Late Dr. Odubayo Odusina. And he looks on!
MY DAD
My dad
A Father to us
A grandfather to many
A mentor to countless
A role model
A visionary
An entrepreneur
A scholar
An Author
A self-made man
Mr. Punctuality
An American Immigrant when the rest of the world flooded to England
A font of endless knowledge
A lover and proponent of Ijebu and Yoruba culture
A man with many accomplishments who never forgot to say
Thank you, sorry and please freely, often and easily.
A TOWER OF STRENGTH
Dad was my strength
Dad was my tower
A comforter through life’s storms
Holding me while I wept
For as long as I wanted
As if there was absolutely nothing else, he had to do
But to be there for all important me.
MR REASSURER
From time in Medical School
With its rigorous courses
When I repeatedly complained
My Dad would say
“The higher you go, the cooler it becomes”
I would pout, whine and say
“But you said that last year!”
He would throw his head back and laugh and say
“And you made it”.
MY YARDSTICK
Dad, by whom all other men were measured
Privileged to have real time
Front row seat to watch his performance
As a husband and a Father
He performed as the best of all M.E.N.
Measured
Emphatic
Negotiating
Successful by all parameters
In 56 years of marriage
Loving to his children
Affectionate to the grandchildren
And warm to the extended family.
MY INSPIRATION
The one to impress
I wanted to do big things
And then do even bigger things
All the while looking up to my Dad for approval
Approval and encouragement that was always readily given
Then encouraged to do even more
From my first successful gymnastics win
My proudest moments were always marked
By my proudest
My loudest
My happiest shout of
“Daddy look at me”
As time and maturity came
I would simply seek out my Dad’s eyes from the crowd
Beam the same message to his adoring eyes
“Daddy look at me”
Your “Òyílà Óbá Ómó”
Sadly, Daddy is no more. He died, untimely, after a recent fall. He fought a hard battle with life leaving behind a true legacy of integrity, accomplishment, love and family: far and above all else. A life worthy of emulation in a world desperate for mentors. He fought decisively and won leaving behind an army of good people to carry on …a life without Dad.
A memorable farewell to a beloved father. Courtesy of Sendflowers.com.
May his perfect soul rest in peace.
Bolaji Taiwo Olufunmilayo Aina Marie Uzoije
DR. BOLAJI MD, FAAP. is a multilingual Board Certified Pediatrician practicing in the United States.
( Story’s featured image courtesy DPM Worldwide)