There was an outpouring of emotions for many people who attended the commendation and tribute service held in honour of David Ajiboye, former publicist to Yinka Ayefele and the General Manager of Fresh FM International, Ekiti State.
Ajiboye, according to a statement released by Fresh FM, had died of COVID-19 complications and was buried in his hometown Okemesi-Ekiti.
The mood was pensive at the Press Centre of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iyaganku, Ibadan, venue of the event where his colleagues in the media industry led by chairman of the union, Comrade Ademola Babalola, paid glowing tributes to Ajiboye.
He was described by many as a man with “a golden heart and matchless attributes”, who despite his short stay on the face of the earth, left indelible marks on the minds of many who came in contact with him.
From NUJ Press Centre to the Music House, Fresh FM, at Challengearea of Ibadan where a similar service of tributes was held by staff of the company, tears flowed freely from every corner of the hall filled with friends, colleagues and family members of the deceased who started his journalism career at the Nigerian Tribune before teaming up with his boss, Ayefele even before he floated Fresh FM.
From their expressions, one could tell that Ajiboye touched lives in different ways as some of them said it was hard coming to terms with the fact that he was no more.
Friends and colleagues of Ajiboye, a well travelled media personality led the tributes for one of their own as they extolled his virtues, lamenting his death and praying God for the repose of his soul.
Ayefele, in his tribute, betrayed emotions as he said no one could explain why and how his death happened, adding that it was a personal loss to him. He added that beyond some of the promises he had made to family and wife of the deceased, he named the Ayefele Music Hall after David Ajiboye.
“I am yet to come to terms with David’s death. It still feels like a dream. I have asked God to console me and the family he left behind as this is too much to bear right now. I know I have made some promises to the family when we met, but I am making this public today that this music hall has now been named after David. It is now going to be called David Ajiboye Hall.
Pastor PF Owa, Pastor Kehinde Alabi, Abolade Salami, Isaac Brown, Femo Lancaster, Samson Akindele, Seun Awodele, among other dignitaries graced the well-attended service.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…
Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train
The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…