TRIBUTE TO ELDER JULIUS FOLOSO ORIMOLOYE BY
ALH. TAYO AJETUNMOBI
For over 30 years, my family and I had enjoyed very good neighbourliness – wonderful brotherhood, friendship and kindness from you and your family.
As one of the founding members and leaders of Okota Residents Association Zone “A” you were at that historic inaugural meeting of April 1989 and you have since committed your unwavering moral and financial supports to the development of our community. You put your school – Mt. Zion Academy – at the disposal of our community. The school assembly hall has been a permanent meeting venue of the Residents Association while you allow residents the use of the use of the school field and the compound for social event on weekends. You demonstrated passion. You demonstrated passion for community development without making any noise about it.
From whatever perspective one looks at you, yours was an accomplished life. You had an accomplished career in banking as a manager of managers. In the education industry, you with your late wife, established one of the best private secondary schools not only in Lagos but in Nigeria. Mount Zion Academy had produced many professionals and leaders in various fields of human endeavours. You left behind a happy family with successful and responsible children.
At the social level, you were A good mixer, a conversationalist, a stickler for punctuality and with good dress sense.
You celebrated with friends and acquaintances by honouring invitations and you always had a gift for each celebrant. You were also appreciative of kind gestures as you would repeatedly and deep-heartedly say E see, modupe, E see (thank you).
You enjoy being in company of people and always a delight to be with. You lightened the atmosphere as you always had a funny story and jokes for every situation. You were a man of candour with the gift of oratory laced with humour and wittiness. Part of sense of humour and humility was to call or refer to your acquaintances as “Alagba” (Elder) a pseudonym, rather than by this real names.
When you spoke with me from Akure on your last visit home, I jokingly asked you to bring the left over for me. You actually came back with some tubers of yam. This is who you were – friendly, humorous and generous.
Out of the compassion, you never missed the opportunity to accord the last respect to a departed resident. Apart from mobilizing other residents, you would also make available your school bus with driver to facilitate group movement with convenience.
In any situation, you demonstrated intelligence, courage, confidence honesty, friendship and all for the benefit of the society.
In all, you lived a good life worthy of emulate – honest, humble, simple, disciplined and principled. Though, eminently qualified and infact could be assumed to be a Chief, you refused to be one or be so addressed. In retirement, you locked your apartment door by 7pm as you rarely stayed out or entertained visitors after 7pm.
You were serious minded, sincere in your relation, frank and pragmatic in your approach to issues and situations.
So much has been written about LIFE and DEATH. Of course, these two at are the very essence of humanity.
William Shakespeare in his book “HAMLET” described “LIFE” as “but a walking shadow, a poor player that frets and trots about the stage, a told by an idiot full of sounds and fury signifying nothing”.
However, inspite of the ephemera and the vanity of life, most people still don’t want to die.
To God be the glory, our dear late neighbor, brother and friend – Elder Julius Foluso Orimoloye, you lived and exemplary life. We wish would still be around for many more years to enjoy the fruits of your labour, serve God, our community and humanity longer and better. The is in the realms of human wishes as God is the disposer of all affair.
The “Proverb” said “Good men must die but death cannot kill their names”. You will forever in our hearts.
Like the Biblical Apostle Paul, “fought a good fight, finish the race and kept the faith.
in the word of Thomas Gray in his poem “Elegy on a Churchyard” Reading various epitaphs, the only significant milestones in life are that we are born and we die; none of the which we have control over.
May God forgive you your iniquities and grant your kind and gentle soul eternal rest.
Adieu, dear neighbor, brother and friends
Adieu, Elder Folusho Orimoloye
Adieu, Omo akure, Oloyemekun
Alh. Tayo Ajetunmobi