AMID tears and tributes from relatives, friends and sympathizers, the remains of veteran journalist and sports writer, Reverend Elijah Ayodele Idowu Ositelu, was at 1:56 pm Saturday committed to earth at the Oluwaseyi Mansion (Ositelu House), Ogere-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Ositelu passed at the Topaz Hospital, Surulere on Wednesday, January 9, at the age of 69, after he complained of dizziness. He was also the first chairman of the Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LDCA).
Officiating Minister, Archbisbhop John Ogunsile of The Church of The Lord (Aladura), in his homily, urged Christians to be concerned with where they will spend their lives in eternity, instead of attempting to secure their lives on earth and dissipating energy gathering wealth, which he described as "vanity upon vanity."
Speaking on "the brevity of life," the cleric said: "people spend so much time securing their lives on earth without thinking about where they will spend eternity. I urge you all to live your lives for God today and he will guarantee you eternal life after your earthly sojourn.
Ogunsile, who made copious reference to the declining life expectancy in many countries across the world, said, "death remains a battle, where no man can ever win. For us as believers in Christ, life does not end in death. Because of the cross of Jesus, we don't believe that life ends in death, but that death leads to life eternal.
The cleric, who drew strength from several bible passages, informed mourners that, "the day we received the certificate from the Corporate Affairs Commission confirming Reverend Elijah Ayodele Idowu Ositelu as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Church Of The Lord (Aladura) was the day we learnt of his departure."
Maintaining that the deceased lived a "fulfilled life, Ogunsile urged Christians to "live every day as if it was their last, because no one knows the day in which the owner of life will beckon on us to come home.
"So, I call on the family to take solace in the Lord Jesus, eschew crying and weeping because our dear Reverend Ositelu served the Lord on earth."
In their tribute, the Council of Reverends and Canons maintained that they found it difficult to believe that one of theirs was gone even as they maintained that they could not question God's decision.
According to Reverend Olugbemi, who spoke on their behalf, "Ositelu was a rare gem, who fought a good fight, finished the race and the crown of glory awaits him. He was a great man, virtuous father, affable and understanding, champion of peace and lover of mankind. Death has snatched a rare gem from us."
Leader of members of the Lagos Island Club to the funeral, Prince Ademola Dada, who extolled the virtues of the deceased, added that they were consoled by the fact that God would wipe away their tears.
Dada prayed God to console the bereaved family in their moment of sorrow and grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
The class of 1958-1962 of Igbobi College, Lagos, of which Ositelu was a member, lamented the sad loss of the veteran sports writer, whom they described as a keen lover of sports and hymns.
The Igbobi Old Boys, who informed that Ositelu had elected to sponsor their hymn session to mark his 70th birthday, regretted that this would not come to pass even as they urged those he left behind to keep their peace as he has been called home by God, his creator.
Dignitaries, who were present at the funeral ceremony were wife of the Lagos State Governor, Abimbola Fashola, Lagos State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Henry Ajomale, former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, who was represented by Sunday Solarin, Chairman of Ikenne Local Government Area of the state, Tunji Salako and Chairman of Ejigbo LCDA, Kehinde Bamgbetan, among others.
The Guardian