News - Jonathan, Fayemi, Adebayo, Okoh extol Adetiloye’s virtues

[TGD]

 IT was tribute galore Thursday as eminent Nigerians from all walks of life took their turn to eulogise the late Primate of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) the Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye.

Adetiloye died on December 14, last year at the age of 83 and will be buried today at his Odo Owa town in Ijero Council of Ekiti State.

Those who paid tributes to the late Adetiloye at a commendation service and tribute session held in his honour at the Cathedral Church of Emmanuel, Ado-Ekiti included President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, former Military Governor of the Western Region, Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo and Primate, Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh.

In his tribute, the President described the late Adetiloye as a cherished icon, an acknowledged patriarch, who epitomised the highest ideals of positive Christian leadership and dedicated service and also championed fundamental reforms in the Anglican Church.

Fayemi described the late clergyman as a patriot who had records of standing on the side of truth and people to fight against military dictatorship in Nigeria.

Fayemi, who recalled the role played by Adetiloye against undemocratic policies of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, said many Nigerians would forever remember how he was consistent in telling Abacha the truth even when some clergymen decided to play along with the late dictator.

According to him, ''Baba Adetiloye was our own Desmond Tutu, military apologists tagged him and Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi as NADECO bishops but he was resolute to fight on the side of the people. He was a man of immense spiritual and moral authority.   He has fought a good fight, he lived well, served well and died well.''

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aregbesola said the late Adetiloye would not be forgotten for his ecclesiastic contributions to the nation's development.

"We mourn the passage of the quintessential cleric and illustrious son of Ekiti.

Undoubtedly, his passage is not only a big loss to the Christian community but to the entire nation," he added.

For Adebayo who said he had the first encounter with Adetiloye in 1942 as a Standard Two pupil in Usi, Ekiti, recalled that the late Primate was trekking from Odo Owa to the school in Usi about 20 kilometers because of his determination to attain western education.

He commended Adetiloye for the role he played to restore peace to the region during the Agbekoya crisis in the mid 60s.

Okoh said the church will not forget his fight against members of the Ogboni fraternity in the church. He reminded the audience of the incidence of "rejected sermons'' where Adetiloye had to shout down some preachers in Asaba and Ibadan for supporting members of the fraternity on the pulpit.

He also recalled how the late Adetiloye led Nigerian delegation to the Lambeth conference in 1998 where he kicked against homointercourseuality and rejected all entreaties to make him reason to what the Church of Nigeria considered ungodly.

Okoh added: "He was the one who told us in Anglican boldly against all odds that marriage is between man and woman and not between men or between two women."

As a way of unifying the country religiously, the Anglican Primate disclosed that the late Adetiloye set up all the Anglican Diocese in the northern region at a time people thought it was impossible.

According to him: "We are proud of him and shall continue to follow his legacy of honesty and selfless service."



The Guardian