RIP Prof. AB Sofoluwe

I hate the way I feel this morning. L The reason or reasons are not farfetched.

First I wake up trying to decide if I can make Kole’s wedding. I definitely will make it, even if it has to be by my perfect timing just when they are starting to take pictures! And disappear immediately after the couples triumphant entry into the reception. But this is slightly different, he wants me to be a grooms man cos someone didn’t show up… less than 24 hours notice, suit pant with the tailor, hair unkempt… to make matters worse I’d been nominated to carry out some tasks at work, though I thought that won’t take 30mins (8am – 8:30am, Kola needs me for 9am, so as the superman, I can squeeze it *mscheeeeeew*)

Now am in the office, the supposed 30mins activity is gon’ take hours, so Kola, am sorry, guess it’s just gon’ be my perfect timing at your wedding. Thank goodness, I didn’t give my word! K

I wish all this is the real reason for my mood but no, almost everyone on my BBM list is mourning or appears to be mourning the loss of Prof. Sofoluwe’s. Shoffy is dead!!! How can? Why him? Why now? Sometime yesterday, someone put on facebook that Shoffy was at the hospital. Did I say a prayer? Honestly can’t tell… I probably just thought it was one of those things, he’ll bounce back, but will he? Never! Not in this life time, maybe in another… am moved to tears. I loved this man!

Yeah, that’s what we all do… “…they wait till you are dead and say you are the best...” but that’s not entirely true here. We’ve always known you are the best, and yes, we say it. I say it. Twice or thrice my course lecturer, my project supervisor… I knew this man. He was different. How many students can boast of being offered lunch during project discussions? Yea, it’s just food but those takeaways from his fridge were more than useful.

It wasn’t just the assurance of an A grade whenever I registered for his course, it was more of the simplicity with which he took them. No surprises (except that his tests where always without warnings) but from day 1 you know what the course was about and what your exam was gon’ be like. Call me lazy... na u sabi! How much of numerical analysis can I recall as I write this? :]y But I still remember those life lessons. Tope and I still joke about how he said you should never really argue with your wife, just prostrate and say sorry. Am not married now, but from my lil experience with girls, that works!

Not only the living will miss you Shoffy! Your white volks will too. I remember that night I was walking to the faculty, Shoffy was heading there too, stopped by me to drop me off and we spent almost a minute struggling to open the door by the passenger sit. Same thing happened when I was alighting, definitely not an HSE compliant car J but BABA kept using it, am sure they shared something together. Who knows whether that volks is still alive?

Right now, I don’t even know the details of your death… BB battery’s dead and in my rush to leave the house, I forgot the charger, I would have been updated… but whatever the cause is you are gone :’(. Something makes all this even more saddening for me – the last time I saw you. Was it before or after my convocation? Yea, it was weeks or maybe months after, we were at your office, and you stressed your desire among other things that I apply as a lecturer, we laughed over that. And then you said you were not interested in any gifts from me until I was “made” J All that was ~4 years ago, I’m not made yet, but am sure you’d have been happy to see me before you left. I kept procrastinating! I kept procrastinating!!! And that day never came. How many times have we lost someone and felt there’s something more we could have done? :’( :’( :’(

That reminds me, popsy’s ill, who knows? Am not that pessimistic, but I must see the man this weekend, why not today, no, the wedding, tomorrow’s fine! (the voice of the “thief of time” – procrastination!). Work is important, it pays the bills, but there is more to life than keeping “busy”.

While I wrote this, the tasks are done – multitasking it’s called, and then the wedding, It should be just about my perfect timing…. Off I go! Do I feel any better? :]y I doubt! This is not my eulogy, you deserve a lot better, I only needed to whine a lil… I’ll miss u. We’ll miss you. I pray God grants all your loved ones the fortitude to bear this great loss. RIP SHOFFY BABA!!!