Elder Femi Adegbite, CEO Femi Photo Goes Home, Buried in Ipetu Ijesa
It was a gathering of people from all walks of life on Friday 25th September 2020 at the final burial of Elder Johnson Oluwafemi Adegbite, popularly known as Femi Photo, who until his death was an accomplished photographer and businessman based in Ipetu Ijesa in Oriade Local Government in Osun State.
The event was well attended by family members, neighbours, Church members and ministers of God, fellow old and young photographers, and a host of beneficiaries.
The funeral activities began with a Christian wake on Thursday 24th September at his residence, off Grammar School side, Ipetu Ijesa, and was followed with a funeral service on Friday featuring family members, clerics and neighbours.
In one of the messages by the District/Assembly Pastor M. O. Fakolade, the deaceased was described as a man who loved God and could go to any extent to make members of his family and all that were close to him happy.
The cleric who believed that the deceased would be seriously missed told the family and mourners to take solace in the belief that Elder Adegbite had left this world of sin for a better place to go and rest and prepare a place for them. He added that all his survivors should continue from where he stopped to make life better for all that found needy around them.
Meanwhile, there were torents and outpours of tributes for the late husband, father, grandfather by members of his family, his business partners, fellow photographers and his neighbours.
To the members of the Nigeria Professional Photo and Videographer Association, Ipetu Ijesa Branch who expressed how sad they were at the loss of an elderly colleague, Elder Adegbite’s exit was a very painful experience that no one expected at a time like this but were quick to admonish the family to take solace in the life well spent of the departed.
“We sincerely commiserate with his bereaved wife and children. We admonish them to cheer up bearing in mind the fact that your loved one did not die in vain so long as the legacies and good work left behind shall forever remain as footprints in the annals of photographic history in Ipetu Ijesa town and Oriade Local Government Area at large.
In the same vein, the Osun State branch of same Nigeria Professional Photo and Videographer Association described Elder Adegbite as a reliable and indefatigable man who had represented the association at different levels and fora. His loss according to them would not only be felt by the family but also to the association.
To Deaconess Stella Bolanle Adegbite, his wife of over four decades his departure had led a vacuum in the family but she expressed her thanks to God “that all our dreams and prayers came to pass,” noting that “we all saw our children and grand children together and we are glad they outlived us.
“I can’t forget all the memories and good times we shared. You are truly a good friend, husband, father, companion and everything to me. I am happy you died in Christ,” she expressed.
To the children, he was a compassionate father, caring friend and very intelligent mentor they could not forget.
And to Benjamin Adekunle Olufadeju, the Chairman of A&T Hotel Ibadan, Elder Adegbite was not only an uncommon brother but a mentor to follow with passion.
In his tribute he said, “I will always miss your honest, great advice and wise counsel. It is great to be associated with you and I will never forget all the memorable times we spent together from my childhood. I will always be grateful to God that you were my mentor since my days with you when you acted as my father and meant so much to me.”
The burial ceremony also featured an outing service at The Apostolic Church, Oke Ayo District Centre, also in Ipetu Ijesa.
Present were the wife and the children, family members of the deceased, brothers and sisters, business associates, and their friends and well wishers.
Prince Benjamin Adekunle Olufadeju Buries Brother, Speaks on his Relationship with Late Brother
Friday 24th September, Ipetu Ijesa in Oriade Local government area of Osun State was a port of call to the family, friends and well wishers of the family of late Elder Johnson Oluwafemi Adegbite aka Femi Photo who passed on to glory on August 27, 2020 at the age of 75 years. One of the siblings of the deceased is Prince Benjamin Adekunle Olufadeju who in this interview shares his passionate relationship with his late brother and why he has to lead the family to give their patriarch a befitting parting burial.
Kindly accept our sympathy on the loss of Elder Femi Adegbite. Tell us about his relationship with you.
The deceased who I fondly called Brother Femi was my brother who played formidable role in my life. We lost our mother long time ago and while I was young, and since that time he played the role of a father and mother to me. I was brought to him while I was young. He played that role until he breathed his last.
What role are you playing at the burial?
It’s like I can be called his son. I saw him as my father. In that wise I can be likened to be his first son, so I need to bring the entire family together to give him a befitting burial.
You can also remember the role he played in my school days. He was responsible for my training, upkeeps and payment of my school fees. I hold him pleasantly responsible for all the good things that happened to me.
How close were you?
We were very close. If anything happened to me, he would be the first person I would inform, he would advise me and put me through. He was a mentor I always loved to learn from.
He was a highly experienced person in life, in business and even spiritually. He was a husband of one wife. I copy that from him. As a business man, I can say I learnt how to do business and manage money through him. He was a thorough business man, he knew much about investment, he did not allow for waste of resources.
How I will miss him
I will miss him seriously. I will miss his advice, if I’m sick now there will be nobody to call. Then if I called him he would not mind to come to me. Well God is there for us all, and I thank God for my wife.
My new roles now
I must be available to take care of the entire family. I have to take up his role of advising and taking care of my younger ones, and share ideas with my seniors.
Did you have any premonition about his death?
No. It came suddenly. I was called that early that morning only to be informed that he was dead. I found it difficult to believe until I saw him at the mortuary. When I saw his body at the mortuary, life was almost meaningless to me. He could not have stayed in such a place in his lifetime.
What do you think the people can take from him?
He was a simple man. People should take life as very simple. He was one of the best photographers of his time here in Ipetu Ijesa and its environs. He also took his business very serious. He was a blessing to the community. He was a friend to everybody. He was always a person who would not cheat you and would not allow himself to be cheated. He would always fight for his right.
How do you think of immortalising him?
As a man who had great impact on the community, I think it would not be too much if his street here could be named after him. I can say he was the first person to open up the area he built his house and where he lived. They can name this street after him.
We will know what to do when the family meets. He deserves to be immortalized.
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