By Oki Samson
‘The memory of the just is blessed’, the Holy Book encourages believers about the passing of loved ones. This informed the decision by family, friends, church, and community who celebrated the remembrance of late Snr. Evang. Isaiah Abiodun Sonusi who had passed 19th February 2004, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
The Public Relations Officer of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Lagos State Sector Command, Supt. Route Commander Olabisi Sonusi; her brothers Oladapo Johnson and Samson; mother Mrs. Abigail Gbemisola were joined in a two days celebration ceremony over last weekend in Thanksgiving to God. The events took place in their late Dad’s Church and at home in Agbado, Ogun State.
Speaking about her late Dad, the FRSC Lagos publicist, Olabisi Sonusi told NAOSNP, ‘My dad, late Snr. Evang. Isaiah Abiodun Sonusi, passed on 19th February 2004, 20 years ago. He was a passionate and homely father. I remember joining FRSC 31 years ago and my dad will personally take me to Charity Oshodi where we were staying then and will wait until I cross the carriageway and enter into my office before he will move on. Then when we moved to this place in 1996, you can imagine how this place will look then, he will take me to the family that will take me in their car to Ojodu Berger before he goes back to sleep and then go to his work before his shock demise in 2004. He was hypertensive and he was still working then because many of the children were still very young.’
On the situation of the family after the father’s demise, Olabisi Sonusi noted: ‘I can say he didn’t sleep. He went to be with the heavenly host. Things picked up for many of my siblings and family after his demise. Many of them are now based abroad. We have to celebrate him 20 years after. The reception yesterday was carnival-like. People from his church where he worshipped before his demise, a lot of my colleagues came from the FRSC, someone represented the Sector Commander, and friends of my immediate brothers came.’
‘He was the 1st Secretary of his Church and he will say whether there is money or not, they will celebrate the harvest ceremony even if it is with palatable santana. People will laugh and it instill much confidence in them and gradually, things will start coming in for the harvest ceremony. People also call him Baba Show, Armstrong, Baba Yellow because he is fair-complexioned, and others because he is a community person. He fought endlessly for electricity to come to this area. When he died NEPA honoured him with a weeklong light supply’, she told NAOSNP.
The FRSC Lagos PRO advised fathers. ‘I plead with today’s fathers, don’t be a careless and passive father. Whatever you do for your children lives in their memory. Even if you don’t have money, your time is valuable and it will shape your child. Be there for your children. Give them the basic education and follow up with them in school.’
Speaking to NAOSNP, the first son of the family, Oladapo Johnson Sonusi recalled his Dad, late Snr. Evang. Isaiah Abiodun Sonusi. ‘He is a loving dad. We joke a lot and he makes everyone happy. He socializes easily. He is an Evangelist and is a member of the choir and many groups. We have been celebrating him for like 3 days because he is so loved by the church and community.’
He advised young families, ‘We were so fortunate to live in a family in which we are together and bonded. What is missing today is the love. There are some little, little things that people are doing that is making love to be lost in families, little things like separating the children into different rooms when they are still very young, things like technology that makes family not to speak often and so on.’
