A Tribute to my Dad...16 years after

I gave myself to you, and you gave yourself to me,

I let down my defense, you let down yours,

When I failed you did not laugh at me

When I missed, you did not walk away

How can I forget all you did before you bade this world a goodbye? You were a father, a friend, a confidant and most of all a man of God. No one has been able to fill the vacuum created by your demise and everyday I bless God for the opportunity of having you as my dad.

You groomed me and made me come of age even when I was too little to understand what it was to be a man. You never judged anyone but ready to listen to everyone. No wonder even as the youngest of your folks, you were the center point, the corner stone and the stallion.

Sixteen years long gone without you around and I feel the pain everyday. How I wish you were here now with your soothing words and unrivaled listening ability. Your prayers for our future is paying off.  We are going from strength-to-strength and attaining new heights everyday.

Your values I looked for in other men but no one is like you. I stopped looking when I remembered you once told me that everyone on earth is different and nothing should be seen as disadvantage in men. Everything works out for good for those that love God.

The church you planted is also growing to the glory of God the father.

Daddy, I will forever be appreciative for having you. Your gentleness and calmness even in the face of tension. Your ability to interpret and analyze results. Your believe in hardwork and forthrightness. Your never dying hope and love for the word of God. I remember how you never let you family down at every bible competition at Gospel Faith Mission Ode-Aje Assembly. I hope someday, I can chew the word of God as much as you did. I will not forget your interpretation of Roman1:28 and Jeremiah 17:11, this is a promise, and I will make my generation to see it too.

Daddy, we miss you, this generation misses you, my little daughter and lovely wife, who never had the opportunity to meet you miss you. You were a shining star, a rear gem, a friend and above  all a refuge.

You live in me Dad!

Purpose Driven Life

Your purpose in life is not primarily to impress someone,

else you'll end up as a victim of manipulation.

The needy will always be in need, no matter what you do,

Live your life and be happy.

If you lack the ability to decide to be happy,

then you cannot be happy!

Happiness, apart from being a state of mind

it is also YOUR decision!

You cannot enjoy life to its fullness,

until you learn to enjoy and celebrate yourself.

Don't be too educated...

beyond your level of obedience.

The Diary of a Birthday boy

I was not expecting anything unusual, I’ve been through it before, and I felt it should just pass like any other one. In the past, I really didn’t see my birthdays as any day too important to be marked or expect some special treatment. However, this year, somehow, everything started to be different from few minutes to the day.

It was regular hand over time and a call came-in for me, over the phone was the beautiful voice of my beautiful wife singing. I can assure you, she’s got the best voice. (If you doubt that search for “olukunlemi’ on youtube) Her song went on until the 15th second of the day and then she wished me happy birthday…and for the first time in almost ten years, I savoured the joy of my birthday.

I was going to continue the shift hand over when all my colleagues in the instrument room chorused happy birthday to you…Even with cracked Nigerian voices of Femmy, Kekeh and Michael, the Samba voices of Rubim and Vinny, the tiny-Trinny voice of Abi, the matured baritone of Alaskar and Richard, the Kamba voices of Virginia And David, and less I forget, the sonorous voice of Shipra and Benny, it turned out to be the best joint happy birthday song for me ever. A mixture of sopranos, alto and baritone base. That wrapped up the activities of the day in the instrument room and I can boldly say, I enjoyed every bit of it.

Back in my room I remembered the last birthday party I had about ten years ago, well attended by both The Polytechnic Ibadan and University of Ibadan Junior Chamber members (I’m sure some people will still remember) It was a short one well organised by my then J19 roommate. Then started to think, did I plan (ten years ago) to be where I am today. No came the answer… it is not by power nor by might but by the spirit of God the father.

8:00am

Before I knew it, it was 8 o’clock and my phone rang again. This time the devil was trying to play smart, but I remember that "greater is He that is in me than he that is in the world”

I prayed and agreed about a thing and by 8:30am the testimony was already there. Then I regretted my act of ‘defriending’ someone recently on facebook. He claimed not to believe in GOD and miracles; I would have loved to share this testimony with him, now…it is too late. Sure thing is, my God, our God answers prayers.

11:30 am

Now, its time for lunch. I had an expectation, cake in the messroom for everyone to eat because it’s Stephen’s birthday! Nooo, it was not to be. I looked at one of the galley crew members, and I mumbled to myself “don’t they check the crew list anymore to bake cake for birthdays”. Someone even noticed, and he asked why I was having breakfast at lunch…I had no answer but I guess I was mad at the galley crew members for not baking a cake for me. Then I said to myself, it’s just another day, just forget it and live your day as usual.

12:00 noon

It was time to take over at shift change, everything was done in order and by then I had forgotten it’s my birthday. Another Seismic day anyway! Then the boss came and gave a list of tasks to be completed. One-by-one, people started trooping into the instrument room and I asked myself, what’s the occasion? The Party Chief (with his Italian ascent) asked “any news about start of job? What a question? I soliloquised. The answer to that question should come from you…little did I know his question was the cue for the whole crew to sing happy birthday song for me. I looked lost, embarrassed, happy, jumpy, and felt great all together.

