Adesola
Olubola Ogunmefun and Funmilayo Odusina, the two students of the University of
Lagos who drowned at the Elegushi beach earlier this week have been buried in
Lagos.
Family
members and friends of the two young women could not hold back their tears, as
they wept bitterly while paying their last respect.
Their
remains were retrieved from the Lagos General Hospital, Marina, Lagos and moved
to the Private Vaults Garden, a section of the Ikoyi Cemetry in Lagos. It was a
solemn environment as deafening silence enveloped the entire area. And the
people, all wearing mournful faces, started arriving in groups of two and more
as the mourners found their way to the already set grave.
As
the lone voice of the officiating minister boomed out, it reverberated far and
struck an emotional button in the families of the deceased, as they broke down
in tears.
At
exactly 12pm, the remains of the two were simultaneously committed to mother
earth with their graves not far apart from each other. Their friends, all
wearing yellow T-shirts that had the pictures of Adesola and Funmi boldly
plastered on it, wore long faces as they tried to cope with their loss.
The
deceased were nevertheless showered with numerous encomiums and tribute as
their lives and times were recounted. According to Sunmibola Ogunmefun: Shola,
my consolation is 1 Thessalonica, verse 13 and 18. Very simplistic, you have
never been the kind to take things too seriously and your smile is always from
ear…(I use ‘is’ because I know you are still smiling).
Keeping malice with you
was futile; you would always find way to break the ice and even now you won’t
let me be angry at you. I guess you would have to scrub the gas cooker myself
now, you promised you were going to do it this week.’
‘You
are in the right place, not a single house chore; all you have got to do is
sing your heart out, chill in your mansion, enjoy the feel of gold under you
feet and keep smiling Shokuro (my talkative sister); I know you don’t
understand why we are sad, I can imagine you staring at us as though we were
are silly,’ she said.
Shortly
before their remains were interred, families, colleagues and friends of Adesola
Olubola Ogunmefun and Funmilayo Odusina mustered strengths to pay tributes to
the two. In her brief tribute, Adesola’s younger sister,nsaid: ‘Adesolami, I
really don’t know what to say. Can I ever survive without you? I miss you; miss
the fact that no one will be beating my breast. RIP baby.
Aikulola
Olu, a friend, said: “I kept hoping I would wake up on Tuesday morning and find
out was just like a very bad dream. You would be back to hounding me on my
personal life as usual.
Unfortunately,
this seems to be the reality. I choose to believe God has a reason. I most
definitely won’t forget you and I will try to loosen up and live life to the
fullest like you advised me constantly.”
Another
friend, Lanre Akinwale, said he found it incomprehensible to admit the reality
of their death, saying, “each time I have to contend with the reality of your
death, what comes to my mind is your smile. When we met at a ceremony in Ikeja
on Saturday, 4th of June, you were full of joy, happiness and enthusiasm. We
dined and danced together. While you were leaving the venue in the company of a
senior colleague, you waved your hand; I thought you meant to say bye, but I
never thought you were actually bidding me farewell.”
Also
paying their tribute, members of staff of the Ministry of Education, Ogun
State, where she worked as the Personal Assistant to the Commissioner of
Education, Science and Technology, described Adesola as a wonderful intellect
of matchless courage.
In
a statement, they said: “Adesola Ogunmefun strived hard to make sure that all
our Model Schools are on point; she didn’t relent in her effort until she lost
her life. She was extremely dedicated to her duty and was loyal to her
Principal. We will miss your perpetual smile, the winkle in your dark brown
eyes that would be the envy of any man.”
It
will be recalled that the Post-Graduate Students of the University of Lagos,
Funmi, 24 and Adesola 27 died last Sunday while celebrating the birthday of a
friend a Elugushi Beach, Lagos.
While
consoling the bereaved families, the officiating minister, who spoke on the
transiency of, said the bereaved must be grateful for the fact that the dead
knew God before their demise, saying that a life without Jesus was a waste. He
said death was an inevitable phenomenon for all and sundry and urged people to
make positive impacts on others and leave indelible mark as they go about their
daily lives. According to him, though their time on earth was short, they made
their marks in the lives family members, friends and colleagues.
Tags
Society