Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Oni, others laud Olapetun’s virtues at funeral

By Ola Ilesanmi 
28 August 2022   |   2:42 am
The Bishop of Ondo Diocese Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Stephen Adeniran Oni has immortalised the longest and oldest serving sexton, the late Pa Stephen Akintola

The Bishop of Ondo Diocese Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Stephen Adeniran Oni has immortalised the longest and oldest serving sexton, the late Pa Stephen Akintola Olapetun by naming the vestry of Cathedral of St. Stephen, Oke-Aluko, Ondo after him.

The Bishop extolled the virtues of the deceased sexton at the burial service held recently at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen Oke-Aluko, Ondo, for Pa Olapetun, who served meritoriously for 55 years, till his death at the age of 83.

Oni


The cleric expressed satisfaction regarding the exemplary and extraordinary qualities of selfless service, which the deceased exhibited while alive, stating that the Ondo-born Pa Olapetun was humble, sincere, faithful and dedicated to his duty.

Taking his text from Isaiah 38:1-5, Oni said that the deceased walked with God with a perfect life. 

The godson Abiodun A. Bada said: “I grew up knowing Pa Stephen Olapetun, popularly known as “Baba Eta” during his engagement with my father when he was the provost warden and later the people’s warden at the Cathedral.

His activities and services in the church gave me the opportunity to get closer to him. He was also my godfather during my baptism 36 years ago and had always kept his promise of checking on me even when his duty as my godfather ended after my confirmation.

“Reflecting on the life and times of this great man, I saw great humility, honesty and dedication to the work of God. I never saw him angry or speak ill of anyone. No wonder, he worked actively in the church, maintaining good relationships with everyone till the very end despite his old age.

“To say that I have lost a gem is an understatement. He was a defender of truth and nothing but the truth. His departure from this earth further depletes the list of godfathers who worked hard to see that I serve God anywhere I find myself. I can boldly say that Pa Olapetun lived a fulfilled life because he played his roles very well. He should be counted among the few who enjoyed the faithfulness of God while on earth … (2 Thessalonica 3:3).”

Prof. Folakemi Onayemi reiterated his goodness, saying parishioners will miss him.

The Dean of the Cathedral, Very Rev. Adeleye and a host of others also described Pa Olapetun as a great performer of the sexton. The late sexton attended L. A. Secondary Modern School, Ede, Ijebu-Ijesha through personal efforts between 1958 and 1960. He was survived by a wife, children and great-grandchildren.

In this article

0 Comments