Elder Adekunle Oshingbesan, a retired Sales and Marketing Director, Berger Paints Plc, died November 5, last year. He was buried in his Agege, Lagos residence December 22, after a funeral service at Winners Chapel (Province 20), Agege, Lagos.
My husband, Elder Adekunle Oshingbesan, a retired Sales and Marketing Director, Berger Paints Plc, first died February 22 last year at 3:03 am”, his widow, the Proprietor of Divine Blessed School, Eyitayo, said.
“He was coming out of the room in our Agege residence; he fell down, gasped and died. I looked up into Heaven and gave God 10 reasons why I didn’t want him to die, including that I wanted him to see the delivery of our grandchild after 13 years of delay; birthday celebrations of some of our other grandchildren; his own 74th and my 70th birthdays. I struck him with the ‘mantle’, saying he had to wait to see all of these. The Holy Spirit told me to dance like a mad woman, which I did for three hours. After that, I called his name, he opened his eyes and came back to life.
“When he died again November 5 last year, I thought it was like that of February. He woke up that morning and sat on the bed, pretending to be sleeping. I sneaked out of the house to our church’s first and second services (at Winners Chapel in Sango-Ota, Ogun State), knowing that he would come for either the third or fourth service, but I did not see him in church. I bought some of his favourites, including, cocoa, chin-chin and plantain chips which filled my bag.
“I got home that day, but there was no one to receive those things from me; I was told he was sleeping. I ran into the room, pulled up his hand, pressed him, called him, but there was no response. I told the people in the house to leave him for me for three hours, thinking last February’s kind of death was repeating itself. However, when Bishop David Oyedepo of the Winners Chapel told me it was time for my husband to go back home, I accepted he was dead.
“Oyedepo called me and said I should give him 15 minutes, which became 40 minutes; he called me back and told me: ‘Look, my Father said He demanded; He said it was enough. He (my husband) wanted to go and when he saw the light, he signed the paper himself; he was not forced’. It was at this point I accepted that my husband was dead.”
She continued: “I first met my late husband in a shop in 1966 while I was plaiting hair for a lady and the first thing that came out of his mouth was, ‘this is my wife’. I looked at him, nodded my head and hissed. I never knew the angel stamped it; we got married December 25, 1967 in Osogbo, and we lived in a small one-room apartment with just a radio, standing fan, chair and a four and half iron bed. We were contended and admired by many.
“When we had our first child, we had no cot but we were happy. My husband grew to the position of Sales and Marketing Director at Berger Paints Plc. He schooled both in Nigeria and abroad. He made me travel all over the country and outside, including Ghana, Europe, America and India.
“We both struggled and grew up together. Youths should believe in starting and working together, knowing that one day they will be great. My husband was not the type that would take bribe from any one and that gesture opened doors for him. We were able to build two houses. He taught me never to take bribe. He was an epitome of integrity, honesty, humility and a philanthropist. He could do anything to make others happy. He did not want anyone to be unhappy. He was a loving husband, a father and grandfather that others should emulate”, she said.
These were the words of Oshingbesan’s widow at his funeral ceremony, which held at Winners Chapel (Province 20), Agege, Lagos, followed by a reception at 10 Degrees Event Centre, Oregun, Lagos.
At the church service, after prayers and praises, Pastor Reuben Akpa, the church’s Provincial Pastor, urged the gathering to live full and die empty.
“God created everyman filled with talents and gifts; He expects us to make use of our potential while on earth and die empty. Good people do not die; they live forever because of their impactful lives, good names, the value they added to others and character,”Pastor Akpa said.
He described the late Oshingbesan as a good man that engaged in the race of life, gave his life to Christ and Jesus helped him to succeed.
“He influenced the lives of many; his name and family will live long; and his children will be blessed because they are the seeds of a righteous man”, he said.
He urged the widow to hold on to God, adding that the children should follow the footsteps of their father, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of their faith.
After the sermon, Pastor Israeli Akintayo prayed for the Oshingbesan, family.
At the grave side at the Oshingbesan’s residence in Agege, Pastor Dayo Paseda urged the people to improve on whatever they are doing and maximise their lives, noting that only genuine work with God guarantees eternal life.
The late Oshingbesan’s second child, Adejumoke Oshin-Wright, said her father lived a fulfilled life.The deceased’s third child, Mrs Bolatito Ilori, described her late father as everything one can find in man. “He was a complete man; he lived an exemplary and distinguished life,”she said.
The fourth child, Mrs Ololade Triumph- Obatan, said: “My daddy was generous and diligent”.
The last child, Dr Mosunmade Oshingbesan, said: “Dad was a nice man; he was humble; he loved his wife till death. He loved his children and he was always there for so many people”.
