Celebrating the Life of a Gem

My tribute excerpt from the Service of Songs program:

My grandfather-

I remember the first time I met my grandfather about 20 years ago in Lagos in 1991. Later that year he came to Chicago. I was in first grade, living on the north side of Chicago at the time and my school was on the other side of the city so I rode the school bus. My school bus stop was at Lawrence and Sheridan. And every morning he would walk me to my bus stop rain, shine, or snow. And I never missed my bus or a day of class that year. Every evening he would be waiting there, with his newspaper, to pick me up, every single day, even when my bus came late.

He also helped me to learn Yoruba. He drew several different pictures and put the Yoruba word next to it to help me remember. He was also my personal tailor whenever I needed a quick wardrobe hem or mending.

He eventually went back to Lagos and came back to Chicago 10 years later. One important thing is that he was very dependable. I remember calling my mom over the weekend to tell her about an issue at school and Monday morning my mom and grandparents drove down to Champaign on my behalf.

I never saw him get angry. He was a peaceful man that loved my grandma dearly. He even switched churches for her. Back home he was a Deeper Life attendee, however here he decided to become a Redeemed member because he knew how much my grandma loved Jesus House.

I’m thankful that he is no longer in pain. I’m thankful that God gave me a chance to say good bye. I’m thankful that he had a relationship with the Lord and for that I am thankful because I know we will meet again.

Happy home going grandfather. We love you.

Sunreo! 

Pa May Mofolurunsho Oladipo Ogunnaike

(Pa Gospel)

May 19, 1931  - January 30, 2011

The race you have to win

All glory and honor to Jesus! The end of a matter is better than its beginning and patience is better than pride. Ecclesiastes 7:8. C'est fini! Today, I completed my last exam, as a student at the University of Illinois. After 7.5 years, it is time to say goodbye to Champaign! Thank You Jesus!

Saturday, December 11, 2010, I graduated from the School of Labor and Employment at the University of Illinois. The graduation took place at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in the Colwell Playhouse. I gave the remarks on behalf of the Class of 2010 and the transcript is below.

Good afternoon, graduates, faculty, families and friends. Thank you all for coming to our ceremony. We are happy to have you here to share in this joyous time with us.

The title of my speech is called “The Race You Have To Win.”

In life, we are all in a race, yet each of us are in a different race with several supporters cheering us along the way. Many of those supporters are here today in this auditorium. Thankfully, along each of our races, we were able to cross paths for the past year and a half at the School of Labor and Employment.

Seven years ago, after my first semester in undergrad, here at the University of Illinois, I remember running down the stairs at the Weston Residence Hall exclaiming “one semester down, just seven more to go!” with a sigh of relief that I completed my first semester as a college student. Little did I know, in my capped off far-sighted vision into the future, that I would actually be at the University of Illinois for an additional seven more semesters after undergrad. This would make an additional seven years from my first semester.

Seven is also my favorite number. It’s signifies completion. Now seven years later, I stand before you today along with my colleagues, having completed our last semester, as a student, at the School of Labor and Employment at the University of Illinois.

So after seven years, you might imagine I would receive the “oh you must really like school” comment and the “What is MHRIR?” question. And you’re right. Just the other day after a student visit, I was talking to Brandon and Jen and after explaining that I’ve been here since 2003, Brandon asks “do you like Champaign?” And as a city girl, I never thought I would say this but I actually do and it will be sad to leave this place I’ve come to call home. I will miss the good cornfields. I will miss getting to places in 10 minutes and watching this city change and the temperature being slightly warmer than Chicago and gas being slightly cheaper than Chicago. I won’t particularly miss the parking enforcement though. More importantly, it will be sad to leave all of you.

I began undergrad in Champaign, as an 18 year old Psychology major; a familiar beginning for many of my colleagues. And like many of you, I also came to that turning point in undergrad where I decided to change majors. Yet at the same time, it is a very different story for many of my colleagues hailing from 94 undergraduate institutions and 13 countries! It would eventually turn out to be a different story for me as well.

