There are news that numb your emotions, your sense of taste and dazed yours thoughts, that was what your death did to me. It doesn’t still look real till this moment.
I recalled every laugh, I remembered all your wise counsels. You called me up late September 2019 and informed me about your SMP programme at Harvard Business School, which you described as “timely” and “for a huge result”. The son of Rev J.A. Madeyese. That was the longest call we’ve ever had: two hours forty-five minutes, you called back for another one hour same day, to talk about “Christianity”, family, forgiveness, managing betrayal, work, health and self-development. You lightened up every space with your laughter and humanity.
Your genteel sense of humour endeared everyone to you. There is no real ending to your journey in the creative industry, because your works outlived you Ayotunde Medayese. It’s just the place where you stopped your earthly story that shattered everyone who knew you. The news of your death, the deaths of some friends and colleagues this season left me with a genuine sense of mortality.
I was worried when you didn’t pick your calls in February and March, though you replied some of my WhatsApp messages, with apologies, sameness of gusto and courteous replies that characterised your personality. The grimness of your death is masked by the celebration of your many achievements. A lot was written and said about your generosity, I will mention this, you were touched by Julius Agwu’s medical condition and surgery in 2018, you came to my office, you said to me that my posts for a crowdfunding for the ace comedian got your attention, you took his number and transferred one million Naira to Julius minutes after our chats, to offset part of his medical bills abroad. Julius was stupefied by your unrestrained generosity. I called you to express my appreciation, you said christianity and your parents taught you the act of what you described as “reckless benevolence habit”, you said nothing is too small or too big to give, that will put a smile on a face.
Jesus conquered sin and death. Because of this as believers and co-heirs with Christ we mourn but not like those who mourn without hope. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 [NIV] put it this way “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope”. My prayers and heart-felt condolences to Desola, the two “Ts” your children and Mama Madeyese. Thank you for leaving a mark on the sands of time.
“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.”
—Anne Frank