RIP Prof. AB Sofoluwe

I hate the way I feel this morning. L The reason or reasons are not farfetched.

First I wake up trying to decide if I can make Kole’s wedding. I definitely will make it, even if it has to be by my perfect timing just when they are starting to take pictures! And disappear immediately after the couples triumphant entry into the reception. But this is slightly different, he wants me to be a grooms man cos someone didn’t show up… less than 24 hours notice, suit pant with the tailor, hair unkempt… to make matters worse I’d been nominated to carry out some tasks at work, though I thought that won’t take 30mins (8am – 8:30am, Kola needs me for 9am, so as the superman, I can squeeze it *mscheeeeeew*)

Now am in the office, the supposed 30mins activity is gon’ take hours, so Kola, am sorry, guess it’s just gon’ be my perfect timing at your wedding. Thank goodness, I didn’t give my word! K

I wish all this is the real reason for my mood but no, almost everyone on my BBM list is mourning or appears to be mourning the loss of Prof. Sofoluwe’s. Shoffy is dead!!! How can? Why him? Why now? Sometime yesterday, someone put on facebook that Shoffy was at the hospital. Did I say a prayer? Honestly can’t tell… I probably just thought it was one of those things, he’ll bounce back, but will he? Never! Not in this life time, maybe in another… am moved to tears. I loved this man!

Yeah, that’s what we all do… “…they wait till you are dead and say you are the best...” but that’s not entirely true here. We’ve always known you are the best, and yes, we say it. I say it. Twice or thrice my course lecturer, my project supervisor… I knew this man. He was different. How many students can boast of being offered lunch during project discussions? Yea, it’s just food but those takeaways from his fridge were more than useful.

It wasn’t just the assurance of an A grade whenever I registered for his course, it was more of the simplicity with which he took them. No surprises (except that his tests where always without warnings) but from day 1 you know what the course was about and what your exam was gon’ be like. Call me lazy... na u sabi! How much of numerical analysis can I recall as I write this? :]y But I still remember those life lessons. Tope and I still joke about how he said you should never really argue with your wife, just prostrate and say sorry. Am not married now, but from my lil experience with girls, that works!

Not only the living will miss you Shoffy! Your white volks will too. I remember that night I was walking to the faculty, Shoffy was heading there too, stopped by me to drop me off and we spent almost a minute struggling to open the door by the passenger sit. Same thing happened when I was alighting, definitely not an HSE compliant car J but BABA kept using it, am sure they shared something together. Who knows whether that volks is still alive?

Right now, I don’t even know the details of your death… BB battery’s dead and in my rush to leave the house, I forgot the charger, I would have been updated… but whatever the cause is you are gone :’(. Something makes all this even more saddening for me – the last time I saw you. Was it before or after my convocation? Yea, it was weeks or maybe months after, we were at your office, and you stressed your desire among other things that I apply as a lecturer, we laughed over that. And then you said you were not interested in any gifts from me until I was “made” J All that was ~4 years ago, I’m not made yet, but am sure you’d have been happy to see me before you left. I kept procrastinating! I kept procrastinating!!! And that day never came. How many times have we lost someone and felt there’s something more we could have done? :’( :’( :’(

That reminds me, popsy’s ill, who knows? Am not that pessimistic, but I must see the man this weekend, why not today, no, the wedding, tomorrow’s fine! (the voice of the “thief of time” – procrastination!). Work is important, it pays the bills, but there is more to life than keeping “busy”.

While I wrote this, the tasks are done – multitasking it’s called, and then the wedding, It should be just about my perfect timing…. Off I go! Do I feel any better? :]y I doubt! This is not my eulogy, you deserve a lot better, I only needed to whine a lil… I’ll miss u. We’ll miss you. I pray God grants all your loved ones the fortitude to bear this great loss. RIP SHOFFY BABA!!!

The Horse, The Cow and The Farmer!!!

Got in to work this morning and the first email I read was this story a colleague shared. Incidentally, I had a similar conversation with someone yesterday about performance appraisals and the schemes and strategies of some “smart” & blehish folks – anyways that’s story for another day.