As if that was not enough, then came in a veeeeeeeeeeeeeery big cake (see the pictures) from the conference room carried by the newly constituted welfare team. I looked around and I saw the crew Chef and the whole galley crew…guess what? I started to ask God for forgiveness!

They made me a cake, a real big one, so beautiful, and everyone onboard was around, they feel very proud of it and I noticed a good group smile on the faces of the galley crew, then I could tell God had forgiven me for the rage that went through my heart earlier.

Now name it, there in the instrument room was everyone different colour, different races, almost 22 nationalities singing and wishing me happy birthday. It was a colourful one, how I wished my wife was there!!!

Flashes of cameras, joy on all the faces present, the birthday boy (sorry man), cut the cake and the party started!!!

I have seen this day 35 times earlier, but the 27th of August 2010 will forever remain a different one. And I promise myself to forever respect my birthday and attach importance to it like I do to other people’s birthdays.

Yeah, I know you’d ask, I made a wish… I’ll tell you on this same day next year with a testimony.

Thanks for reading through my diary.

My Best Friend

The friend whose love is not increasing by the day is not worth having.
The one with half hearted giving is not worth keeping.
The one who sees you as an asset to achieve self serving personal goal is killing,
A friend in need (they say) is a friend indeed.

To the one who is my anchor in life’s ocean,
She is my bread when I’m hungry,
My shelter from the troubled wind
Most of all, (like Don William said)
…She is my best friend.

My love for you does not struggle to grow,
It naturally feeds from the abundance of care you provide,
Day-by-day, I could tell the difference,
My love for you grows and nothing can stop it.

You give it all without holding anything back,
Such that I feel so secured like never before,
I’ve got enough love in the pool,
Therein I’ll swim till I cease to live.


I love you Angel. You are my BEST FRIEND

It Was My Dream

Why do I get disturbed about what people do?
Why do I feel cheated or disappointed about the happenings around me?
Why do I expect people to see it the way I want?
Is it possible to have them love me?

Oh I remember why everything seems difficult.
Now I know why they find me impossible,
yes I can tell the difference,
Except me no one else was there when I had the dream!

If they were there, they would understand,
they would play well along if they saw it,
they would have known the melody from the tone
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.

I have a mission to accomplish, a goal to reach,
Mountains to climb, infact some to surmount!
I've got a race to run, wide gap to cover
'cos I'm not ordinary, I know my dream.

The path to success is rough, others feel I am rough,
the race requires speed, they feel I am reckless,
the mission needs thoughtfulness but they say I am slow,
Oh, I was the only one there...when I had the dream.

Father of Grace, give me peace within,
When it is difficult to explain,
Give me power of will,
Never to see the obstacles, or lose the foresight of my focus.

Night out with First Love

She is my first love,
We were closer than the closest of friends,
We shared everything,
Food, water, air and all.

When she stood, I was upright,
When she lay down, so I was.
I touched her on the inside,
I was privileged to see everything inside her

She touched me at will,
She attempted to make me behave when I kicked,
We were so close knitted
And one day, she finally made me see this world
…my mother
For a long, long time,
Her legs were the only chair I knew
The only food I had was from her bosom.

She gave me directions for a long time,
She told me what to do, say, touch and where to go.
Then came a night that I chose where to go,
A place to see things and enjoy together

Not with the best of heels,
Wished she wore an Italian shoe
Not the best of clothes
Not with a Gucci or Prada hand bag
But we were together one night.

All through, I feel very proud to be by her,
We had a nice time in one of the best places
She sat gracefully with me like a lover,
With her ‘head scarf’ like the grand mom,
She sat at the bar with me,
We shared pop corn and drinks,
It was a very lovely scene.

I look around and saw couples,
People of the same age bracket,
They seem to enjoy their time too
But I also felt they were envious of me
Having a night out with my sixty-four year old mother.

She was not the most beautiful at the bar,
She’s probably not the most intelligent,
She was not tastefully dressed like younger girls
But she is my mother!
She made me one of the most intelligent,
A man that can afford expensive clothes and shoes,
She’s infact a great woman
Woman of honor and good charm
That night I learnt one thing,
It takes more than charisma to be great,
Competence and Godly charm are more than important,
It was a good night out
…with my sixty-four year old mother.

I love you mum

I thought you always be mine

I thought I saw it all
I thought I knew you,
I thought you are all I need
I thought you'll always be mine.

Not many deserve the best
Not many do what they say
Not all that glitter is gold
I thought you'll always be mine

How time flies
How people forget
How people faint
I thought you'll always be mine

People try
People lie...
People die
I thought you'll always be mine.

I gave my word
I gave my time
I gave my life
I thought you'll always be mine.

I am hero, you call me zero
I am favored you call me failure
I'm full of praise you call me proud
I thought you'll always be mine