After undergrad, I decided to stay pretty close for law school, as in down the street, which added another 3 years to my tenure in Champaign. And at the law school I met Professor LeRoy! Anyone who has come into contact with him, or taken any of his classes here, knows exactly what this means. He and other important people in my life, such as my mom, are the reason that I stand before you today being able to pursue exactly what I wanted to do.

We all began this lap of our race in 2009. I was so surprised that on the first day of orientation, Becky knew my name and everything about me. Then I quickly understood that this school cares about each person in the program and makes it a point to know you. On that first day, I also discovered the wealth that existed in the three-story brick building on 5th and Armory. I felt so fortunate to be in the newly-named-changed School of Labor and Employment. Here I found diversity of cultures, and schools of business and technology as well as an immense and supportive career service center, faculty and alumni base. On a Monday, I told Nell exactly what I was interested in and literally by Tuesday she connected me with alumni from across the country. These alumni significantly helped me change my perspective on my career for the better.

Here we are today December, 11, 2010, a year and a half into the race from where we started and the race is nowhere near complete. Some would even say our race is just beginning depending on your perspective and the School of Labor Employment gave us the best warm up laps. Now we are sitting here about to receive our degrees with many of our supporters and a cloud of witnesses happy to join us here in the audience. I think we need to give our supporters a round of applause because they were the ones that helped us to keep running this race.

As of Summer 2010, there were over 2300 School of Labor Employment alumni employed in 47 different states in the U.S. including, D.C. and Puerto Rico, and in more than 30 foreign countries. Among them are senior corporate executives, government officials, HR consultants, union officials, faculty members, and university administrators.

Now graduates, look around, we are the new generation of HR and IR professionals, consultants, government and union officials, administrators and directors. I think you should also clap for yourselves for making it this far on your race. And as we finish our last final examination in the program next week, we will race out into the world to join these successful University of Illinois MHRIR alumni. Fellow graduates, we are very privileged to be in these seats. I am so honored to be in great company, having the opportunity to join the graduating class of December 2010.

I admit it hasn’t hit me yet, that we’re actually leaving. Maybe it will hit me when I’m stuck in traffic again in the big city on my way to work, or sometime next year when I no longer view the year in semester lenses. Or maybe, it will hit me when I’m not driving down Interstate 57 on a Sunday night for my 8am class with Professor Avgar. Although, it will be sad to leave, it is a bitter sweet leave. This program is the hardest thing many of us have done, it is the hardest thing I have done to date and we have successfully completed this lap in our race. The School of Labor and Employment has adequately prepared us for the next step, judging by the experiences from many of my peers this past summer as well as our antecessors who have shared their experiences with us. So in a sense it was our warm- up lap for our race. And although there are no official rankings, I am certain that this was the best warm up lap hands down.

Before I came to this program I somehow avoided the business classes, like the plague apart from the general requirements. Leaving this program, my business acumen has skyrocketed. One thing I learned in Professor Lubotsky’s Health Savings and Family Issues in the Workplace class is that generally speaking there are two assets that are very hard to diversify. One is your house and the second is your skill set; your human capital. However, at this program we are at such an advantage with the second asset. Our skill sets are already diverse. Our education at the School of Labor and Employment has opened so many roads of opportunities and given us several choices that many of us otherwise would not have had prior to entering this program.

Graduates, no matter where we are in this world, whether we are in small town, Ohio, to New York City to Beijing, China we will always have the bond of being Fighting Illini at this point in our race. And as I conclude, I would like to leave my fellow Illini with following words of advice. There is a race set before that you have to win. This race isn't given to the swift but to the one that can endure through the end. I started this year with many goals, and graduating from the School of Labor and Employment was one of them, we all made it!   More importantly, we are guaranteed a prize at the end of this race, so continue working hard and I know that we will hear of many of each of our races throughout the school walls and across the world.  As we leave this campus as alumni, continue to run your race.   Pace yourself through your race to run your best race, helping others along the way and know that you’ve already won.  Thank You.

