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| Abdul Mojeed Abiodun Sanusi |
Baba mi, simply the best. 25years ago you departed this world. Tears have not stopped, great memories of you are still remembered and talked about.
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| My parents: Suwebatu Awero Sanusi (Iyalaje Ibarapa & 1st Asiwaju Iyalode Egbaland) & Abdul Razaak Olajide Sanusi (Balogun Ibarapa & 3rd Asiwaju Egbaland) | 👇 |
I choose to celebrate you as I do everyday 'cause you were peace, joy and gladness all rolled into One.
Olajide Sanusi - Balogun Ibarapa, Oko Suwebatu Awero - Iyalaje Ibarapa Omo won ni Adao - Daddy, hearing the news of your death just 10days after I got to Lagos from the UK was such a heavy blow. Such report was unbelievable to receive then as we saw everyday and you were well and hearty. Even now remembering brings so much pain especially knowing and witnessing your kind-heartedness, yes, a part of me is till saddened but I'm elated, extremely glad to know God found me worthy to have given me a father like you. Sadly your wife our mother left the shores of the earth 8years before you. May God continue to grant her eternal rest.
Abdul-Razaak Olajide Sanusi - Omo Erinfolami, Omo won ni Adao, Alabata ni Odeda, omo won ikan soso ni Abeokuta - Omo ayelogun, you came, you conquered. Your greatness is still being talked about even by the high and mighty in our society, your kindness to humanity is still a reference point by all who knew you personally and those who heard about you. People are always ready to talk about you the moment they know I'm your daughter and they talked about you with such glee in their hearts - I can't help but notice the smiles on their faces too. Indeed, you left so much footprints and indelible marks. Life is indeed a journey and may we walk through it well. Amen.
I thank God for giving me a worthy father. I never heard you shout at anyone, I never heard you raised your voice negatively. You were just the best.
A father, a great friend and a confidant. One could talk to you about anything. You listened and you delivered, ways beyond measures, both in giving and in caring - you were just too generous. You gave your all to everyone. God blessed you so richly in all areas that you extended your arms to all, even those you never met but heard about them. Do I talk about those I'd tell you they needed jobs (even I didn't know them personally but they were referred to me) and you'd add them to your payroll and they should report to your companies for work - you'd just smile at my requests 🥰. I even heard you employed over 2,000 workers at one time in just your Lagos company alone. Or what about those you sent to schools abroad even before you started sending your own biological children there.
Chairman Sanusi Group of Companies - You were visionary and had been in recycling industry even before the words "waste management" became the norm - yes Sanusi Onirin (that's the name you were called) - the Iron and Steel magnate - the first indigenous iron and steel manufacturer in Nigeria. Your iron and steel products were used as building materials, farm fencing wires, and nails. You talked about using the last of the remnants to produce local staplers just before your demise. You had a factory that produced bicycles and okada tyres. Thank God most of your buildings had not been sold so your legacy can be revived. You gave me a letter in 1984 while I was on holiday to America to give KFC as you wanted to buy their franchise and bring KFC to Nigeria. You bought hectares of land in Alabata (your hometown), Odeda in Abeokuta with the hope of building community schools there (which government gave you an approval - you loved education) and to also set up agricultural / cottage industries so you could employ the indigene. You had done the plans and costings. But death came as with this latter projects you didn't wait to fulfill. Your dreams are not shattered. You were a lover of people Everyone talked about your humbleness - still unequal.
You had the high and mighty in the society as friends including presidents whom you were on first names with and yet you never begged them for contracts or any jobs. You said this yourself often times even when they requested from you. One of them graced my wedding as Father of the Day and was also frequent in our house. In fact my son attended his school and got the royalty treatments all because of your friendships.
