I was a year ahead of Temidayo Morgan Omodu at the University of Ilorin. We were from separate departments: Morgan, Mathematics Education, and I, Statistics, in the Faculty of Science.
Prior to our meeting, I had been invited by Bashir Tayo Lawal, then President of the National Association of Statistics Students (NASS), Unilorin Chapter, to help revive its editorial platform, a role I gladly accepted. Omodu was fascinated by my writings on the board, particularly “The Man from Essex”, a piece on Professor I. O. Osungade, who died on June 15, 2024. He approached me to express his interest in writing and seek my guidance. I accepted, and our lifelong friendship began.
Together with Abayomi Akomolafe, now Professor of Statistics at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Femi Adebola, now Professor of Statistics and current Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, FUTA, Remi Gbaremu, and others, the NASS Editorial Board (aka NASSEB) achieved great success. These achievements, and other matters, are topics for another time.
When the Faculty of Science Students Association (FOSSA), Unilorin Chapter, led by Gbenga Adebayo, invited me to help rebuild its media arm, I brought Omodu along. We also worked together on the Unilorin Students’ Union Government (SUG) Editorial Board. Kehinde Agboola, a former member of the House of Representatives, was the SUG President at the time.
I graduated from Unilorin in 1996, and our paths diverged until sometime in the 2000s, when we reconnected in Ilorin. Omodu even introduced me to his mother, and I spent the night at his house.
We lost touch again until 2010, when we met at the Lagos City Hall during the ‘Odu’a, Know Thyself’ programme, organized by the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a sociocultural organization where I served as its pioneer Administrative Secretary. I learned, much later, that Omodu was part of Rt. Honourable Dimeji Bankole’s delegation as his Special Assistant on Student Affairs and Legislative Matters to the event. I had remained unaware of this, of course, for reasons not unconnected with the pervasive influence of the I-am-of-Paul-and-another-I-am-of-Apollos political dynamics of that era.
Last year, Omodu invited me to join AljazirahNigeria newspaper as a non-stipendiary ‘Backpager’, but I declined due to other commitments. Nevertheless, he continued to feature my writings, and I was saddened to learn of his passing on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at the age of 52.
Some months before his demise, Omodu had reached out to me and raised concerns about some disturbing political developments in his native Ondo State. Together, we explored options and concluded that something needed to be done, urgently, to salvage the situation. He promised to get back to me. Unfortunately, whatever his efforts were are now lost to history.
At the time of his passing, Omodu was the newspaper’s Managing Editor.
While he was alive, Morgan Omodu would call me “Great Komo” while I would address him as “OluwaMorgan.” Mortuus sed non oblitus! (Gone but not forgotten!)
As I reflect on our diverging paths and networks, I realize that while we often find ourselves at the mercy of circumstances, we must remember that we have the power to shape them, rather than simply being shaped by them. This realization brings me to the measure of a man’s life: his network. In life, a man is as good as his network. But what if his network turns out to be ineffective or a letdown?
A tool is useless if it can’t serve its purpose. Omodu was truly blessed: he had a knife that could cut bread, a supportive network that helped him achieve success. It is only his death that snatched an example of good manners and selflessness away from us too soon!
May the Stone of Israel rest the soul of the faithful departed and comfort those he left behind! May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!
Abiodun KOMOLAFE wrote in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.
