Though we shared the same town of origin – Fiditi, a town in AFIJIO Local Government Area of Oyo State, Nigeria, myself and Oluseyi Ojekunle Ojelabi were brought together by fate as freshers in 1996/1997 session as Political Science/Social Studies students in the then St. Andrew’s College of Education (SACOED), Oyo (now Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo. We became inseparable throughout our three years sojourn in the college as we shared many things in common besides studying the same course.
Unknown to many and even Seyi himself, his father – our brilliant, ebbulent and towering Lecturer (notwithstanding his petit stature) – Mr. ‘Lakin Ojelabi (popularly called O.O. Ojelabi or simply Baba Oje) used Seyi – his son’s studentship at St. Andrew’s College of Education to persuade me to become a SACOED student that academic session (how that happened is a story for another day).
Seyi was very active in Students Unionism at SACOED – a pastime that we both shared. He was a dependable ally in the tick of students activism in SACOED notwithstanding the fact that his father was later the Dean Students’ Affairs, Seyi activism never weaned and he stood like rock of Gibraltar with the progressives even when the going was very tough.
I could remember that Seyi was nursing the ambition of becoming the Students’ Union President of SACOED in 1998/1999 session but towards the end of 1997/1998 session, the Students Union was dissolved and the activities of the Union was banned. Invariably, no studens’ Union election was held in 1998. But by early in 1999 during the 1998/1999 academic year, the college management lifted ban on students’ Union activities and electioneering campaign began again.
Seyi selflessly dropped his presidential ambition for our larger group’s interest and that was how we (our student ideology group was later name ‘The Progressives’) had total control of the Students’ Union Government during our final year. Oluseyi worked tirelessly with commitment in support Com Akintoye Rahman (SUG President), Hon Solademi Mayowa (Students’ Representatives Council Speaker) and Justice Akinbode Toyin (Judicial Council Chief Judge).
Olwaseyi was an up and doing, unassuming and down to earth person regarding all our activities in SACOED those days. He worked as the PRO of the Truth Press Organization under my presidency with all commitments even when we had to confront the school management through the office of the Dean Students’ Affairs (his father was the DSA), Seyi did not compromise the standard expected of him as campus pressman even against his biological father!
The steadfast attitude of Seyi in students activism paid off when he was elected as the Public Relation Officer of the Joint Campus Committee (JCC) Oyo State of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NAN’S) in 1999 when I was the Deputy Coordinator of the NAN’S Zone D. Seyi served creditably well as the image maker of the Oyo State students body.
How can I forget our (Seyi and I) seemingly unserious attitude to studying as we usually got busy with students’ Union activities that during examinations we will both be sharing the same ‘student handout’ to study for examination few minutes to the commencement of the examinations. I could remember one occasion after removing the staple pins from the handout a strong breeze came from nowhere and blew the paper away! Myself and Seyi were scampering all around to gather the paper few minutes to the examination! Fellow students were just laughing at us that day! But it was on record that none of us failed any course in the 3 years stay on campus and we graduated with our mates in flying colours despite all the challenges of students’ Unionism against the school management under the leadership of Prof. Olajire Olaniran who was the college’s provost then.
After our sojourn in SACOED we both followed different paths in life as Seyi continue to toe the education career where he went ahead and obtained Master’s degree in Education from the University of Ibadan while on my own part, I switched to pursue a career in Law and I also obtained my both first and second degress in Law from University of Lagos. Despite following different careers, our paths continue to cross over the years in Fiditi and Oyo where we both reside.
Seyi was very active member of the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education Alumni Association (the body comprised the former students of the old St. Andrew’s College of Education, Oyo; Oyo State College of Education, Oyo, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo and the current Emmanuel Alayande university of Education, Oyo.) He was one of the glues that joined Alumni of St. Andrew’s College of 1999 set together.
Seyi was a member of the committee that organised the 2nd Alumni Lecture of the Association held on December 15, 2025 where he was very active. On February 14, 2026, we were together at the Elders’ Forum meeting of the Alumni Association hosted by the National President – Mr Kola Amole in his Ibadan home.
On Tuesday April 28, 2026 I stumbled on an old picture of Seyi, myself, Miss Kemi Ojedokun (now Chief Mrs Kemi Folarin) and John Olaogun. I posted the picture on the 1999 Alumni WhatsApp platform. Seyi’s first comment was O lagbara O, Olorun ogo ni fun Oruko re The comment was followed by other jovial comments and Seyi was at the central of the whole reactions and counter reactions! That’s Seyi Oje for you! No dull moment around Seyi either on line of offline.
Seyi last moments with his immediate family began on Wednesday April 22, 2026 when he went to ogbomoso with his wife Mrs Omolola Ojelabi to attend the convocation of his daughter Miss Temitope Ojelabi at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
Exactly a week later, on Wednesday April 29, 2026 after the day’s work at Alaafin High School, Oyo where he was a teacher, he complained of weakness and was rushed to the hospital. At the hospital, his Blood Pressure was high and it was being managed when he breathed his last in the early hours of Thursday April, 30, 2026!
As Seyi Ojelabi was being lowered to be committed to the mother earth this morning May 2,2026 I cannot but exclaimed that Seyi sunset at Noon! Seyi would have been 50 year by December 31,2026 but that is not to be but God Almighty knows best!
Seyi will be sorely missed! Seyi will be remembered for being a jolly good fellow and happy go lucky individual with no dull moment when he was with us here. Seyi was a dependable ally that was loyal to a fault.
He was a very active dancer in his life time that always light up any social gathering right from his college days where he was elected Mr POSSA in 1997 by the Political Science Students Association (POSSA) of the then St. Andrew’s College of Education, Oyo.
Fare thee well Oluseyi Ojekunle Ojelabi, Akangbe Esin! May you find peace with your maker!
“Ojekunle Akangbe Esin, Omo Agbogunleri Pantete;
Oje Akangbe, to ri owo iya bu na, O ri owo baba tun ra se;
Omo Olowo isenbaye, to tete lowo kowo onikoko to gbode;
Oje bi abere laaseke, ojo toba to oko ni ro nii pa;
Oje gbogbo ara kiki Oogun;
Ojekunle Akangbe, a kii lahun niyi oko Omolola;
Bi aa ba niyi, a kii lahun;
Iwo ni oloko ni sutisuti, Oje aboko ni gongori enu won;
Oje ma dawon lohun, bo O ba dawon lohun;
Bo pe titi ara won a su won;
Omo orokoroko gbowo fuja le kukute;
Omo Eegunleti, Omo aramide gbowo fuja le ilepa;
Oje Akangbe omo Olori Ogun!
Ojekunle Akangbe Omo a wo oso oloso tiiji;
Omo a wo ohun olohun bintin-birin;
Omo oso oloso ko yeni, agbawo sokoto ko ye omo eniyan;
Bi O fun won lese, a so won lapa;
Monde ni ohun eni mo ni Lara!
Bami ki baba re Oyelakin, ki o si ki Baba Agba Solomon Ipadeola Ojelabi to ba dorun ooo!Orun ma kanju mo, gbogbo wa la nbo!
Goodnight dear brother Oluseyi Ojekunle Ojelabi.
