The Pastor of New Reservation Area Baptist Church, Iyaganku, Ibadan, Oyo State, Rev. Kayode Oyedemi, has narrated how late Justice Adegboye Ayinla Gbolagunte of the Oyo State Judiciary knew he was going to die and so had planned his funeral by choosing the cemetery his remains would be buried, and had paid for his vault.
He made the revelation during a sermon at the funeral service for the Eruwa, Oyo State born jurist, who died June 24.
Quoting from the Book of II Kings 13 and 20; Hebrew 11; as well as II Samuel 12, Dr. Oyedemi said that he had never seen anybody prepare his own funeral as deeply as Justice Gbolagunte did.
“It is not unusual for saints to die of sickness from attack.
“If prayers can stop death, Justice Gbolagunte would not have died because upon revelation that he would die of the sickness, we were praying, but when the sickness of the beloved is unto death, no amount of prayers can heal the sickness, no matter how perfect one could be in faith.
“God knows why he has called Justice Gbolagunte home at this time.
“While we were praying and believing that God would spare his life, he had accepted his faith himself.
“I remember his last admission to the hospital about two or three days to his death.
“Then I asked if he was still holding unto God in faith and he said yes.
“Since last year, he had told me that his funeral is to be held in Ibadan here.
“He had told me the cemetery.
“I have been hearing about it, but I have not seen anybody who planned his funeral so deep as Justice Gbolagunte did.
“All the arrangements you see, he had chosen and contacted people you see carrying them out.
“He had contacted everybody.
“When he paid for the vault, he told me, and he connected me with the person that was in charge of that.
“That is to tell you that he was convinced that God said that his time had come.
“And that is one of the greatest ways to die.
“For you to know when you are going to die helps you to get settled, not just with God, but with every other thing.
“He had that privilege.
“God told Hezekiah that he would not recover, but he would die.
“God said: ‘Set your house in order for you shall die.’
“It is one of the greatest ways to die.
“People like that will never miss heaven.
“That is the assurance that Hon. Justice Adegboye Gbolagunte has gone to be with Christ.”
Addressing the children left behind by the late jurist, Rev. Oyedemi said: “You have a mother with strong faith and a prayerful one.
“You have a father with a high level of integrity, who was not corrupt.
“You must hold aloft the two qualities of your parents.
“If we have many of Justice Gbolagunte in Nigeria, the country would be better.
“He stood for integrity.
“Public service holders should ruminate on this.
“His colleagues should search themselves how they are dispensing justice.
“Bad leadership persists when there is bad followership.
“In Nigeria, we combine the two.
“Are our leaders of today not followers of the past?
“How much has their past criticisms helped our Nation now?
“Let us ruminate on this.”
In attendance at the funeral service were dignitaries from all walks of life, including the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin; many Judges, serving and retired; Senior Advocates of Nigeria; Nigerian Bar Association executives and members; old secondary school mates of the deceased from Birch Freeman High School, Surulere, Lagos; Baale of Aborerin in Eruwa, High Chief Olaide Ojedapo; friends and relatives of the Gbolagunte family.
The 64-year-old son of a former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mokolade Gbolagunte, was survived by his wife: Wuraola Ayoola and three children: Oladiran, a Digital Technologist with specialisation in Network Communications; Oladoyin, a lawyer; and Oladotun, also a lawyer.
It will be recalled that a Special Valedictory Court Session was held in honour of Justice Gbolagunte on July 22, 2024 at the Oyo state High Court in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the weeklong celebration of his exit.
On July 23, at New Estate Baptist Church, Surulere, Lagos, a Commendation Service took place for the deceased, while on July 25, there was a Service of Songs at Jogor Centre in Ibadan.
