One of the prayer points that people always take serious in churches is when a pastor ask congregation to pray against glory after death.
It is not a news that the above had happened to many people. We have heard about stories of corp members who died after their passing out parade and people who died on their way to glory.
The story of my classmate and friend; Busuyi Oluwasanmi who made the world known about a hydra- headed palm tree in Ilogbo – Ekiti was among the stories of people who gave up the ghost without shinning. Thousands of people, including white men visited Ilogbo – Ekiti in 2022 and 2023 because of the palm tree without Busuyi leading them to the site. May the soul of the historian and author never cease resting.
The first time I got to know that glory shines after death was 1987. That was when the great Chief Obafemi Awolowo left this sinful world. As a teenager, I joined people to move around streets to chant Awo with two fingers up. The great Awo never served as President of Nigeria but his golden name still rings bell everywhere in Nigeria. Politicians are still using his name to campaign for elections.
Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola ( MKO) won 1993 presidential election but the election was annulled. He was arrested and detained when he declared himself the lawful President of Nigeria. MKO died in the process of fighting for the mandate freely given to him by the Nigerians. While alive, he was never awarded the highest honour in the land , GCFR, but after his death. This is nothing but glory after death.
Both Awolowo and MKO were politicians and their stories were not in anyway similar to the other people that will be mentioned in this piece. Their names were mentioned because of the honours they got after deaths. They were presidents Nigeria never had.
Many Yoruba broadcasters are still praying to have quarter or half of fame which Late Gbenga Adeboye had. His death in 2003 shocked everyone in the country. Procession was organized for him in all the six states of the South West. The mammoth crowd during his burial ceremony in Lagos cannot be forgotten in a jiffy. The ace broadcaster, singer and comedian died with a shinning glory. As popular as Funwotan was, most of his songs were known to people after his death.
In 2004, a Yoruba Gospel singer, Evangelist Roland Olubukola Olomola ( Baba Ara) died at his height of his popularity.
A talented indigenous rapper and songwriter, Oladapo Olaitan Olaonipekun, popularly known as Dagrin died before his star began to shine. Many people did not know this guy when he was alive. If Dagrin had survived the 2010 motor accident and alive today and life goes well with him, he will be among the best rappers in Nigeria. What a waste!
In the last two weeks, everybody in the country knows that a big tree had fallen in Nigeria as many writers, professionals and bloggers had sharpened their pen and charged their gadgets to write and post about a man who was actually not known to many people during his lifetime.
The story of this gentleman becomes a topical issue.
When a woman was leading a prayer in our church on Sunday, we were shocked when she mentioned name of the king who never ruled the music industry in Nigeria.
I have not seen or heard of a story of a man who died and attract sympathy from the youths not only in Nigeria but every part of the world like this young Nigerian musician, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad.
There are similarities in the cases of Gbenga Adeboye, Baba Ara, Dagrin and Mohbad. They all died without really fulfilling their God- given destiny.
A lot have been said about the death of Mohbad but no one is yet to know the actual incident that led to his untimely death. People are seeking justice on his matter and we believe that police will be upright with their investigation.
There is no way a promising young man like Mohbad who was bullied several times in the race to greatness will die and his death will not be linked with some people. One thing that is certain is that one cannot just die without a reason.
Apart from seeking justice, all the lessons that Nigerians should learn from his death should not be jettisoned.
Olufemi Alonge Alonso
Writes from Ado-Ekiti.