MRS TOLULOPE EYITAYO ADEDAPO (NEE BABALOLA): THE WOMAN WITH A DISTINCT PASSION

‘Kindness, according to Plato, is more than deeds. It is an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch. It is anything that lifts another person.’

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And this is what Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola) represents.

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In the article ‘Life is a journey’ in the January 2023 Edition of The Spiritual Pathway (A Daily Approach to Scripture, Reflection and Prayer) published by the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, ‘life is a journey filled with lessons, hardships, heartaches, joys, celebrations and special moments that will ultimately lead us to our destination, our purpose in life.’

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‘The road, it says, will not always be smooth, in fact, throughout our travels, we will encounter many challenges.’

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‘And some of these challenges will test our courage, strengths, weaknesses, and faith. Along the way, we may stumble upon obstacles that will come between the paths that we are destined to take. To follow the right path, we must overcome these obstacles. Sometimes these obstacles are really blessings in disguise, only we do not realize that at the time.’

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When our path crossed at Oceanic Bank International Plc with her employment as an Assistant Officer (EP) on Monday, January 07, 2002, a day before her Year 2002 birthday, our own journey of life began as I was already in the Bank since Monday, August 23, 1999 and in this journey of life, we have only experienced special moments of joys and celebrations because the Oye-Ekiti born Year 2000 graduate of B. Technology, Computer Science from the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) related with me and has continued to relate with me in her usual flair of distinct passion, commitment, dedication, faith and love.

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With her bright eyes which are always brilliantly lighted and alert in conversations, and an intelligent heart, we consummated a friendship through our professional relationship in Oceanic Bank International Plc that has now become a family even while we operated far from each other where I operated mainly at Human Resource Department, Corporate Office and she operated mainly from Ibadan where she was first transferred to the Cash and Teller, Ibadan from December 2003 to January 2004, having started her banking experience with Oceanic at the Cash and Teller (C&T) Unit, VGC from January 2002 to December 2003.

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And in this relationship, she is one of the people that I liked in Oceanic Bank International Plc. I like her intelligence, I like her personality, I like her leadership skills. And I love her beauty.

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She is very friendly and attractive.

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Simply, I fell in love with Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola) because she is a woman with a distinct passion.

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Tolu is a pretty woman, and her personality makes her even prettier. There is a reason for this: she has a distinct passion.

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Truly, our relationship over the years has evolved. First, from that day, Monday, January 07, 2002 when she was employed and deployed to Cash and Teller (C&T) Unit, VGC and later to Ibadan, but I got to know another dimension of hers when I came to Ibadan in August 2009 as the Team Lead, HR Business Partners, Oyo from Monday, August 03, 2009 as her Branch, New Gbagi Branch fell under my purview.

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I recall our Branch Visitation and Staff Audit to her branch on Friday, September 18, 2009 following the unfortunate event of Friday, August 14, 2009 when the management of the Bank was taken over by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). That day was a very special day for me because I was home, home to my dearest sister and friend at her branch where she took a special care of me and my team.

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And with her usual flair, intelligence, and beauty, she related with me for the six (6) months that I spent in Ibadan as the Team Lead, HR Business Partners, Oyo, and these are some of the abiding memories at Oceanic Bank International Plc that we shared and continue to share together that have continued to keep our journey of life a special one.

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Sincerely, my early encounter with her when she was employed showed me a dimension of her as a brilliant and humble woman, but what has impressed me about her over the years is her work ethic. In this, she has fascinated me endlessly.

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Frankly speaking, the greatest lessons that I learned from this fascinating woman with a distinct passion have been her humility and hard work.

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Yet, her best trait is her faith and in this, Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola) has fascinated me more in our journey of life and continue to fascinate me with her faith because in this, she has continued to display another dimension of her because she is a woman with a distinct passion.

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God is her zealousness and faith is her passion.

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It is said that in our journey of faith, we need endurance to do God’s will and gain what He promised us, but there comes a time when doing or accepting God’s will may be exceedingly difficult and there comes a time when God’s promise will seem unrealistic or not worth suffering for. Yet, we need endurance to receive the reward of testing and trials, we need endurance to enter the kingdom of God, we need endurance and faithfulness to the end even when things are extremely hard to endure.

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Yet we need endurance and faithfulness.

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Waiting in whatever form in our journey of life, is not always a palatable experience because it always goes against human nature and the flow of society. However, while we often search for ways to make things faster and easier, we cannot speed up the process of God’s will.?Sometimes, we must have to wait, and the Holy Spirit will enable us to do so.

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In this, Tolu has continued to demonstrate two important qualities that we all need: faith and patience.

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Tolu, by her way of faith, has continued to remind us that we are all called to live a saintly life so that our lives after, we can be called to be Saints in heaven. Yes, it is only Saints that are in heaven and so, if we want to make heaven, we must make efforts, daily to live holy lives, relying only on God’s grace because without holiness, no one can see God (Hebrews 12:14).