Convocation Ceremony School of Labor and Employment at the University of Illinois

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Reference: I Corinthians 9; Ecclesiastes 9.

Speech inspired by: Pastor Fola Oluwehinmi -- King's Assembly, RCCG.

Photo by: Lola Adegoke

Supported by: So many people: family, ACF, JHC, KA, friends, mentors, faculty!

Could only have done it by and through: JESUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm going home.

There are certain places you go and you just have peace. One is home. One is at God’s house.

There are certain places you go and you can just laugh. One is home. One is at God’s house.

There are certain places you go and you can cry. One is home. One is at God’s house.

There are certain places you go and you just get excited. One is home. One is at God’s house.

There are certain places you go and you can just be free. One is home. One is at God’s house.

Home is where the heart is. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and follow it! 

I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” 

Psalm 122:1

cherish the earthly relationships, on earth

I don't believe in living each day like it's your last . . .

I heard a Pastor say this week that marriage does not exist in Heaven. It is a question I had, which he confirmed, since my stepfather remarried my mother after my older siblings' mother passed, many years ago. My stepfather has also gone home to be with the Lord (Rest in Perfect Peace). Yet, I vividly remember the words my mother said to him with the casket open and how the Pastor responded to her. I could not help but wonder privately, who would he be married to in Heaven? And how does marriage in Heaven work for the polygamous homes, which were still popular in Nigeria as recent as two generations ago – my grandparent’s generation.

Thoughts of people that have recently passed and celebrating the anniversary of my esteemed relative’s home going (Dr. Femi Ogunnaike), as is the cultural tradition, caused other thoughts to resurface. When we attend funerals, usually as Christians, we comfort ourselves with the assurance that we will see them again. My initial reaction to the Pastor's affirmation, that the marriage relationship did not exist in Heaven, was something like "oh" *eyebrows raised* and "aww." The reassurance we hold onto likely encompasses the hope that we will see that person" again assumedly in the same earthly relationship. However, if the marriage relationship does not exist in heaven, neither will all other earthly relationships that we value. This makes me realize this one chance on earth is really the only time to cherish that form of the relationship.

Along those lines, I usually hear so many of my peers say “live each day like it's your last,” when they learn of someone’s passing. Many people probably said this same statement 9 years ago too, wherever we were, when we processed the World Trade Center’s terrorist attack.

Respectfully, I disagree wholeheartedly with the “live each day like your last” motto. I know I haven’t put much thought into my last day and how I want to spend it and I do not think I ever will. I would venture to say that many people who say that have not put much thought into it either. We generally work with the end in sight, but this is an expected end (for some - since not all will sleep) that we naturally and consciously suppress. Moreover, the average life expectancy in the United States is currently at about 78 years. Adhering to that motto essentially means we would spend, on average, a very substantial portion of our lifetime on earth, living in fear of life and death.

I do believe in living each day progressively and with purpose. The more correct statement or motto to me falls somewhere along the lines of “live each day cherishing all the time spent with people, family and friends with no doubt in your mind that if it were your last day once you've arrived at the gates of Heaven, God would say “my good and faithful servant you’ve done well.””

A purpose driven life = a life fulfilled

What a week... Church, Market, Bowling Alley, Nursing home, Illinois Department of Corrections, Courthouse, Community Service Kickoff, International Potluck, Celebrations oh yeah and school...

Monday went to see my grandfather, before heading back to school, and now the end of the week, his junior brother has been laid to rest in Odogbolu, Ogun, next to my great grandmother.

From his youngest son, my cousin JO.

A great man...a loving father, a wonderful, gifted and brilliant doctor, dermatologist, and venereologist...someone who stood for integrity, hard work, and perfection...may I be half if not all that u were...loved u, love u, and will always love u dad..rest in peace.....

There is a time for everything and it is time to celebrate my granduncle. A great man indeed. Love always, Funmi. A life fulfilled.

