- City People Reveals The Story Of Chief BAYO OYEDIJI
It is no longer news that the Seriki of Ibadanland, Chief David Bayo Oyediji has passed on. He died on the 6th of July 2018 at the age of 92. He was a popular businessman in Ibadan and an illustrious son of the ancient city. He had an amazing lifestyle which endeared him to many people. His house was always a mecca of sort and he was widely known for his philanthropy.
He was born into a Christian family on the 1st of January 1927 to Late Pa Jacob Adeniji and Late Mrs Segilola Oyediji. He was baptised in 1935 at his church, St Peters Cathedral. He became the family head (Mogaji) in 1976, by chieftaincy stepping, Eketa Seriki to Maye, Abese ,Ekerin, Ekarun, Asipa Seriki before his current position as Seriki of Ibadan Land. His life and times are a testament that God has blessed him in all areas of his life.
Late Chief Bayo was a core family man and this shown in his approach to his immediate, extended and even people that he does not know. His house is open to a lot of people and he solves everyone’s problems or issues accordingly. He is a loving father who dotes on his children until he passed on and always particular about their well beings.
How does one begin to capture the entire life eventful life of high chief Bayo Oyediji, the Seriki of Ibadan land? Although not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he became great in life through the dint of hardwork characterized by divine blessings. He was a known business tycoon in building, petroleum and motors.
Consequently, he succeeded in creating an empire for himself which he turned towards the service of God. Expectedly, a man with such an empire cannot but be a special and great family man with many children who have become successful in their various chosen careers. Without doubt, Papa Oyediji was greatly and intimately loved by his children, his family and friends. His philanthropic disposition endeared him to many people, churches and organization whom he had assisted at various times while alive, in that regard, Papa’s selfless and Christian life has touched many lives for transformation and realization of their individuals lives dreams.
High chief Bayo Oyediji was an Ibadan chief who knew his right and how to toll the line of peace. But far beyond that, he was a great church man, a giant in the faith of Christ, an Anglican per excellence, a strong and committed member of many cathedral especially St Peters Cathedral, Aremo, where he labored, served and worshipped with all that God has blessed him with till he breathe his last. We also recall his leading role in respect of the building of St Davids Evangelical Anglican church as well as a building of a befitting vicarage for the parish.
As part of his christian magnimity and friendliness, used to host all members of Jerusalem pilgrims once a year at his spacious and palatial compound as the chairman of the group. He was great in life and greater at death. God has so favored him to have lived the kind of impactful life he had lived.
That Late Chief Bayo has several properties scattered around is stating the obvious because the hardworking man who never took any short way to success amassed a lot of wealth and floated a lot of businesses when he got his big break in business. He not only acquires wealth for himself and family alone, he was a man that has a large heart and this shown in his lifetime as he was a big time philanthropist who did a lot for people, public and those that he never even came in contact with. Many of his neighbors testified to his large heart and have numerous children whom he catered for apart from his biological family.
Late Bayo Oyediji was the first independent marketer of NNPC to also have an office inside NNPC in Ibadan. He was the founder of Jerusalem pilgrimage of Nigeria, Ibadan Chapter and has sponsored over 100 people to the holy hand. The great philanthropist of repute is also one of the staunch member and financier of the Anglican Communion and he has sponsored the education of many church members and even the society at large. Late Chief Bayo is a lover of the things of God and was highly eulogized for his dedication to the work of God as a whole.
He took the Christianity faith with all seriousness and dedicated his whole life in the vineyard of God. He was the patron of many society in Anglican communion and part of his large heart was the meetings he holds every Sunday from January till end of march. Through his dint of hardwork, he has been able to acquire many achievements and laudable ones in his lifetime. As a professional civil engineer, he has constructed many big projects especially roads across the west, Oyo state, Ogun State and so on. He is very popular in oyo state most especially the capital, Ibadan due to his royal lineage, his generosity and his kind and soft hearts towards people at large.
His office was still a mecca of sort few days before he passed on and many could not come to terms of his death despite Pa Oyediji died at a ripe age. Many people who are not his family members are also beneficiaries of his numerous gifts, like lands, properties which he gives out to those in need. He is one of the prominent Ibadan philanthropist who owns vast of land in Oyo State, his properties are numerous and getting to his Estate home in Ibadan you can testify to his huge investment on properties scattered all over the long stretch of road.
He plays big in the oil and gas business too and this can be credited to the many filling stations he owns in Ibadan. He has built over 3 churches for the Anglican communion which one was named after him and after his demise, there were still ongoing projects which he donated to the church.
The titled Chief who derived joy in helping others and in lifting people from the bottom of the social ladder to higher level which perhaps explains partly the wealthy status of a number of those who has come in contact with him today is in the leaque of highly successful and very rich celebrity businessmen in Nigeria who has the entire wherewithal and can afford anything money can buy.
Pa Bayo Oyediji has gone to take his eternal rest after a very eventful and faithful life journey, his memory will continue to linger on in the family and the society especially Ibadan and has left an indelible mark on the sands of time before he was called into eternal glory.
-TAYO FAJORIN-OYEDIJI
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