By: Dr Olusegun Odegbami
I join the rest of the world in saluting fathers around the world on this day that is set aside every year to celebrate the parts that we play in the family ‘business’.
I don’t really know how well I have done, but all day today I received tons of messages and emojis from my children, relatives, friends and fans, all wishing me well. So, I guess I am not doing too badly.
Otherwise, today has been a terrific day.
I left Abeokuta early to honour an invitation to The Trinity House in Lagos. It was the 5th memorial service for Ibidunni Ighodalo, late wife of Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.
The special service was a special ‘gift’ for me on this Father’s Day. I witnessed a divine transition, how the 5-year mourning of the passing of the young, hardworking, brilliant and stunningly beautiful woman, transited to the celebration of her life, with gratitude to the Giver of life for gifting her to the world. Evidently, she touched and impacted many lives in marvelous ways during her short but very eventful mission on earth.
Ibidunni’s legacies are yielding more fruits after her death than even when she was alive.
The Trinity House was packed. Friends, family, well wishers and the public came from far and near to celebrate her life!
The richest testimony was in the sermon by Rev. Mrs Funke Felix-Adejumo, a famous author, philanthropist and minister.
The congregation was spellbound by her oration and powerful message. Her words were loaded with pearly truths and wisdom that could only have come from ‘the Throne of Grace’.
Her message was powerful and clear.
This is my understanding.
She likens life to a stage, and we are all actors and actresses in a divine play. Everyone must play their own part even without a known plot to guide their entry or exit.
Whilst alive, therefore, she asked, how prepared are we to play any part in this drama? That it is all unscripted makes it a tough call. So, we must create for ourselves a role in this drama of life. But what role?
Her words were loaded with wisdom and truth. To succeed, we must be armed with three important things:
1. A good name. It is more valuable than all the riches in the world. It must be guarded. A good background opens doors and opportunities, and builds legacies for the next generations.
2. Acquisition of Skills. It requires honing natural talent. Deploying the right and needed skills are more productive than endless prayers without work.
3. Relationships. They are critical for creating opportunities. It matters the people we choose to meet and the company we choose to keep.
Ibidunni, during her short life on earth, had all three in addition to hard work, a brilliant mind, selfless service, and a good nature.
She has physically transited, yet she lives on in the hearts of all those whose lives she touched, in the projects she embarked upon and still sustain, and her works of charity through her foundation.
It was a sermon from heaven. It was spread throughout the huge auditorium in celestial songs that filled the air for the 2 hours of the beautiful service.
At the end, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo mounted the pulpit to close a well-packaged service.
He thanked everyone and then paid a special tribute to his late wife. The gentle smile on his face throughout his speech was indicative of love from a deep and sincere place.
He thanked Ibidunni for sharing her life with him and for leaving him with the priceless gift of their two children.
As he spoke, I brought out my phone, and started to record, to do what Uncle Tunde Kelani taught me to do at times like that, for posterity.
I can testify that I sensed the presence of an angel in the background of the two minutes video that I attach here, unedited, for your own experience of a day spent celebrating an angel!
Watch. It speaks.
I wish all Fathers a Happy Father’s Day!
