Eulogy by Prof. Bayo Omolola
I was shocked when I got a call from a friend in the US today that Prof. Ọrẹ Yusuf passed away in Nigeria one day or more ago.
It was like a dream. It took me few minutes before l could accept that Prof. Ọrẹ had gone!
What a rare, decent, caring, meticulous, considerate, and selfishless human Prof. Ọrẹ was! Two incidents brought him close to my mind.
One was in 1987 when l read his critical comment on my MA research project in the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages. He had just returned from the United. He was very objective: using his linguist paradigm, he pointed out in my writing for MA in Yoruba Literature the language or stylistic aspects to emphasize and suggested that l should consider the aspects for further study at a higher level.
The second incident was in 1995. Dr. Ọrẹ was the Head of Department. I was then Assistant Marketing Manager with Rajrab Limited, a manufacturing company with headquarters in Ikẹja, Lagos and a factory in Ilọrin. During one of my commercial outings, l made a brief visit to the campus. Dr. Ọrẹ saw me in the hall way and invited me to his office on mini campus. On getting there, he said, "Bayọ, it is nice seeing you. I know you voluntarily withdrew from your PhD and the time to return had lapsed. However, if you want, l can give you a chance, take your file, and reopen the program so that you can continue it." He looked at me as he spoke. He was pleasantly friendly. I knew he had read what made me to withdraw from the program that l started. My withdraw letter detailed my concern. I had no idea of what he wanted to tell me until he spoke to me. The only answer l could give him after he stopped talking was "I will think about it, sir," but l never returned to accept the offer.
Before l left Unilọrin in 1991, my supervisor was Prof. Oludare Ọlajubu (now late). He and l really had a great relationship. He believed a research student should be independent. If l accepted the offer from Prof. Ọrẹ, l would want Prof. Ọlájubù to be my supervisor again, for he was the only specialist in Yọruba oral literature, my choice. Unfortunately, he was already on his retirement when Dr. Ọrẹ Yusuf spoke with and encouraged me to return as as a postgraduate student to the department.
Can anyone with such an experience with Prof. Ọrẹ Yusuf forget him? No, it is impossible. He was not an obstacle; rather, he was an opener of doors of opportunities for other people. He was a humble, intelligent, smart, considerate, kind, quiet linguist with love for arts, academic works, transparency, and truthfulness.
Family members and friends of Prof. Ọ̀rẹ Yusuf, what else can l say at this time of your grief, our grief on the loss of our beloved Prof?
If the departed soul can know what is happening now, smile will radiate on his face that he left a good story behind.
For Prof. Ọrẹ, l have the rendition below:
Agbe rẹ aró ire láyé;
Aró ire ń fọ́n're agbe kágbó kiri.
Àlùkò koṣùn àrà Kalẹ̀ ní ibùba ẹyẹ;
Oṣùn àrà ń fọn rere àlùkò l'áwùjọ àwọn ẹyẹ oko.
Ológìnní dúdú etí àjà,
Kín ló dé tó rín dé'lé èèyàn ire?
Erin wá gb'ọ́wọ́ ọlá,
Erin fi rọgi pooooooooo!
Àtáǹpàkò arànwù-rán-dídì
Kín ní dé tó ò ò leè rú wùyẹ̀ ranṣọ mọ́?
Ikú ló málápó tálápó ò leè r'ójú mápó mọ́.
Ikú ló mẹ́lẹ́wìrì tẹ́lẹ́wìrì ò lè fín ẹwìrì mọ́ lágbẹ̀dẹ.
Ikú mú Ọọrẹ!
Gbogbo ẹbí,
Gbogbo ọ̀rẹ́ ń ṣe 'dáró ẹni ire!
Bí a bá pe "Ọrẹ" nígbà igba,
Ire ni.
Baba ẹlòmíràn là ó pè,
T'ọmọ aráyé á pòṣẹ́ sàràrà!
Kànnàǹgó kò níí fọ ibi ńlé ọmọ Yusuf nígbà kankan.
Èèyàn jẹ́jẹ́,
O sì ṣe bẹ́ẹ̀;
O sì gbekuru jẹ́ l'ọ́wọ ẹbọra!
Ẹ̀yìn tó o fi sílẹ̀ kò níí bàjẹ́!
Ọ̀run ire!
Báyọ̀ Ọmọlọlá, Ph.D
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