Late Alh. Yusuf Adefemi (ODIDE) : A Man of Purpose With A Pictorial of Grace & Unparalleled Reward For Rare Humanitarian Gestures

Late Alh. Yusuf Adefemi (ODIDE) : A Man of Purpose With A Pictorial of Grace &  Unparalleled Reward For Rare Humanitarian Gestures

Forty years ago in Owo Kingdom, a great star fell from the beautiful sky when the galaxy was ruptured; veils torn and eclipse cast like a shadow on human race just because a rare icon kicked the bucket just like when the palm tree loses its kennels unripe.

Late Alh. Yusuf Adefemi popularly known as (ODIDE),the great merchant , business mogul and renowned philanthropist with rare business acumen and an uncommon capacity for risk management, who was also born with humble beginnings,but with audacity of hope navigated the ugly vicissitudes of life with a courageous chest and undying resolve, rare resilience, dove like patience and unshakeable faith even in the unknown. His cardinal principle at any crossroad in those years was YOLO: You Only Live Once; and this eventually permeated his world and today percolates into the seams of his influence in both life and death.

A great merchant,car dealer and business mogul 

The famous ODIDE ,a great household name in Owo and environs ,before his death, had cut a niche for himself in business as the first Motor Dealer in the entire Owo Kingdom even when money was truly a scarce commodity. He was so penetrative considering his mine of wisdom , depth of knowledge, and asset of understanding as both influencer and development advocate in all ramifications. He lived a selfless life dotted with unusual sacrifice, undiluted impacts and untainted fulfillment as a compassionate human specimen and a great Muslim during his lifetime. Like the echoes,he reverberated through his generation and the unborn ones with his sterling testimonials of good characters,integrity and dignity- attributes now practically difficult to surpass.

Late Alh. Yusuf Adefemi ODIDE 

ODIDE with his frequent toga of kindness to all particularly the Muslims Community, Students of Arabic Schools and their Teachers was phenomenal . His culture of development of Young Business mentees was also fantastic. Simply put ,he lived an impactful life as a resounding source of encouragement and pillar of support to all at all times. With him , learning especially the Arabic Education is pretty easy; and this soon became essential and irrevocable template in community leadership.  Kids in those days benefited from his generous gifts, people often struggled to meet him and read the Holy Quran to him as a compassionate lovers of Islam and its ambassador.

Late Alh. Yusuf Adefemi was a rare species of homosapiens with his unmatched gait and genteel nature that  often win both friends and enemies alike. He was a great mentor and philanthropist - a rare face of hope; a steady succour to the weak and a living hope for the disillusioned , the underprivileged and the hopeless. Before his death, Alh. ODIDE had constructed his afterlife with an enduring legacy of excellent remembrance and a crystal record of sterling testimonials of duty and reward that today mark his footprints on the sands of time. No doubt his remembrance today is celebrated with the required pomps and pageantries as his tremendous investment in capacity building through his children principally and the society at large has started paying off. This remembrance anniversary is a wonderful ceremony that has further detailed Alh Odide's cheer values in philanthropism - a phenomenal culture of service without expectations and reward without pecuniary motives.

Apart from the various stellar events in this anniversary, one could have understood that the enduring legacy of impact and encouragement patiently and consciously laid by the legendary ODIDE has become a family traits. His 40 years Remembrance is yet another opportunity for his children and family especially Hon. ( Mrs) Omowumi Isaac, the delectable and ambitious Commissioner of Finance and Economic Planning in Ondo and Mr Adefemi Lawal (Odide) , a great produce merchant , car dealer and astute politician just to mention but a few among his successful children. to consolidate their father's great and lasting legacies of goodwill and responsible mentorship and ambassadorship.

ODIDE was a good Muslim and philanthropist 

To mark this anniversary, apart from individual kind gestures ,the entire children and  family members of the deceased have donated forty boreholes in market places across the entire owo LGA chapter by verse from Uso to Obasooto, Emure to Ipele; Isuada to Ipenmen; Iyere to Ijebu; Ulale to Ose without excluding the municipal especially Ogwa-Agbe Market, Ulede Market and other places in Ijebu, Isaipen ,Eyn-Ogbe and Idasen.

To me , Alh. Odide had laid a foundation for social integration, community service and philanthropism rooted in Islam as a lover of education. His impacts are deep and should be emulated by all who seriously wish to serve humanity.

May Al-Janat Firdaous be his final abode while congratulating the children for paying their last homage to their patriarch in peace and harmony  and with pomps and pageantries.

Written By:

Engr ( Amb.) Ogunmola Muhammad Dayo 

State Coordinator of National Council of Muslim Youth Organizations ( NACOMYO) and an APC Aspirant for  House of Assembly,Owo Constituency I