Five years ago, a rare breed of man departed this world, leaving behind a void that nobody has been able to fill. On August 11, 2020, my beloved father and confidant, Sunday Alaba Komolafe, bid this mortal coil a final farewell. He was 92!

Reflecting on my father’s passing, I am reminded of his enduring legacy, which speaks to the power of genuine leadership and selflessness. His life illuminated the vast chasm between those who truly serve others and those who merely serve themselves. Baba Kayode, as he was fondly called, loved not just his children but also countless others who came under his guardianship. Dad didn’t just pay lip service to compassion, he lived it!.

Five years on, the memories of this beautiful soul still refuse to fade. His presence is so deeply felt that emotions still run high whenever my younger siblings – Olukayode, Olalekan, Olufunmilayo and Olufemi – and I discuss him. We often have to abruptly end our conversations before we all break down in tears.

But the pain runs deeper still. Five years on, I have yet to set foot in his bedroom – not out of a fear of ‘dusty’ relics, but because the sense of loss is still too raw. Similarly, I haven’t been able to muster the courage to visit his graveside, a ritual my family observes every year.

His favourite chair remains untouched, a constant reminder of his absence. The profound sense of loss is so strong that even passing by Heavenly Gate, the embalmment facility in Osogbo where his remains were preserved before his burial in Ijebu-Jesa on September 11, 2020, brings back a flood of emotions.

Pa Komolafe was a devoted Christian whose empathy was evident in his untiring commitment to his family, his community, and the upbringing of his children. He never amassed millions of naira. Yet, his actions laid bare a humility that defined his approach to life. Not only did he help us build lives of meaning and stability, he remained an open, purposeful door for everyone throughout his time here. Even when life was making up and breaking up, Dad gave us an education and the chance to become someone important.

Five years on, I still miss my father deeply. His absence is a solemn truth: the graveyard is not only full of indispensable men but also offers a stark reflection of life’s transience and the fragility of human destiny.

Baba Kayode was once the family’s breadwinner, our comforter, friend, and the faithful’s defender. What he left behind are decent examples of how a Christian gentleman should live. We, his children, now have a compelling duty to uphold and pass on these values to succeeding generations. This is the finest tribute we can pay to an exemplary life. Anything less would be a betrayal of his trust!

May the Stone of Israel grant eternal rest to the soul of Pa Sunday Alaba Komolafe and continue to comfort those he left behind.

May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!

●ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk;
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