Lagos CAN Chairman, Adegbite Bids Farewell to A Close Aide, says, life’s too short to be toyed with
Lagos CAN Chairman and the Secretary of NCPC, Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has advised that life is too short and home calling is closer than expected. Stop playing games for a lifetime while opportunities last. There’s no more time to waste; every opportunity that life offers should be utilised to serve God and make a remarkable impact. What happened to our brother Joseph Agunbiade will happen to every one of us one day,” he admonished.
Bishop Adegbite made this statement on Saturday, January 4, 2015, during the funeral service of one of his close aides and personal driver, Mr Joseph Folorunsho Agunbiade, who passed away on Boxing Day after a brief illness at the age of 57 years.
In his brief homily laden with emotion and tributes, Adegbite recounted how the deceased started working with him four years ago and became a trusted aide.
Narrating the scenario before he passed on, he said, “We went out together on Christmas Day and came back. He parked the car and came down; while trying to stand, he had a terrible fall and was quickly rushed to the hospital, where he was attended to and placed on life support. But he gave up the following morning (Boxing Day) in my presence with the doctor standing by. When the doctor formally informed me that it was unfortunate we had lost him, I said to myself, ‘Joseph had dropped me at home yesterday. People saw that we sang Merry Christmas together in the church, and now this morning, he is gone. Our life is very short,'” Bishop Adegbite lamented.
Our life is very short, but what makes it memorable is the remarkable impact we leave behind. Jesus Christ lived for just 33 years, but the age of Methuselah was 969. Apart from the years he lived, there is no other record about him. But for the 33 years of Jesus Christ, after over two thousand years now, we have just celebrated the day he was born, and come April, we will celebrate the day he died, was buried, and resurrected. A few days later, we will celebrate his ascension. Something is special about that man, Jesus Christ. He is the man I brought to you today to believe in, trust, hold on to, and call upon. Every other person may fail you, but He will never fail,” he admonished.
Bishop Adegbite comforted the widow and the children. He said, “Your husband shared the same name with the father of Jesus, Joseph, and now Joseph is gone. But Jesus is still with you, by your side, and for sure, Jesus will not abandon you and the children. Where they will reach in life, God knows. With or without you and Joseph, they will get to the centre of their glory. How God will take care of them, look after them, and uphold them, He knows because He is the Father of the fatherless, the Mother of the motherless, and the Husband of the widow. He is the Father and Mother to the orphans; many don’t know their parents. But God took care of them, and they became somebody in life. These children will become somebody in life and will not be abandoned,” he declared.
Consoling them further, he said, “Human beings can give you promises and fail you. But the only one that will promise and never fail is the Lord Jesus Christ. You can call on people, and they may not pick up your call, but God will pick up your call. Because He is beside you, when you call upon Him, He will answer. Do not be troubled or disturbed; God is in charge. How will the children’s tomorrow be? How will they survive and complete their education? He is with you and aware of all that happened. He is going to be by their side and will not abandon them. Their tomorrow, with your tomorrow, will be better than today,” Adegbite prayed and assured.
Among leading men of God who attended and officiated at the funeral services include Archbishop John Osa-Oni, Archbishop Olafimihan, Bishop Oyeyinka Akande, Ven. Dr. Jide Ojediran, Bishop Stephen Ogedengbe, Rev. Adekeye, Dr. Dickson Asalu, Very Rev. Oshin, and Bishop Taiwo Ajose.
