Oma dibe wo ja ki to kon
Ojin Abura.
O se se e,
Omen mene
Omen ye men e se tele de gho
Oma la so gbo Oke – Oja,
Oma la si gbo akarun Ori
Oma la si gbo aka geleje serun
Oma lu telu Upaka
Oju mejin gan gau in
E mo kan so ire
Emo kan ri – ran
Okan yo bo e mu gho awa oma re
Ise gwe gwe gho oron tinyentinyen
Ojin jin ale ye jin Oluwa re
Owu Akata mba
Omade me mu na maso ro
Eri ho Ori sa.š²š²š²š²š²š²
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints – Psalm 116: 15
To live in the hearts of those we leave behind is not to die – Thomas Campbell
Our beloved Daddy, you are not dead because you will forever live in our hearts.- Makinwa Adetula.
Death is a common denominator to all living things. But the death of a saint of God is viewed by the Almighty God as something special and it is a time of rejoicing as the saint leaves the world of sin and goes to a perfect place to be with the Lord.
Exactly 15 years today, our father Late High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula, the Sashere of Owo kingdom joined the saint triumphantly.
Owu Oyiriba mu
Owu Agura
Alegbe Jo dere
Oma I ba hon ja,
Omi no ko hon
Iwanyin Iwanyin gbo Shan
Oma bo se wun, e ba hon re
Wayi Wayi Ologun
Aasho Anu kan da ja
Agbo gbo ma ja ekon
O gbo mene buruku Erun
Ejo gho gho dupaš²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²š²
It is against this background that we cannot but reflect on the life and times of a distinguished personality from Owo Kingdom and one of the greatest men that ever lived in Sub Saharan Africa.
High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula had a humble begining and no doubt lived a fulfilled and spectacular life. Having left Owo for Lagos in 1944 at the verge of completing his primary school at a tender age. This was necessitated as a result of circumstances that was beyond his control at that point in time
While in Lagos he took up the trade in Photography. Having completed his training in photography, his professional acumen and uncommon dexterity gave him the opportunity to join The Daily Mirror that was later to become The Daily Times in Kakawa, Lagos.
His contemporaries at that point in time were the likes of Alhaji Babatunde Jose and Chief Laban Nname. It is on record that High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula were few notable Nigerians who started Pictorial Journalism in the early sixties from whom numerous and successful photographers passed through his tutelage to greatness in this profession.
Our daddy was no doubt a likeable and a social young man who found favour with prominent Nigerians during course of performing his official duties as a pictorial journalist.
The nature of his job and work experience was more of national assignment which gave him the opportunity to travel far and wide to the nooks and crannies of the country.
It also afforded him the opportunity to meet and make friends with who is who in the first and second republic of Nigeria among which included great leaders like Dr Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief S L Akintola, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and Dr Alex Ekweme to mention just a few of them.
After his meritorious service in pictorial journalism with Daily Times in Lagos, he verred into other business venture. He set up Gay furniture and metal works limited to produced and supplied quality furnitures, household items, interior designs and furnitures to kingsway stores, UTC stores, Leventis stores, primary and secondary schools. in the early 70s
He returned back to his ancestral home to become the Sashere of Owo and the head of Uwangwe Sashere Dynasty in 1976 to enable him contribute to the social, cultural, economical and political development of Owo Kingdom.
His life was characterized by hardwork, tenacity of purpose, a good strength of character that was exemplified by a fearless commitment to integrity and rentless pursuit of excellence in all his undertakings during his life time.
He was brave and courage personified. He bestrode the social and political landscape of this country like a colossus. That is why members of his immediate, extended family and the people of Owo kingdom will continue to miss him greatly for his enduring legacies.
He was an outstanding personality in Owo kingdom. We the children are greatly inspired as we continue to remember and celebrate your remarkable accomplishment.
He was truly a compassionate community leader with dogged determination in the struggle for a better society for all to live in. His passion for a just and United Owo kingdom remained so till his last days on Earth.
No wonder he remained the last Man standing in opposition to a tyrannic and despotic rule of a particular administration in Ondo State two decades ago.
We salute your courage, dynamism, selflessness, transparency and patriotic commitment of an enigma who moved from zero level to a heroic level.
You left behind an indelible foot prints. Your name is written in the hearts of the people of Owo kingdom, on the sand of time, hall of fame and the gallery of history.
You will continue to live in our hearts forever. This is because you remained the height of moral, ethical and other values that we all your children must strive to attain.
Our precious Daddy, it is on record that from a humble beginning, you started your life in a modest way but rose through hardwork and perseverance to be a role model and a rallying point to all your siblings and the people of Owo kingdom way back in Lagos before returning to Owo kingdom where he spent the remaining part of his life with his people
.
High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula was a generous fatherly figure to many. His kindness and generousity was extended to everyone who were lucky to come in contact with him.
He does not discriminate, rather he treated everybody equally. He was a man not confined to his locality. He operated at the National level. He was charimatic and hospitable with a large heart to accommodate, a listening ears and a helping hand that was easily and readily available.
He was there for all. He was very bold and hated injustice with a passion. He fought against injustice with all his might and resources in every sphere of human endeavours. He was the voice for the voiceless and he was quick to defend the most vulnerable members of his community.
He was very proud of his heritage, culture, the traditional institution and his ancestral home- the Uwangwe Sashere Dynasty. He was always there to identify with his family and the people of Owo kingdom.
High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula by every standard was a successful man who lived well, laughed often and was loved by all. With his generousity and humane attitude he gained the admiration and respect from the young and old during his life time.
He loved his children, grandchildren, non biological ones and all the people around him. Even though he was a doting father, in most cases he was very strict, firm and where and when necessary he did not spare the rod. He did not condone laziness and indolence. He helped others who are not in anyway related to him. He gave his best to the community and by extension humanity.
Growing up with our father was such a wonderful experience filled with love and care. He gave all the children around him the opportunity to develop their potentials to the fullest and also attained the highest level in thier chosen careers and areas of human endeavours.
No doubt, he was an amiable personality that was loved by all in the community. All his sterling human qualities were that which endeared him to the society and for this he will continue to be missed, remembered by all and will surely live in our own hearts forever.
Our precious Daddy, words are not enough how much we miss you since you left us fifteen years ago. You are indeed a rare gem, a man full of uncommon wisdom, humble in nature, a peace maker and God fearing who had an unconditional love for his people.
As much as we cannot deny the fact that a vacuum will forever be created of a loved one like you, we take solace in the fact that your life was well spent and that precious in the sight of God is the death of a saint.
High Chief Justus Oladugba Adetula, you have fought a good fight, you have finsh your course, you have kept the faith, hence there is laid up for you a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous jugde shall give you on that day, and not only you but unto them also that love His appearing. 2 Tim. 4: 7 – 8. No better description can suit your transition into the divine presence than the above words of Apostle Paul.
Our precious Daddy, we take solace in the fact that you are not dead but has transited into eternal glory. Your good works and deeds here on Earth will always keep your memory alive in our hearts and on the sand of time forever.
Continue to rest in peace until we meet to part no more.
