Lekan Otufodunrin

I have been moved to tears on a number of occasions, but I can vividly recall shedding tears uncontrollably twice.
The first was in 1998 during the service of songs for Late ace political correspondent of Channels Television, Lekan Ashimi who died in a car crash on his way home from work late in the night.
As usual, various speakers had taken turns to pay tributes to Ashimi who distinguished himself with his incisive political reports and others. When his widow was called to speak, she started by sharing with us the thoughts that have been agitating her mind following the sudden death of her husband.
“I have been asking God why he allowed my husband to die this young. I have been asking God why he has allowed me to become a widow at this young age,” she revealed as those of us at the service listened to her with rapt attention in sympathy.
She continued “However, I have been consoled by the lyrics of a song we sing in our Church which says: ‘Eru Olorun ba mi,
Eru Olorun nba mi o.
Ohun to ba ti pinu lokan e,
Ko se ni to le daduro’
In English, the song will mean “ I am afraid of God. Whatever he has decreed, no one can stop it”.
The tears that had been welling up my eyes gave way suddenly and I found myself mopping my face repeatedly. The song broke whatever emotional strength I thought I had on occasions like this.
Indeed like another popular song;
Unquestionable you are the Lord,
Unquestionable you are the Lord,
Unquestionable,
Unquestionable,
Unquestionable you are the Lord.
Last Tuesday, June 19 was yet another occasion I couldn’t control my tears. It was again at the service of songs for another colleague, Late Ngozi Nwozor Agbo, Coordinator of Campus Life in The Nation Newspaper.
Pastor Ify Okonkwo of Glory in the House ministry, Ngozi’s mentor and pastor it was who sang the song that got me openly crying for the second time. Just when it was feared that she could breakdown crying considering the ‘mother/daughter’ relationship she had with Ngozi, Pastor Okonkwo busted into a song of praise for Jesus stressing the fact the Jesus in the only reliable friend.
“Ore bi Jesu Ko si laiye yi
Jesu ni kan lore otito,
Ore aiye yi le ko waya sile
Sugbon Jesus koje gbagbe me”
In English:
There is no friend like Jesus
Jesus is the only true friend
A human friend may abandon us
But Jesus cannot forget me.
Her rendition of the song was so moving that I kept wiping my tears for the time it lasted.
Our lord Jesus Christ is undoubtedly a true friend who like another stated say ‘Jesus is the rock in a weary land, a shelter in the times of storm’.