You were so clean - honesty and integrity were your watchwords and coupled with an excellent spirit, your work exhumed the qualities expected of a true state man. Yes, that was why Queen Elizabeth had to celebrate and decorate you as her Commonwealth son being the giant in the Iron and Steel industry. You were consulted when the nation wanted to build Ajaokuta Steel industry. Yes, Abdul-Razaak Olajide Sanusi - the 3rd Asiwaju of Egbaland - you led very well and still has no equal; as an Enigma (I'm often told and don't I know it) you were exemplary - you led by example and demonstrated such cleverness in all you did - many were in awe of you and wondered how you did it. God did it 'cause you always said, "to Olorun ba fun mi ni agbara (so long as God gives me the strength / power)." Your persona was a mystery to all. You delivered in all areas without causing /making any noise. A silent achiever, no wonder musicians of that era - especially the Egba ones like Yusuf Olatunji and Ebenezer Obe eulogized you often - you never asked but they were always willing to celebrate you. It was always a surprise to you when you hear their music as you were a very private person. I remember an ex-governor of an Eastern State saying as a younger person he remembered only your company adverts were aired before the 9pm news, during break intervals and after the 9pm news and that the jingles were still ringing in his ears even in his older years. Very strategic move - that was you - you were purposeful. Omo Agboola, God was indeed kind to you. You did well Baba mi.
Baba Adinni Ibarapa Moslems, you gave in cash and kind to religion bodies both Islamic and Christian organizations - never mind that you were a devout moslem. You build mosques and ensured maintenance. Even when I asked you to give to churches you just gave. We had pastors coming to our houses in England to pray with us and you would be in attendance. You sponsored pilgrims to Mecca. You never discriminated. You're all about humanity.
You had good relationship with your children. You provided everything needed (not want) without asking though you never spoiled any. You'd held meetings with us even on simple matters to get our views and you'd go with majority views. You made sure we were very comfortable in all areas of our life. Two of your children Abiodun (your 1st son, Vice Chairman of your Companies) and Suleiman (2nd son) worked closely with you for many years before your demise. I'm certain they have much more great history and lessons learnt to reveal about you. A father indeed! That's why we call you, "Baba mi - My Father." You were so humble even with us, your children. I can feel your gentle smile. Father God, please continue to grant Baba mi eternal rest.
Baba mi, I miss you just in the same measure as if your death is still fresh. Egba people miss you. Odeda community miss you, Adao miss you. Lagos miss you. Nigeria miss you. I am convinced heaven was adamant you're an angel and so you had to go. I guess heaven needed your business acumen - your God's given talent - now I'm cracking the kind of jokes you would have cracked as I am often told you were humourous too🥰💪. Even, if you had tried to run away from death on that fateful day 1st August 1997, you could not have missed death. Death came knocking and caught up with you regardless. I know you fought to live cause if anything you love(d) your children so much and you'd have traded death with money if death could be bought 😥 . My mother, Suwebatu Awero used to say to you, "Alhaji, I'm convinced you'd come to life before and you had no child." Alas, death - a debt we all owe and must pay. Run, hide, sleep, wake up - when the time is up, you have no choice. Go you must.
Hmmm .... Baba God, I keep asking why you didn't give my daddy more years on this earth? Baba mi, you were a treasure to your generations. One told me when you see Sanusi, your problems are solved - and that's even one who has it all. 25years on words said about you are loving words. Your great memories narrated by internal and external give succour to the wounds your death left behind.
Lord, continue to grant my father, Balogun ibarapa, Olajide Abdul-Razaak eternal rest. Forgive his sins. Sun re o, Omo Agboola (Iya Agba - my Grandma). Oko Suwebatu Awero (1st Asiwaju Iyalode Egbaland and Iya Laje Ibarapa), Baba Abiodun, until we meet again. Baba Owolabi (as he fondly called me), your gentle smiles keep me going. I never fail to talk about you to your grandchildren. Baba Sulaimon - Baba onibon (as Sule was fondly called as my grandfather was a hunter and Sule looked like him. Grandpa told you to keep his dane gun (ibon sakabula) that he'd come back to ask for it and when Sule was born as soon as he could talk - yes, he did as grand dad said). Indeed Morohumbo (I conquered) is what you're all about. (Morohumbo means for him a self taught in reading and writing Yoruba and English; he later went to evening school to polish up so he could begin trading with expatriates in iron and steel. He came from the poorest of family)
Sanusi Onirin, the first Iron and Steel manufacturer and producer in Nigeria, the main agent and main distributor of cement - He gave Dangote his first cement supplies.... Indeed God was kind to you and you didn't fail your God neither did you fail humanity.
We hold prayers for you today as we always do every year since your demise in 1997 both in Lagos and Abeokuta.
Omo Agboola, keep on shining in heaven.
Omo Erin Folami, keep on smiling.
Sleep on Baba mi.
Love you mega💕
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