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Sincerely, Tolu has constantly reminded us by her conduct and faith that it is possible to be a Saint even in our present world, circumstances, and time.

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On Saturday, November 15, 2003, she got married, but for the next seven (7) years, she waited on the Lord before Cecilia Toluwanimi (I am of God) came on Tuesday, July 06, 2010, and subsequently Deborah Oluwadarasimi (God is good to me) on Sunday, September 02, 2012, and Christine Oluwapelumi (God is with me) on Thursday, May 22, 2014.

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Honestly, it is only a woman of faith with a distinct passion for her God that can wait to experience this and this is why in one of our chats on Thursday, January 26, 2023, she told me boldly and gratefully ‘that is why I have ‘God is good to me’ as one of their names and as we kept chatting, she said to me, ‘God still listens’ while sharing a Verse from Micah 7:7 ‘but me, I am not giving up. I am sticking around to see what God will do. I am waiting for God to make things right. I am counting on God to listen to me.’

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Sincerely, this emphasizes the importance of faith and firm faith in our relationship with God. And Tolu is God’s willing vessel in this regard.

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Truly, there are times that we just need to trust and accept whatever God says, or does, relying on His word, His goodness, His promises, His kindness, even when it is immediately difficult to reconcile with the evidence presented to our senses.

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Honestly, faith enables us to walk with God and in Tolulope, we have a willing example because Tolu’s story is another piece of evidence that reveals to us how strong our faith in our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ should be and lived.

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Truly, Christianity is not a showbiz, hence we cannot act it, but live it and practice what we preach as our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ has continued to invite us to do better. He has continued to call us to something deeper, holistic, and integral, the life of righteousness and charity and in Tolulope, He has a willing messenger of His call.

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In her faith, she has learned not to be independent of God. And like the Prophets of old (our ancient fathers of faith), faith has continued to make her to believe without doubting what God can do for in her in her life where her experience has continued to inspire me because she has continued to prove that they are still people of our time who still live in faith.

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Sincerely, we are to be people of faith to make a difference in our world because for those that have faith, they do not fail and never fail.

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A true friend is one of the greatest blessings that anyone can have. And Tolu is not only a professional colleague or friend, but a sister who has continued to urge me on, positively in all my challenges.

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For instance, it was supposed to be a normal chat between us in the early hours of Tuesday, August 09, 2022, at about 05:48am when she responded to my article ‘The Reality of Time’ published on Monday, August 08, 2022 ‘your time is now and the time for favour is now. Time and relationship are currency we should utilize effectively. It is well,’ but before I could know it, I saw a chat from her at about 05:55am with an attachment of a payment slip ‘a token of love to you so you will always have data to share your writings. Thanks for being a great inspiration. May your today bring you joy. May you continually enjoy God’s goodness. Your time of favour is now.’ And I could only respond with tears in my eyes to these spiritually beautiful prayers ‘oh my God. God bless you my dearest sister’ and in her subsequent response, while making further reference to my article on ‘The Reality of Time’ on Monday, August 08, 2022, she said ‘for wetin now. Why are you crying!!! I felt pain beyond all the memories in time. You are recovering all. Just keep trusting God more’ while quoting from 1 Samuel 30:18-20.

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Truly, those who always complain about not having enough to share actually get impoverished, both physically and spiritually by holding on to the little that they have. In Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola), the woman with a distinct passion, God has blessed me with a sister who is always share from the little that she has even without prompting.

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Sincerely, kindness makes you the most beautiful person in the world no matter what you look like. And Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola) is a beautiful woman with a distinct passion and through this, she has learned to recognize the presence of Jesus in others because she is always spiritually alert, conscious, and awake to the needs of others.

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She is always awake to my needs by sharing kind and inspiring words with me on daily basis, proving true that saying that ‘not all blessings are in the forms of money. Sometimes, having people in our lives who truly care for us, is a greater blessing.’

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Prior to Tuesday, August 09, 2022, Year 2021 was a successful year in our relationship. In that year, I had two (2) important events to plan for and execute at my village, Udochi in December 2021 and these very important twin events were the Traditional Women Cooking (Ikpigho-Idumhi) Title ceremony of my only earthly and elder sister, Mrs Theresa Onomoane Asekhameh (Nee Osabomeh) and to visit my mother, Mama Jeminetu Osabomeh (Nee Idi Ekpoki) who has not seen my children, her grandchildren since December 2012, nine (9) years apart when we were previously at home.

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While on this preparation, on Saturday, November 20, 2021, I woke up to a beautiful day and after observing my daily ritual of sending her my early morning prayers, I received this simple response from her ‘amen. My Oga, I hail you. May you continually be refreshed and keep maximizing your potentials. You will manifest’ and with this, a long conversation ensued between us, reminiscing on our recent past where I informed her of my preparations, but before I could realize it, she sent me, according to her, ‘a token,’ a token, that like yeast that is added to a leaven, the spread which effect or impact it to yield more, was so much that I could carry out those twin important events in December 2021 successfully to the greater glory of God.

