Nigerians have been urged to move closer to God and use their time more for Godly things in order to attract more of God’s blessings and secure a place in paradise.
Major (Venerable) MO Amuluche made the assertion during an interdenominational service of songs for late Mr Adebolaji Oyebade, elder brother of the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, (NDA), Major-General Adeniyi Oyebade, held in Kaduna on Monday.
Quoting from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1-5, Venerable Amuluche said there is a time for everything under the sun and the time now for every living Christians is to serve God and humanity because there would be a time when they will be like late Adebolaji Oyebade who has answered his own call of death.
The Cleric urged all present at the service of songs to emulate the good testimonies given about the deceased, who was described as a honest and God fearing person in his lifetime.
In his speech, Major General Oyebade, described his late brother as a hard working fellow who at the age of 30 was a millionaire.
“He held the family together playing the role of a father to all of us. My being in the army today was due to his encouragement and support. Right from an early age, I had the notion to travel to the United States of America and when I informed him, he kept quiet.
“But when I disclosed that I have written the NDA exams and passed he told me, ‘Niyi you have to go to NDA because there is not much money on ground to take you to the USA. But as an Army cadet you become Federal Government property and all liabilities will be settled by the government’.
“When I was still bent on checking out of the country, he called a captain friend of his, who was next door neighbour with us in Lagos, and the captain told me ‘Fine boy’, the name he usually called me, ‘you are strong and agile so you have to be in the Army’. That was how I found myself in the army, and I’ve never regretted,” he said.
In his remarks, a Yoruba Chief in the North, Ambassador Mohammed Arigbabuwo, described the late Adebolaji Oyebade as a man of the people who carried everybody alone.
He prayed for God to accept the soul of the departed.
Another younger brother of the deceased, Mr Kayode Oyebade, who could not hold back his tears, said the demise of his brother has created a vacuum in the family, but he believed that God in His infinite mercy would help them fill the vacuum.
