Mr. AJ

We miss you 🤍

Happy Posthumous Birthday my gee. One day, by our creator's grace, we shall surely meet again.

Rest peacefully!

Happy Posthumous Birthday, Cuz! You're fondly missed and remembered 😢. 

Mayowa, it's still so hard to believe that I'm writing this. I've been reluctant to write this, buying time and hoping somehow that it's not true, but here we are. 

I remember meeting you in 2020 at my first bikaholics ride at Ikoyi, and all the many bike rides we've had afterwards. I remember calling you on a random day in 2023 after buying my car and needing help with deciding on a suitable bike rack to get for the car. In that moment of confusion, I immediately knew I could call you and you would have the answer because that's just who you were to us, a big brother of some sorts, preaching caution as we rode our bikes gleefuly around ikoyi on Sunday evenings. I believe I and the rest of the guys finally succumbed to wearing helmets for our rides because we saw you do the same.

To say we would miss you is both an understatement, and a cruel ending to the bright light you were. I'm however comforted by the multiple pictures and videos I have of you smiling and dancing at our various post-cycling waka.

Rest well Mayowa. You lived a very good life. 

I started writing this sad but I'm now smiling, remembering all the good times and memories we had. And that alone is a reminder of how much you lived, and even though it doesn't make your leaving any easy, I'm comforted that you lived your best life on this earth.

Keep resting in God's bossom my friend.

Mayowa I’m still in shock! 

I have refused to even open connected page thinking that at some point someone will tell me it was a bad joke! But alas death where is thine sting. 

I remember meetings with just myself, Bade and yourself trying to structure and organize connected and build it into something massive…. You were the big believer bro! 

And the number of times you attempted to teach me to dance! lol before darling Dami came and she became my adopted sister! It’s hard to come to terms with your death bro, hard to come to terms with the fact that you’re just gone! 

When you get to heaven knowing who you are you just may be planning to teach the angels some dance steps! I miss you bro! Sleep good

Mayowa what words could adequately describe you? Brother, Friend, Confidant.

I don't recall exactly how we met, but I guess it was a matter of time since our department and fellowship were the same at the time. However, we were room mates for the last two years in my Unilag experience and what a time that was...

I won't say you were never angry, but it was hard to catch you upset. Even when provoked, you was quick to overlook a fault and move on. Always warm with everyone and quick to offer your 100 watt smile and trademark hug. You were always out and about, helping someone or involved in some community activity or the other. I always wondered where you found the energy.

You were the best driver I knew. I recall that day at the senate car park, Mummy's car was blocked in and we needed to come out. There was only a narrow space and the security guard on duty was convinced that you would scratch one of the cars parked to the side ( which probably belonged to some senior university officials). While he stood by the side lamenting about how the children of today never listen, you confidently reversed through that narrow space with barely an inch of space on both sides. I sat beside you feeling cool with myself and knowing that I wouldn't have dared pass through that space in forward gear.

Never one to judge, but always available with a listening ear, you became a confidant to many. As captain of the TRF fellowship after fellowship (FAF) squad, I never expect to see you back in the room till much later on a service night. Usually, you had seen someone off to their hostel and in your unique way, provided a shoulder for them to share what they were going through. The perfect confidant, it wasn't your way to divulge anything that was revealed in such confidence.To this casual observer, it would appear as if there was more to this and I recall that Sis. Toyin and Mummy would hail you as "Oba leyin awon Obirin", but we all knew there was no mischief involved. You were just wired that way, naturally protective of his many babies.

One thing I found hard to deal with was that given your bright friendly disposition and willingness to help others, you were very private about your own troubles. When this battle began, I understood and respected the fact that you wanted to keep it on the low, even in pain, you didn't want to be a burden.

It was difficult to watch but you put up a good fight my friend and your boldness gave me courage to face my own struggle. This is how I choose to remember you. The one who on the happiest day of my life stood by my side and even then his smile was brighter than mine.

Good night friend, see you in the morning.

Connected Remembers ... 

Here is a tribute to Mayowa Ajijola (@ironhyde_)

  by @TemiAbikoye on behalf of Connected followed by sights and sounds of Mayowa at Connected across multiple generations. 

#HeavensGain #WeOvercame

Words fail me! 

I'm glad you lived your life on FULL battery! Lived, Laughed, Loved, and you shone sooo brightly!

Oluwadamilola, Mayomikun, and Jesulayomi - sending you all the love!