Yes, some of us have seen or heard this before, but just in case you are carrying last, thought to share....

“There was a farmer who collects horses and only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day he discovered that his neighbour had the particular breed. He persuaded him till he sold it. A month later the horse became ill, called the veterinarian, who told him the horse had a virus and must be put on medication for three days. He said if he is not better after those days, we are going to put him to sleep.
 

The cow nearby listened closely to their conversation. They gave the horse the dosage but the cow approached the horse and said be strong my friend, get up or else you are going to put you to sleep after three days! The dosage was given for the second day and the cow came back again and said, come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die. Come on, I will help you get up! One, two, three he encouraged the horse. On the third day after the dosage was administered, the vet said to the owner, unfortunately we are going to have to put him down tomorrow otherwise the virus might spread and infect the other horses. After they left, the cow approached the horse and said, listen pal, it's now or never! Get up! Come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! That is it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three.  Good! Fantastic! Run! Yes! You did it, you are a champion! All of a sudden, the owner showed up, saw the horse running around in the field and began shouting, this is wonderful, and my horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the cow!
 

Another Classic! But in life, there is no difference. We may not truly know who deserves the merit of success in the workplace. The person who actually contributed to making things happen may sometimes not be given due recognition but this Tuesday morning our focus should be on God who sees in the secret and rewards openly. The appraisal and recommendation may not have favoured you but your due date is coming. 'Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap only if we refuse to give up'. Life may not be fair but God who rewards is faithful, just and fair in all His affairs. Keep sowing the inherent seeds of goodness & justice in your time, talent, treasure and relationships, the harvest is guaranteed!”

There isn’t much more to say. Just thinking to myself, what could have been done differently? Maybe the horse could have stopped running to give the farmer the right perspective 8-| Or the farmer should have been observant enough to notice there is more to his cow than meat :]Y Whatever it is, the cow did the right thing!

The Horse, The Cow and The Farmer!!!

Got in to work this morning and the first email I read was this story a colleague shared. Incidentally, I had a similar conversation with someone yesterday about performance appraisals and the schemes and strategies of some “smart” & blehish folks – anyways that’s story for another day.

Yes, some of us have seen or heard this before, but just in case you are carrying last, thought to share....

“There was a farmer who collects horses and only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day he discovered that his neighbour had the particular breed. He persuaded him till he sold it. A month later the horse became ill, called the veterinarian, who told him the horse had a virus and must be put on medication for three days. He said if he is not better after those days, we are going to put him to sleep.
 

The cow nearby listened closely to their conversation. They gave the horse the dosage but the cow approached the horse and said be strong my friend, get up or else you are going to put you to sleep after three days! The dosage was given for the second day and the cow came back again and said, come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die. Come on, I will help you get up! One, two, three he encouraged the horse. On the third day after the dosage was administered, the vet said to the owner, unfortunately we are going to have to put him down tomorrow otherwise the virus might spread and infect the other horses. After they left, the cow approached the horse and said, listen pal, it's now or never! Get up! Come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! That is it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three.  Good! Fantastic! Run! Yes! You did it, you are a champion! All of a sudden, the owner showed up, saw the horse running around in the field and began shouting, this is wonderful, and my horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the cow!
 

Another Classic! But in life, there is no difference. We may not truly know who deserves the merit of success in the workplace. The person who actually contributed to making things happen may sometimes not be given due recognition but this Tuesday morning our focus should be on God who sees in the secret and rewards openly. The appraisal and recommendation may not have favoured you but your due date is coming. 'Let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we will reap only if we refuse to give up'. Life may not be fair but God who rewards is faithful, just and fair in all His affairs. Keep sowing the inherent seeds of goodness & justice in your time, talent, treasure and relationships, the harvest is guaranteed!”

There isn’t much more to say. Just thinking to myself, what could have been done differently? Maybe the horse could have stopped running to give the farmer the right perspective 8-| Or the farmer should have been observant enough to notice there is more to his cow than meat :]Y Whatever it is, the cow did the right thing!