Nigerians have been admonished to live lives worthy of remembrance and emulation by building enduring legacies. The Vicar of HID Awolowo Anglican Church, Ewuga, Sagamu, Venerable Solomon Oyeneye, gave this charge at the 11th Memorial Anniversary and Patronal Day of the late matriarch of the Awolowo Dynasty, Yeye Oodua. He emphasized that righteous people are remembered not merely because they had lived, but because their lives had produced lasting positive impacts on others and their communities.
Venerable Oyeneye highlighted five major reasons righteous people continued to be remembered after their death. According to him, God Himself was the keeper of the memory of the righteous, and God did not forget the work and labour of love of those who served Him and humanity. He also noted that the works of the righteous outlived them because their contributions created lasting impact rather than temporary recognition.
The cleric further explained that the lives of righteous people became seeds for others because they provided examples and patterns of godly living. He added that righteous people also stood out because they were rare and precious in a corrupt generation, stressing that a just person was like a light shining in darkness. Venerable Oyeneye said Mama Awolowo had left behind qualities associated with people regarded as ancestors in Yoruba and African traditional understanding.
The Vicar placed the traditional concept of an ancestor side by side with the Christian understanding of sainthood, saying those regarded as saints must demonstrate faith in Christ and experience new birth, live righteously, love God and humanity, maintain a life of prayer and work, engage in sacrificial service, and remain steadfast in times of trial and persecution. He commended members of the church for their commitment to sustaining and improving the legacy of the church.
Venerable Oyeneye urged Nigerians, particularly the younger generation, to learn from the life of Yeye Oodua by deliberately building legacies that would continue to speak for them after their departure. He extended the admonition to political leaders and other Nigerians, noting that the country needed people who would demonstrate honesty, integrity, and responsibility in the discharge of their duties.
The Chairman, African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, Ambassador Olatokunbo Awolowo Dosumu, said being Awolowo’s children comes with a lot of challenges. She told the gathering that she would not compromise the values of integrity, honesty, modesty, and contentment bestowed on her and other children by their parents. She stressed the importance of worshipping God and allowing faith to guide one’s conduct.
Ambassador Awolowo Dosumu also spoke about the pressures individuals face in society and the temptation to conform to expectations at the expense of personal convictions. She said the lesson from the life of Papa and Mama Awolowo was that people should remain courageous and committed to their convictions, irrespective of the difficulties they may encounter.
Key points
- A Nigerian cleric has urged citizens to build legacies through righteousness, good character, faithfulness, and sacrificial service to humanity.