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Honestly, the yeast of Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola), the woman with a distinct passion which she would rather refer to as a ‘token’ on Saturday, November 20, 2021, that enabled me to carry out those two (2) important events at my village in December 2021 successfully, represented her nature of goodness and kindness, and genuine concern for others.

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During that period, I was really in need, and she stood in a gap for me by the kindness of her heart and that was a touching and generous gesture.

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Truly, one of the hardest things to do is to watch people one loves go through difficult times and one is unable to change their situations. In Tolu, I have a sister who does not want to even see me in any kind of unpleasant situation because she is always available to render, no matter how little, her heart of goodness and kindness.

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She radiates light and love that leaves an impression in my heart.

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Spiritually, all our activities on earth ought to be for the glory of God and for our sanctification and this is the life of Tolu as her life of faithfulness has continued to tell and teach us all that we must do as Christians and as people of God.

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Her voice to me has continued to be spiritual and I am grateful to have her as my dearest sister and friend.

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According to Bishop Anthony Ovayero Ewherido, the Catholic Bishop of Warri Diocese in his ‘My Morning Minute With Jesus’ on the Memorial Feast of St Cecilia, Patron Saints of Choristers, Musicians, Composers, Instrument Makers, and Poets on Monday, November 22, 2021, the 34th Week in Ordinary Time; ‘the most valuable gifts in respect to God and to one another are those that money cannot buy; personal presence, time; skills and talents, compassion and forgiveness, intellect and know-how, and of course, the gift of ourselves.’

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The gift of one’s life is the most precious. And in Tolu, God is her passion!

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It is said that lamps help people to see, move and walk in the dark, and their lights prevents our stumbling and falling. The light of Tolu has continued to help me to see my path because even though we did not see to relate on daily basis when we were in Oceanic Bank International Plc, we became friends and consummated our friendship in trust and honesty.

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In this, she has continued to shine the light of Christ into my heart by her daily messages from her ‘Daily Success Capsules’ and ‘#Toluspeaks’ and through these, removing the darkness from around me and shinning (showing) me the true light of Jesus, His ideas, and ideals through her model of Christian life.

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This is why it is said by the Preacher that whatever we possess is meant to help us to grow in our relationship with God and our neighbours and not to separate us from them.

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Tolulope has not used her materials or spiritual possessions to separate herself from others, especially from my family by her kindness and compassion.

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Over the years, her heart has remained kind, compassionate and generous, not only for us, but for others.

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Truly, when we are generous to others, we make the work of God possible and easy. Tolulope has continued to make the work of God possible and easy by her generous heart of generosity.

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She is maternal love and compassion personified!

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Sincerely, a gift given out of love, with a spirit of generosity and sacrifice, is forever precious because the amount or size of the gift does not matter as much as the cost of the giver. This reminds us about the essential link between kindness and compassion and thanksgiving. In these, love truly makes us equals.

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Yes, it is true that not all relationships are so harmonious. This is a natural order, but not my relationship with Tolu.

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She is a good girl! And she has continued to preach the message of the gospel Christ to me.

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In one of our chats on WhatsApp on Thursday, October 27, 2022 she said to me at about 05:37am when I sent my usual morning prayers to her ‘Thank God always. And thank you for giving me good memories of yourself. Your time in Ibadan was quite impactful and fun. I still remember and long for Oceanic.’

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My dearest sister, as we celebrate our two years (2) as friends on the social media platform of Facebook on this day, but a relationship spanning more than twenty-one (21) years that started on that early morning of Monday, January 07, 2002 when the wide and revolving entrance doors of Oceanic Bank International Plc flew opened her arms wide to receive you, may Jesus Christ, your Lord and Master continue to accompany you in your journey of life.

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May you continue to be in the presence of God all the time, every time, and any time as the best way against temptation is to be a coward, turn and run away and this would always help to keep your norms of purity.

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Like Queen Esther in Esther 4 or Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25, may you continue to flee to the Lord in your prayer life no matter the anxiety, problems and worries that you may be facing.

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And your Lord and Master, Jesus did not promise us a problem free life, but promised to be with us in all our journeys. May He always be with you. May He always give you His peace which passes all understanding to guard your heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).

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On this day and always, may you never lose your focus on your faith. Thank you for teaching me the gift of faith by your faith. Thank you for teaching me the gift of generosity by your generosity. Thank you for teaching me the gift of kindness by your kindness.

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Thank you, my dearest sister, friend and colleague, Mrs Tolulope Eyitayo Adedapo (Nee Babalola), the woman with a distinct passion!

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Good luck in your journey of life and may God continue to bless you and your most amazing family in this journey my own dearest sister and friend.

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Thank you and I love you!

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Na me

Your brother and friend

Oga Mark Osabomeh (HR)

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Saturday, March 04, 2023