Prof. Victoria AJALA

 

Grandma and Tony in Dialogue

 

 

At every Catholic funeral, something lingers beyond the tears, the joy of faith and the memory of a life well lived.

 

At the celebration of life of Prof. Joseph Morohunfolu Agbedahunsi, a scholar, a knight, and a devout Catholic, one gift became a symbol of his legacy. What was this gift? Let’s join Grandma and her inquisitive grandson, Tony, as they unwrap the story.

 

Tony: Grandma, you look so radiant today, like someone who has just received a special blessing. What’s the secret?

 

Grandma (smiling, leaning toward Tony as if whispering in astonishment; Tony listening with rapt eagerness): Guess what gift I got at the funeral Mass, the celebration of life, of our dear Prof. Joseph Morohunfolu Agbedahunsi, whom I fondly call Joe?

 

Tony (eyes widening, anxious to know): A book? A medal? Oh wait, maybe a bottle of holy water?

 

Grandma: Close, but not quite! A rosary. A very beautiful one. And guess the color?

 

Tony: Don’t tell me… red?

 

Grandma: No, green! Green like Nigeria’s hope, green like our faith, green like life that never ends.

 

Tony: Wow, Grandma. That’s symbolic. So, this Professor Joe, who was he, really? Everybody at church seems to be talking about him.

 

Grandma: My dear Tony, sit close and listen. Joe wasn’t just a professor. He was a Catholic gentleman, a Knight of St. Mulumba, a devoted family man, and a brilliant mind in the field of Pharmacognosy, do you know what that is?

 

Tony (scratching his head): Hmm… is it something about drugs?

 

Grandma: Yes, in a way. It is the science of studying medicines from plants. Joe’s pioneering research discovered cures for malaria, sickle-cell disorder, and even probed into Alzheimer’s disease. Imagine! From simple leaves and roots, God revealed secrets to him for healing humanity.

 

Tony: That’s amazing! He must have been very smart.

 

Grandma: Smart and humble, my dear. He studied at St. Anthony’s Grammar School, Ijebu Mushin, and Loyola College, Ibadan. Later, he went to The Polytechnic Ibadan for his A-Levels—do you know, Tony, that’s where I also studied commercial education, typing and shorthand, then referred to as technical education, while Joe was already preparing for greatness.

 

Tony (laughing): So, you and Joe were schoolmates in spirit!

 

Grandma (chuckling): Exactly. Then Joe went to the University of Ibadan and later the University of Ife, today’s Obafemi Awolowo University, where he earned his MPhil and PhD in Pharmacognosy.

 

 He didn’t stop there; he became a Research Professor, serving as Acting Director of the Drug Research and Production Unit at Ife.

 

 He was awarded the Royal Society Grant for the Third World, a very prestigious honor.

 

Tony: Grandma, that sounds international.

 

Grandma: Indeed. His work touched the world. But you know what touched me most? He remained a faithful Catholic, deeply rooted in the Church. He served the Diocese of Osogbo as chairman of the Diocesan Harvest Committee, and as a member of the Marriage and Family Life Committee. And when he died, do you know how it happened?

 

Tony (leaning forward): Tell me!

 

Grandma (voice softening): Joe died praying the Rosary. Imagine! His last breath was wrapped in Hail Marys. Tony, that is a holy death, a Catholic’s dream.

 

At this point, Grandma began humming a hymn that filled the air with comfort:

 

Hymn No. 20

 

Although the way may be lonely

Although the way may be lonely

The darkness shadows fall

I know wherever it leadeth

My Father planned it all

 

Chorus:

I sing thro’ the shade and sunshine,

I trust Him whate’er befall;

I sing for I cannot be silent

My Father planned it all.

 

2. There may be sunshine tomorrow,

Shadows may break and flee;

It may be the way He chooses,—

The Father’s plan for me.

 

Chorus

 

3. He guides my faltering footsteps

Along the weary way,

For well He knows the pathway

Will lead to endless day.

 

Chorus

 

Tony (eyes wide, deeply moved): That’s powerful! Like St. Augustine in the Bible, the one whose mother prayed until he turned from sin to sainthood.

 

Grandma: Yes, yes, yes! You’re catching the spirit. Prof. Joe’s life is proof that brilliance, service, and faith can live in one person. He was generous too, he and his wife supported the Holy Family Elderly People’s Home in Osogbo, caring for residents like Prof. Ajala and Monsignor Adeniyi. He gave his time, his resources, and above all, his heart.

 

Tony (grinning): Grandma, you said Joe had a set of teeth that could win any damsel. Is that true?

 

Grandma (laughing heartily): Oh yes! His smile was unforgettable. Teeth so white and bright they could light up a room—and a heart even brighter. But what made him most attractive was not just his smile, but his faith, his kindness, his intellect.

 

Tony: Grandma, it feels like the Catholic community lost a hero.

 

Grandma: We did, Tony. The Diocese of Osogbo felt the blow like a boxer’s punch. But heaven gained him. Joe has not departed—he has only transformed. His legacy in education, in faith, and in kindness will remain.

 

Tony (nodding slowly): So, what lesson should I, a young man who just finished WAEC, learn from Prof. Joe?

 

Grandma (placing the green rosary in his hands): Learn that education without faith is empty. Learn that success without service is hollow. And remember, pray, always. Joe’s last act was holding the Rosary. If you hold on to your faith like he did, your future will be not just successful, but meaningful.

 

Tony (clutching the rosary): Thank you, Grandma. I’ll keep this lesson forever.

 

Grandma: And remember, my dear Tony, be like Joe: brilliant, generous, prayerful. And above all, keep smiling. For even a smile can be a sermon.

 

We lost a professor, but the Lord gained a saintly scholar. Prof. Joseph Morohunfolu Agbedahunsi’s life reminds us that true greatness lies not only in what we know, but in Whom we serve.

 

 

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

And let perpetual light shine upon him.

May he rest in peace. Amen.