VIDEO: Bishop Dapo Asaju receiving the remains of late Rt. Rev. Dr. Gideon Olajide at Ilesa

The life and legacy of the late Rt. Rev. Dr. Gideon Isaac Oladipo Olajide were celebrated by Archbishops, Bishops, clergy, family members, friends and church members during three solemn services held in Ibadan and Ilesa before his remains were taken to Ado-Ekiti for his final burial.

The services were held to honour the late bishop, who was remembered for his humility, kindness, love for people, strong faith and many years of service to the Anglican Church.

The first event was a Service of Songs held on Monday, November 2, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. James the Great, Oke-Bola, Ibadan.

The service attracted a large gathering of church leaders, serving and retired clergy, family members, friends and well-wishers who came to celebrate the life of the departed church father.

One of the touching moments was the presence of more than 50 of his biological and adopted children, who wore specially designed white singlets bearing his photograph. Their presence showed the great love he had for children and the many people who saw him as a father, mentor and spiritual guide.

Speaking at the Service of Songs, Bishop Babatunde Ogunbanwo of the Diocese of Ijebu South West urged Christians to live their lives with eternity in mind.

Preaching from Numbers 23:10, he described the late Bishop Olajide as a man who lived a life of love, righteousness and service to God and humanity.

He praised him for treating his biological and adopted children equally and for helping young people, especially those preparing for leadership in the Church.

Bishop Ogunbanwo described him as a "Bishop of bishops" and said many priests and bishops had benefited from his guidance and the work of the Olajide Foundation.

He added that the late bishop placed more value on building people than gathering wealth. His home was always open to priests, especially those going through difficult times and in need of help.

The preacher also challenged Christians to think about the kind of lives they were living and the legacy they hoped to leave behind.

Quoting 1 Timothy 6:7, he reminded the congregation that nobody came into this world with anything and nobody would take earthly possessions away at death. He urged everyone to put God first and live for things that would last beyond this world.

IBADAN COMMENDATION SERVICE

The second service was the Commendation Service held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the Cathedral of St. James the Great, Oke-Bola, Ibadan.

Archbishops, Bishops, serving and retired clergy, family members, friends and members of the Anglican Church gathered to pay their final respects to the late bishop.

The service was marked by prayers, thanksgiving and tributes in honour of his years of faithful service to God and the Church. It was another opportunity for the church community to remember his good works and the many lives he touched during his lifetime.

ILESA COMMENDATION SERVICE

From Ibadan, the funeral procession moved to Ilesa, where the third service was held at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Iloro.

The service was a special homecoming for the late Bishop Olajide, who served as the second Bishop of the Diocese of Ilesa between 1981 and 1988 before moving to the Diocese of Ibadan, where he later retired.

The occasion brought together many Archbishops and Bishops, including the Diocesan Bishop of Ilesa, Rt. Rev. Prof. Dapo F. Asaju; the third Bishop of Ilesa, Most Rev. Dr. Ephraim Adebola Ademowo; and the fourth Bishop, Rt. Rev. Dr. Olubayo Sowale.

Also present were the Bishops of Ilesa North-East, Ijesa North and Ilesa South-West Dioceses, as well as other church leaders who had served in or passed through the old Diocese of Ilesa.

The service began with the hymn, "Servant of God, Well Done", followed by prayers and Bible readings. The Diocesan Communicator, Sir Adeoye, also gave an account of the late bishop's years of service and his contributions to the growth of the Diocese of Ilesa.

Preaching at the service, Bishop Asaju based his message on Ecclesiastes 3. He reminded the congregation that there is a time for everything under heaven, including a time to be born and a time to die.

He also referred to 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, encouraging Christians not to mourn like those who have no hope because of their faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Bishop Asaju described the late Olajide as a great church father and a Gamaliel of his generation. He praised his wisdom, leadership and positive influence on the lives of many people.

He recalled his personal visits to the late bishop and the useful lessons he learnt from their discussions.

The Bishop of Ilesa urged Christians to live good lives, serve God faithfully and remember that everyone would one day give an account of their actions before God.

The formal act of commendation was jointly conducted by Bishop Asaju and Archbishop Ademowo, alongside other Archbishops and Bishops present. They committed the soul of the departed bishop into the hands of Almighty God.

The service ended with the hymn, "God Be with Us Till We Meet Again", after which the remains were taken to Ado-Ekiti for the final burial programmes.

A LEGACY THAT LIVES ON

The three services in Ibadan and Ilesa brought together different generations of Anglican leaders and church members to celebrate the life of a man who gave many years to God's work.

From the more than 50 biological and adopted children who honoured him at the Service of Songs to the large number of Archbishops, Bishops, clergy and church members who attended the services, the tributes showed the great impact he made during his lifetime.

His years of service as the second Bishop of Ilesa, his work in the Diocese of Ibadan, his support for young clergy and his love for people remain important parts of his legacy.

Though Bishop Olajide has passed on, the lives he touched and the leaders he helped to raise will continue to speak for him.

The late Rt. Rev. Dr. Gideon Isaac Oladipo Olajide is scheduled to be laid to rest in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, November 5, 2026.

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