Without Warning ⚠️

So it’s already 365 days of losing you, with fresh agonizing memories of your passing…

At this time, words and my emotions have failed me as I am so sad remembering that you left without goodbyes.

Kolawole, we all miss you, we truly do, but below is a:

TRIBUTE TO THE WORLD’S GREATEST BROTHER (Wed, June 26, 1983 – Sat, Feb 25, 2017).

KOLAWOLE, it seemed like you left this side of life some 1 minute ago……for real, it is ALREADY A YEAR today (Feb 25, 2018).

I still find it hard to believe you are no longer around. I still fight the tears and heart aches. I remember those final moments that Dad, Mum and I had to stay up late into the midnight by your side.

KOLAWOLE you know the saddest part, you left exactly a week after my birthday. So, the pain is real. It means my birthday every year will always come with your lingering memories.

In retrospect, where should I start from?

As boys, growing up was great and fun having a big brother to look up to. You were the “Dad” I had when Dad was not home.

We played table soccer, table tennis together alongside Sis Funmilola, (actually I learnt those games by watching you play and I also learnt healthy competition from you) and those childhood wrestling in our room.

Another session our trio (you, Sis Funmilola and myself) engaged in regularly was singing our favorite “Omo pupa“ song; with you playing the tambourine, big sis doing the lyrics while I beat the drum.

We played the drumset together in Williams Memorial Anglican Church, Bariga with Late Olaleke Adeoyin, my best friend then and Olalekan Adeoyin, your own friend. Those days back in music classes, bible quiz competitions and drama presentations in other churches, Niyi Sofunwa will bear me witness. No wonder you later followed the drama ministration path during your undergraduate days at LASU.

Primary school memories still very fresh in my mind. Those days at Primestone Tutorial Centre.

KOLAWOLE, I don’t even have enough words to express what I have in my mind now. Entering the secondary school in September 1997, since we were in the same school, I wore one of your uniforms being my first day at school.

You even took me out to eat that same day. You shielded me from bullies and wicked seniors who exploit the juniors.

I remember your class mates often call us OLUKOMAIYA SENIOR AND OLUKOMAIYA JUNIOR. You showed me around the whole Bariga, Somolu, Yaba areas and shortcuts if I decided to walk home instead of using the public transport(especially when we had to save money for ‘Singspirational avenue’.

You were part of the success I made during my secondary school days. Being my senior in school and in same science stream, you taught me MATHEMATICS, FURTHER MATHEMATICS, CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS in very simple ways.

I first learnt all those simultaneous equation jargons from you, redox reaction (reduction and oxidation) and Almighty physics. I used your textbooks and notes too.

If I am to go into further details, I would write books of many volumes.

The year 1998/1999 was a year I can not forget in a hurry as it was one of the most challenging years for the family.

I vividly remember your bold efforts, alongside Sis Funmilola, in selling our old primary school notes to road side food vendors as scraps to sell their “boli, ground nut and fried potatoes”.

You also went ahead industriously to make friends with some market women and took it upon yourself to sell coconuts to them, so we could use the proceeds to buyfood stuff for the family. You were very bold and not ashamed to do this.

As industrious as you were, you also became a lecturer at your tender age at a tutorial center somewhere in Ajose street, Agric, Ikorodu, and you made it a point of duty to teach people (even older students, to succeed).

Leaving the secondary school, I had a problem…low self-esteem.

How can one be brilliant and still have low self-esteem? This is indeed a contrast of complexities.

You were one my major advisors who continued to motivate me to deal with this weakness.

I remembered you asked me to come over to LASU and spend time with you in class but I declined because I was just to “shy” to stand before people or sustain conversations with people. You later began to groom me for the university.

Quite unexpectedly, you showed up for my matriculation with Mum in Dec 2005.

Studying Chemical and Polymer Engineering, you were the technical brain of the OLUKOMAIYA family. You were a problem solver any day, any time.

You had a natural spring of LOVE that flows even when you were down.

My first encounter with TECHNICAL DRAWING (ISOMETRIC DRAWINGS, ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS, etc.) was in my 2nd year at the undergraduate level. I remembered you were part of those who helped me to achieve a “distinction” in a subject that I used to detest from since secondary school days.

You have always featured in many events in my life as a support.

Looking back, flash of memories in my head☹️, I remembered those heart-to-heart chats we had late 2016 about getting married and what a responsible man needs to know/do per time.

You also opened Robert Kiyosaki’s cash flow quadrant in one of those evenings and explained it to me.

I silently laugh when some folks say, “I learnt this or learnt that all by myself”. No man in this world is self-made.

In 2005, one of my seniors, Dr. Yemi Sonubi, in the university, said, “you are where you are today because of those you met and those that met you”.

In my journey so far, I have met different people from diverse races and backgrounds. I credit the significant roles they have played in my life so far to God and to them.

KOLAWOLE, you were a fearless gentleman, a passionate teacher and a mentor to the core.

KOLAWOLE, you were a mountain peak up high, a star up in the sky, a giant, a matching band and a helping hand.

KOLAWOLE, you remain one of the world’s greatest EVER made by THE ALMIGHTY GOD.

Piece by our beloved lil bro, Oladapo, we miss you terribly Big brother, continue to rest in the Lord’s bossom☹️😭.