For me to live is Christ - Paul

If my time to go back comes before Christ comes back I want you to know that I love you. We do not say that a lot or enough in our affection-lacking-culture. We just assume the other people in our lives know. But people come and go at different times and then people think "I wish I told X, xyz,"  when that person has been called back.

Heard on the radio though, "when someone tells you 'I love you,' you should ask 'what do you mean by that?'" It could have different in-depth meanings depending on the recipient. If you really want to know you can ask me =). But generally, just know that I love you with the love of the Lord and want what's best for you, as a friend God has placed in my life.

So I just encourage you to break away from that culture and tell people how you feel about them often.

At the same time, make sure you are doing your part daily to fulfill your destiny and purpose.


I got this from my friend, JW's status and would like to share: 

My favorite store is in Nazareth, My clothes are in Nazareth, My food is in Nazareth, my car is in Nazareth, My books are in Nazareth. My COMFORT is in Nazareth. All I know, is in Nazareth. In order to fulfill scripture, I have to leave Nazareth. My destiny is in Bethlehem, but my comfort zone is in Nazareth. I have to leave Nazareth and go to Bethlehem I have to.

Bethlehem or bust. Let's go!

Lastly, if God has placed someone anyone in your life, it is your duty to at least plant a seed in their life so that when they are called back you know you did your part with them. Reinforced by my Gma.

I don't think I'll be going anywhere for a while though. I'm still learning and a work in progress. Moreover, I've still got business to do. My Father's business. I mustn't leave until it's finished.

Then I'd have lived my life to the fullest.

Iya mi calls me Funmilayo...

Oluwafunmilayo - God gives me joy.

The things of this world are silly to me (some sneaky) but sillyyy nonetheless.

Although I am in the world I am not of this world.

I thank God for giving me the wisdom to see red flags and stay awayyyyy.  He has given me the understanding and authority to be at least two steps ahead, allowing me to divert from nouns (the grammar school definition: persons, places or things)  that I can boldly say are “Not my portion!”

Because what God has for me is for me and what is not is not, hence NOT MY PORTION :-)

Giving them/it  the deuces and maybe saying a prayer towards it (ideally) I can carry along about my business and purpose, continuously praising, thanking, and praying without ceasing – You’ve Got to stay prayed UP! It confuses them/it, keeps them/it guessing.

With that recipe, things that used to bother me, bother me no more, things that could make me retort, allow me to smile, laugh and give God the glory because HE is the only entity that deserves my attention. It's not a secret I can tell it and will tell it always. It's called the Joy of the Lord, one of the fruits of The Spirit and I've got it! Hence my naturally joyful disposition.

This week, I definitely heard some things that quite possibly belong on the top of the dumbest statements ever list [too dumb that the mouth God gave me to praise Him should dare not repeat, give credit to, or be contaminated by such nonsense]  and seen some of the world in action, sneaky endeavors, etc. etc. ...... = not my portion <----HallelujaHolla BACK (how about never! because I am not of this world. (fullstop)

But this week, I also heard some of the greatest statements ever and seen the hand of the Lord at work in my life, family and friends = my portion :-D Thank you relevancy.

Still fasting permanently from irrelevancy…it’s working! Join me :-)

I've got Joy and give Joy! HallelujaHolla!

Shoutout to the wonderful woman that gave me that name, who God blessed with another year of life, on Wednesday. love you.

My wonderful uncle.

There is a time for everything. . . Ecclesiastes 3.

Sunday morning my Grand Uncle went to meet his Maker, Our Lord and Savior. He was a wonderful man and the reason why I enjoy going back to Nigeria every time.

He came on a Sunday, left on a Sunday, and did a lot of Great things in between. A wonderful family man with a great loving wife and 5 wonderful children. He was a husband, uncle, brother, cousin, friend, doctor, and the list goes on.

I take comfort in knowing he was a God fearing born again man.

It is time to celebrate my grand uncle. 71 years old. May you Rest in Perfect Peace Amen. Love Always - Funmi.