Oba Abdulkadir Folorunsho: Exceptional heir, great adviser of our time

My family’s heir, a great adviser of our time - Oba Abdulkadir Ahmad Folorunsho, you left us when you were most needed. My voice and words failed me while trying to do a tribute over your demise. You brought joy into the Folorunsho dynasty when you were born and you remained a source of joy to the entire family for as long as your journey lasted.

Even though I didn’t grow up with you as a brother but I grew to know you as Daddy Agba (Big Daddy). You took care of all and sundry, you put smiles on the faces of many - a virtue you inherited from your late father. You took charge of the home affairs from your token allowance as a teacher, such that your siblings can never ever forget you.

Your plan for every family member was as high as Mount Everest. Alhamdulillah, some of your siblings you groomed became successful before your very own eyes. You were a pride of our great family. Even as many know our family to be highly temperamental, you stood out as the calmest, most calculated and coolest person among us. This was shown and demonstrated in your relationship with family members, friends and neighbours around. You were known not to have had a misunderstanding with friends or other people you encountered.

As a teacher, you touched many lives and revived dead brains. You were such a pleasant son, brother, husband, father, friend, colleague and neighbor. Many looked up to you because of the way you treated other people’s issue like yours.

My dear brother, your calmness also contributed greatly to the unity in our family. As intelligent as you were to take up the mantle of leadership after the death of our big brother and first Khalipha, you supported your siblings in their choice of another Khalipha and stood in the position of King’s father which you belong to. Although many may not see that as a great achievement and sacrifice, but those of us who left the house in your care appreciated it and also applauded the sacrifice.

The Folorunshos were your major concern all your life and when you retired two years ago, you echoed severally your decision to dedicate your entire life to serving the family and you did till you drew your last breath.

You were a prayer warrior till the last moment. You never forgot the path our beloved father showed us all. Those who gave you your last bath testified to the fact that you were truly a chosen servant of Allah.

You became our pride when you joined the Nigerian Immigrations Service, which gave us the leverage to stand shoulder high anywhere in Nigeria, to showcase you as a worthy ambassador and representative. When we heard of your sickness, we all prepared to come visiting you on that Sunday but that never happened, instead you visited us one after the other to bid us farewell. That Sunday was a black one for the Folorunshos. I know our beloved father and your brothers would be happy to receive you, but you left a big vacuum in our mind. Your prides which you mentored miss you dearly; we cried out our bitterness over your demise, we lost our voices over your absence, hoping you will hear and see how badly we felt so that you resurrect but unfortunately you didn’t, instead, your lifeless body only reminded us of the sure end which is death.

Darling brother, you are being celebrated and you will be for life. If surely the dead meets, tell baba we still miss him; tell Khalipha Bashir we’d never forget him; inform Seyidina Umar that his death still causes a lot of pains, and then your demise has left us with the unanswered question of: is this how life is?

Despite the tears, pains and the grief, we take solace in the promise of our Creator that there is no other reward for good than good and also in the fact that you were rewarded alive with your heir, Barr Murtala Oba Folorunsho, who I call a revised and improved version of you. Do be with him and your other four soldiers - Muideen, Lukman, Abdulmalik and Abdulsalam. Guide them all into the right path.

Adieu Brother Oba, fare thee well Daddy Agba. May Allah accept you as his servant, forgive all your shortcomings, and reward you with the best place in paradise!

You were a prayer warrior till the last moment. You never forgot the path our beloved father showed us all. Those who gave you your last bath testified to the fact that you were truly a chosen servant of Allah