—Cleric, Academicians Harp on Godliness, Discipline, Quality Parenting
It was a joyous gathering of children, relatives, friends, and eminent personalities from the academic community, as Deaconess Felicia Fehintola Aribisala; mother of renowned scholars, Professor Gbenga Aribisala (pioneer Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology and Environmental Sciences, FUTES, Iyin Ekiti) and Professor Segun Aribisala (former Vice Chancellor of Oduduwa University) celebrated her 90th birthday.
The Thanksgiving service held at the Chapel of His Glory, Liberty Sanctuary Iworoko Ekiti, was filled to capacity as an elated Deaconess Aribisala joyfully danced, offering praises to God with the programme featuring soul-lifting songs, heartfelt testimonies, thanksgiving and the cutting of her birthday cake.
Delivering a sermon titled “Redeeming the Time”, Senior Pastor of the church, Rev. Modupe Salami, charged Nigerians, particularly Christians to make judicious use of their time on earth by living exemplary lives rooted in godly virtues.
She warned against laziness, moral laxity and excessive materialism, stressing that many destinies had been truncated due to indolence, uncontrolled emotions, and ungodly lifestyles.
Rev. Salami urged Christians in positions of authority to channel their resources towards uplifting humanity and promoting godliness, admonishing children to always take good care of their parents while they are alive instead of lavishing resources on elaborate funerals afterwards.
At the colourful reception organised in her honour in the Ekiti State capital of Ado Ekiti, former Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Prof. Olawumi Ajaja, described Deaconess Aribisala as a virtuous woman who stood firmly by her late husband in raising godly, successful children.
According to Prof. Ajaja, living to see her children become university vice chancellors and thriving Christians is a rare grace worthy of celebration.
Family members, including Pastor Gabriel Ibigbami and Mr. Fakunle Olutoye, extolled the virtues of the nonagenarian, describing her as a peace-loving, caring mother who has contributed immensely to peaceful coexistence in the family, community, and among in-laws.
In separate interviews, her sons, Prof. Gbenga Aribisala and Prof. Segun Aribisala, said their mother is a disciplined, prayerful, compassionate and strong-willed woman who made huge sacrifices to ensure they received a sound education.
Prof. Gbenga and Segun Aribisala noted that the colourful celebration of their mother is not only to mark nine decades of God’s faithfulness in her life, but also to encourage a renewed commitment to godliness, hard work and responsible parenting in today’s society.
They urged younger parents to emulate her fear of God, hard work and commitment to properly raising their children.
Also speaking, Dr. Segun Ipinlaye thanked dignitaries for honouring the family and encouraged people to invest in their children’s education, describing it as the greatest legacy parents can bequeath.
Dignitaries at the event included the Owa Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Adewole; Vice Chancellor of Ekiti State University, Prof. Ayodele Babatola; former EKSU VC, Prof. Dipo Kolawole; Registrar of FUTES, Mr. Oluwole Dada; FUTES Librarian, Prof. Oluwadare Busayo; FUTES Bursar, Mrs. Rachel Ajayi and her husband, pioneer DVC of FUOYE, Prof. Adeniyi Ajayi, alongside many distinguished professors across Nigerian universities.