reset my brain to the fact that it is high time for me to drastically relax the struggle for socio ,economic fulfillment in life for the divine ultimate to make heaven. 'Abi' isn't it a gospel truth that " What shall it profit a man if he gained the whole world and lose his soul". Segun, 'sebi' it was only about a week ago that you gave me a call as we used to do as a way of keeping tab on each other and advancing course for our progress in life.
As usual ,we spoke at length, spicing it with hilarious banters that used to make our usually long but meaningful conversation lively, captivating incisive, revealing and thought provoking. I recall asking you about the state of your media outfit(Intermedia) and your involvement in Ogun West politics ditto the possibility of the geo-political axis producing the Governor of the State for the first time,a course you were selflessly commited to.
Your response evinced no less.You were your vintage self,down to earth, touchy, objective and forward looking while reflecting on the facets of my question.
I recollect you were happy to hear that I've done and dusted my one year sabbatical leave appointment as deputy registrar at LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, capitalising on that to reinforce the need to pick up the gauntlet of navigating fresh path to higher ground.
Segun's lofty vision and goals were clearly mapped out such that he was an embodiment of life that pointed ostensibly to many years of living and not death in few days time as it happened yesterday. Our last phone conversation which bothered on our goals has again reinforced the indisputable fact that life is transient.Truly "Man proposes while God disposes".
Only last week,we spoke about our future,trusting God to see us through and today Alani you've gone to the world beyond, leaving on your trail your dreams but thanks be to your Creator for making your life exemplary and highly emulatable.Your legacy lives on.
"Alani agun taso lo okunrin meta atabo. Yewa Lokan No Shaking" as I fondly hailed you and which always evoke your swift and catchy response: "Handsome l'omo latile.Omo dara o dejo. Paddy mi of life. Gbogbo FUNAAB, Okanlomo Iganna (his usual way of appelating me in reference to my look, my home town of (Iganna) and my place of work.
Segun Alani Adeleye was a thorough bred, selfless, hardworking, industrious professional colleague and friend of over two decades.
Our path crossed, I guess in 2002 when he joined us in the then Correspondents' Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ogun State Council where he carved a niche for exclusive news, beneath the surface-probing features and fearless reporting.
Segun joined us 'the Ijemo Bombers" as we were fondly called as Bureau Chief of Independent Newspapers.I was then the Bureau Chief of Champion Newspapers and also Chairman, Correspondents' Chapel. Segun was of like mind like some other colleagues in the then Correspondents' Chapel who detest injustice, especially in the political clime of leadership.
He fought oppression with his fiery pen of massive destruction of ant-progressive elements in the system and in our society to a standstill. As a matter of fact,the Oja Odan born product of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic of Mass Communication cum AMACOS (if you know you know) fame was part of the fearless and resilient group of Correspondents' popularly known as G5 (Group of 5), others being Femi Shodunke (Nation Newspapers) a.k.a Hullabaloo and Oluwo, Late Toba Suleiman (This Day Newspapers) a.k.a Oku Oru Ladani, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji (Post Express) a.k.a Restless, Coachito, Papa, Na the gift of God, among other numerous appellations who is now the CEO/MD of Pen Pushing Media, and of course yours truly, Kola Adepoju (Champion Newspapers) a.k.a New Testament.
Segun later and of recent went into private practice as Media and Public Relations Consultant bestriding the terrain, especially in Ogun State like a collosus, a facet he adequately prepared for as far back as his days in active journalism where he rendered media consultancy at part-time level. "Omo Adeleye" you are not dead.You lives on.Segun,you are a personification of Yoruba word 'osinmi',meaning, he's still breathing( he or she lives on).
Segun your legacy of delivering( getting virtually every media event you covered published in your newspapers,an attribute you shared with Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji) lives on. Segun, your legacy of nosing for exclusive news and in-depth analysis in your feature articles lives on. Segun,your legacy of making media consultancy out of news coverage without compromising standard lives on.
Segun,your legacy of "strive for greatness" which is deeply rooted and firmly established in hardwork, commitment, ruggedness and determination lives on.
Segun, your legacy of patriotism and selfless service towards realising Ogun West Governorship lives on .
Segun kindly extend our regards to:
+Adeola Odudele(a popular Ijemo Circulatin Manager who died last week);
+Charles Gyamfi.
+Alhaji Toba Suleiman.
+Doyin Fadu.
+Lanre Sorunke a k a Baba Amona.
+Gbenga Davies.
+Wale immediate past Chair of Correspondents'' Chapel
+Kolade Lanrewaju
+Baba Aileru.
+Daddy Cool
+Funsho Afolabi
+Kola Awodire
+Ola Ogundepo and other Correspondents of blessed memory.
Not forgetting celebrated Journalists from other organs of Ogun NUJ who are late:
+Deaconess Doyin Ogunbiyi
+Yemi Giwa
+Madam Bidemi Abeokuta
+Diji Akinhanmi
+Funso Lawanson
+Seyi Edunjobi
+Adewale Aderinale
+Omo Esiene
+Peter Okodua
+Waheed Lesh
i+Sola Bakare
+Wole Adebari
+Baba Olowo
+Sina Durosomo, among others.May their gentle souls rest in perfect peace.
OJO AWA TOKU A JINNA SI ARA WON BY HIS MERCY IN JESUS NAME. Segun Adeleye awo Rasheed Bolarinwa, Imule Moshood Adebayo,Man Friday Femi Shodunke, Paddy of life Kola Adepoju, Egbon Kunle Olayeni, Booda Yinka Olukoya, partner in 'crime' Dimeji Kayode- Adedeji, otojometa Niyi Ogungbola a.k.a As omo,Man Friday Niyi Odebode, Ma gbagbe mi Wole Shokunbi (Ataba), Ataba, aburo Egbon Femi Dokunmu.
Rest in perfect peace Segun Alani Adeleye.It is well.Shalom!
Culled from Facebook of Kola Adepoju