With a heavy heart I write this in memory of a friend I will miss sorely.
My first encounter with you was on the field back then in Secondary School where you were a year my senior. You were a new student and I wasn’t sure if it was my mate or junior trying to take advantage of me. We had a little fight and you asked me to go on my knees. I refused and it took the intervention of your mates to make me go on my knees. In my mind I thought I was going to suffer for being rude to you. I was wrong and when I got punished by your mates you even begged on my behalf. I was shocked. We became close as the years passed by. You always made sure I was comfortable and when it came to playing football you always made sure I was in your team. I remember one time when we were training with the school team, you challenged me to a 100 meter race and you told me to stand about 10 meters ahead of u. I am still shocked at how you won that race not that I am a sprinter though. A good sports man you were.
After Secondary School, I never thought our paths would cross again. Alas, my first ever visit to O.O.U (Suky’s birthday) and we met again. Shortly after I gained admission into O.O.U and my first day in school I saw you. We went for a birthday party at Father’s Pride (Ayangba hall) together and even passed the night at your hall. Your hall became my second home because the Olumogbas had a Play Station (P.S 1). We (and the other guys that lived in your hall) played round robin footie tournaments. It was that period you gave me the nickname ‘Becko’ (because I was always screaming Beckham’s name whenever I used Manchester United) and it was what you still called me till the last day we saw at Taiwo’s place exactly 2 months ago (she is still in shock too). We saw the Arsenal versus Man Utd game together at Taiwo’s (28th of April, 2013 precisely). I remember when Famo Richie used to frustrate us with his Sunny Ade tapes when all you wanted to listen to was Wyclef. Whenever Famo was out of site, we removed the tape and as soon as he finds out his tape was out, a little argument occurs. It always ended in banters and that was it. Your other friends were jealous of Famo because he was closest to you.
I remember your love for novels as you always had one in hand every where you went. You were a knowledgeable fellow. You always contributed to every convo and you made friends easily. You had encouraging words for every bad situation and I learn’t quite a few things from you. You always asked of my brothers even though you never met them, yet you never forgot their names.
SOJ you were my brother in many ways I can’t explain and never would be able to explain. I can’t offer your family platitudes, or say GOD knows best or this happened for a reason because I still don’t know how justifying death with supernatural logic helps but all I can say is Rest in Perfect Peace Olusoji Omoyeni, Becko will miss you. Much love bro and I will never ever forget you. I am not going to say goodbye but rather focus on the time we spent together………………….. Sun re o omo Omoyeni, Omo Ekiti
P.S- If you read my post on the O.O.U crisis, he was the SOJ in the story.