As you get older, in my case in the next 18 days, you tend to become quite introspective.

Maybe it happens to only me.

You become grateful for the time you have spent and become hopeful of the time you want to spend here. It is usually a whole thing.

While doing my 30 posts till my birthday I could not help but pause and think about all those who left along the way.

When I thought, one person made me feel stuck in the throat. I called her Olamide. I called her that particularly because it felt very unisex. Yeah, I like Jak because it is unisex by the way. She passed away today, 2nd of September, in 2018 on the way to my birthday.

It is a bitter-sweet situation because as long as I turn a year older She can never be forgotten. 

My dear Goodness Olamide Mayowa Akinnodi.

She was an excellent human being. My Goodness. She had so much Goodness and Godness in her. You will see later what I am talking about. I kept feeling overwhelmed when I started planning towards this day and kept wondering if it was okay to do this and a lot of things anyway.

I reached out to a few of our mutual friends and had them come together to send this tribute to her. Here’s what they had to say.

TRIBUTES TO GOODNESS

Though I wish things were different such that wouldn’t have to write this, I’m grateful for the days I had full of you. Your immense positive impact on all of us is unending.

I miss you deeply, more than I can express with words but I’m grateful and comforted that today it’s three years less till the time we will be together again.

Thank you for the memories baby girl 💗💗.

- Your Wisdom

 

Goodness, you are a badass. You are strong and full of love and I love you. Rest easy babe. Someday we will meet again.

 - Nengi

Vibrant, Cheerful, Playful, Intelligent, Goodness. Friend to many, loved by all.

The pictures bring back bittersweet memories. If I could go back in time, I would cherish every fleeting moment much more. I cannot go back in time but I’m comforted knowing that you are resting well in heaven surrounded by angels and ever-present in the presence of God where there is no pain or sadness and earthly concerns do not exist.

You were a bright light while you were still with us and you remain so in our hearts. Rest on darling. Till we meet again to part no more.

- Mojoyin

 

OG girl, thank you for being a sweetheart. You are always in my heart.

- Bukola

 

Hi Goodness. I know you are right there with the father looking down on us. So you had better do Awwwwwwwww to this letter to you. You are everything sweet.

The positive heart you had for even the worst of us was really amazing. You left us on such short notice but the impact you made will not allow me to have regrets today.

However, the only thing that comes close to a regret I have in losing you is the fact that I did not maximize the time we had well enough. I can boldly write this to you today because I know we shall see again someday. But till that time comes I will still hold on tight to the times shared with you.

I miss you Goodness. Till we meet again.

- Michael Bassey

 

I really do not know how to express everything right now but I miss you so badly and I love you so much and I will always love you.

- Your babygirl Tomi

 

Goodness Goodness, my dear friend.

Few days ago, I can still remember saying to myself “I miss my best friend”. Sometimes I wish you were here, we would have done so much for the Gospel together. But you are in a better place and I am glad we will still meet again at the resurrection.

My dear friend, it was so amazing seeing you grow from where we first met to the time of your passing. You were a literal testimony of the effective work of the Holy Spirit in changing us to become more like Christ.

On many occasions, I kept saying to myself “This girl is definitely an angel”. My dear, I love you so much even in death.

The short life you lived taught me a lot. Your passing made me realize how important it is to live in the present. Your life taught me that life can be beautiful and fulfilling despite the struggles.

Your heart for God was amiable. Oh my, you loved the Lord so much and you were not ashamed to live your life fully devoted to God. There’s so much more I can say about how amazing you were, but I will end with this “The world was blessed to have you”.

Thank you for a life well lived Goodness Olamide Mayowa Akinnodi

- Your baby girl Folashade

 

So I did not know a lot about you as we were not so close, all I know was that you loved the Lord and that in itself was admirable.

You have left this world and your memory still lives on in the lives of those you touched one way or another. We will surely see each other again. #neverdiegang

- Donald Precious

 

Hey Goodness Akinnodi Olamide Mayowa

It was always such a delight to call you by all your names at once every single time and you loved it.

I miss you a lot.

I am very expressive but when it comes to you, I have no words. I can’t even cut through what I feel. I miss you a lot and I wish your bright and bubbly self were still here today that I could still call you and have long conversations with you and pray with you.

I know you as a friend and our friendship was one that meant the world to me.

You’re the best person to love God with. I just wish you were here doing whatever you would have been doing at this very moment. It would make the world a much warmer and loving place to be in.

I wish you were here to watch your little brother whom you loved so much grow and I think about how much your sister must miss you a lot if I miss you this much. I just wanted you to be really happy and grow.

I think about you, a lot, random thoughts and events remind me of you and it still stays, it doesn’t make sense why the best people leave so early.

I know you’re in the father’s arm and that gives me something to smile about. It is well.

With Love,

- Thelma

 

Your life was the first shot I had at a reawakened passion to know Christ more. Seeing you made me very eager to know about the Christ you knew. You served God so effortlessly and you were completely sold out to the Gospel. The way you combined your devotion to God with your devotion to your academics was amiable. Thank you for the gift that you were. We are so much better today because you lived. You will be missed but not forever because one day we will surely meet again.

Love you girl,

- Amarachi

 

I’ve cried a lot this morning Olamide. Simply because your passing to me will always remain fresh. I loved you still do. Now and Always. We made a lot of plans together and it is actually annoying that I get to bring those things to life alone. I miss your big beautiful eyes and your warm touch. I miss your laughter and your reassuring words. You are still my favorite hairstylist to date and my hair misses you by the way.

I have so many ways I want to honor you but I guess I will go one step at a time. I’m seeing Fiyin grow into an amazing Vessel of Abba and I am grateful for your labor of love in all our lives.

I cried so much this morning because I imagined what my life would have been if you did not come into Salami’s life and show me that Christ’s love is not forceful, it’s not military style and it definitely is not judgmental.

I decided to step back and watch the Holy Spirit work the God nature in you which you in turn shared to anyone who cared to take a bite.

You are an angel and I am forever blessed to have called you friend. WOW, what a privilege.

The Gospel prevails babe through my mouth, my hands, my heart, and even my intellect. The seed you have planted in me will forever bloom and produce fruit which will in turn produce seeds that other trees will grow from.

I am grateful for your life babe, weirdly enough I am grateful for your death. If we are taught in church that Death has lost its sting, you made it practical for all to see.

You are loved my babe and we know you loved us more.

Rest easy Champ. As long as I have my birthday in September, I will always celebrate this day with and for you. Your memory lives on through the impact you made and every life you touched.

Thank you for the gift that was your life. 

All my Love,

JAK