June 13, 2025
By Seyi Gesinde
The life of Pa Emmanuel Akintunde Akinsola was celebrated as a legacy of kindness, sacrifice, and selfless service, as family, friends, and church members gathered at Charis Family International Church, Ibadan, for a moving service of songs and funeral ceremony that turned into a deep reflection on life, death, and eternity.
The two-day farewell held at the headquarters auditorium of the church along Cultural Centre Road, Mokola, was marked by an outpouring of heartfelt tributes and a powerful message from the Senior Pastor, Pastor Tunde Jaiyebo, who used the moment to call on all present to take seriously the reality of death and the need to prepare for life after it.
Pa Akinsola is survived by his wife, Mrs Eunice Bosede Akinsola; his children, Apostle Akinwole Akinsola, Pastor Ayodeji Akinsola (who pastors Charis Family International Church in Ashington, Northumberland, United Kingdom), Olusegun Akinsola, and Oluwaseun Akinsola, as well as grandchildren, in-laws, extended family members, and a host of spiritual sons and daughters who continue to honour his memory and legacy.
A life of purpose and service
Pa Akinsola, who passed away peacefully on February 16, 2025, at the age of 80, was born on March 11, 1944, in Ibadan, Nigeria. His life was a shining example of integrity, diligence, and unshakable faith.
From humble beginnings as a storekeeper, he rose through years of dedicated service to become a chartered accountant and ultimately Chief Accountant at the University of Ife, a testament to his professional excellence, discipline, and belief in education as a vehicle for transformation.
Pa Akinsola was also a devoted Christian whose journey in ministry began as a Sunday school teacher and blossomed into a respected role as a minister of God. His deep spiritual convictions shaped his personal and public life, inspiring many around him and influencing a new generation of faith leaders.
He was widely admired not only for his leadership but for the quiet strength and moral clarity that anchored his service in both sacred and secular spaces. Pa Akinsola was known not just for what he achieved, but for how he lived, humble, consistent, and deeply compassionate.
Whether in the workplace, in church, or within the community, he offered counsel, encouragement, and practical support with rare integrity. In remembering Pa Akinsola, what stands out is not only his titles and roles but the enduring values he modelled: excellence, faith, and a life wholly committed to the good of others.
A man who helped others shine – Tributes flow for Pa Akinsola
From the opening night of tributes, Pa Akinsola, was remembered not simply for the length of his years, but for the depth of his impact. Speaker after speaker painted a portrait of a man whose life was defined by generosity, empathy, and tireless support for others.
His children and loved ones described him as a rock, dependable and selfless, someone who would go to great lengths to ensure that everyone around him felt at ease and had the means to pursue their dreams.
Mrs Bola Owodunni and Mrs Gbemi Akinsola, among others, spoke glowingly of Baba Akinsola’s unwavering love for his wife, his children, his extended family, and even neighbours and acquaintances.
“Daddy was not just a provider, he was a helper,” one of his daughters-in-law remarked with heartfelt emotion. “He made sacrifices that many will never fully understand, just to ensure we had peace, education, and every opportunity to thrive.”
Those who knew him outside the family shared similar sentiments. Pa Akinsola, they said, was a man who carried peace, a man whose presence gave others comfort and strength, and who treated everyone with dignity, no matter their status.
Pastor Jaiyebo’s call: ‘When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder, Will You Be There?’
Delivering the sermon at the Service of Songs, Pastor Tunde Jaiyebo, opened his message with a reflective question inspired by the well-known hymn “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder,” asking the congregation to consider their eternal destiny. He premised his charge on Ecclesiastes 7:1-2 (MSG), which he read aloud: “A good reputation is better than a fat bank account. Your death date tells more than your birth date. You learn more at a funeral than at a feast—after all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover something from it.”
Using the hymn as a metaphor for the final divine roll call in heaven, Pastor Jaiyebo said the occasion was not only a time to remember the deceased but a sober reminder for the living to reflect on their readiness for eternity and prepare for it. “When the roll is called up yonder, will you be there?” he asked. “If you’re not sure where you’ll go after death, that’s an emergency. It’s either ‘goodnight’ if we’ll meet again in Christ, or ‘goodbye’ if we won’t.”
He noted that while many people give significant time and resources to planning weddings, birthdays, and other celebrations, very few prepare for the one appointment that is guaranteed for all, death!
“As human beings, we spend more time to plan for our weddings, birthdays, and generally plan for parties. But there is an event we hardly give time to plan,” Pastor Jaiyebo said. “Not everyone will marry, not everyone will give birth, but everyone will die.”
Quoting Hebrews 9:27, he emphasised that “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment.” He asked the congregation: “The question is not whether we will die. The question is, are we ready? What happens when you breathe your last? Will you hear ‘good night’ — which means we’ll meet again in Christ — or will it be ‘goodbye,’ which means we’ll never meet again?”
He acknowledged that such messages may seem sombre or grim but said they are necessary truths:
“It sounds like a morbid message, but we need to be humble enough to hear the truth. If you’re not sure where you’ll go after death, that’s an emergency. It means today is your opportunity to settle that with God.”
After delivering his initial charge on the inevitability of death and the urgency of salvation, Pastor Jaiyebo made a heartfelt altar call, urging those unsure of their eternal destiny to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.
With solemnity and compassion, he led willing participants in the confession of faith, praying for their decision to follow Christ and embrace salvation, and only after this sacred moment of commitment did he return with a reflective tone, drawing on the popular Christian hymn, “When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder.”
“When the roll is called up yonder, will you be there?” he asked. “If you’re not sure of your eternal destination, today was your opportunity. The last call will surely come, take God seriously.”
Funeral service: “Now that the Father is gone, God steps in”
At the funeral service held the following day, on Friday, Pastor Jaiyebo’s message turned to the family left behind, reminding them that even in the pain of losing a patriarch, they are not forsaken. Taking his text from Psalm 68:4-5, he declared as written: “Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house. God makes homes for the homeless, leads prisoners to freedom, but leaves rebels to rot in hell.”
He observed that the passing of a father inevitably leaves a deep vacuum, a space that no one else can truly fill.
“When we have the homegoing of a father, there is always a vacuum because there is no way to replace his role. There is a void, it is a painful experience,” he said. “We look back and remember the sacrifices made, the moments shared, and the good memories. There is pain in the heart, because we know what has been lost.”
Yet, he urged the bereaved to begin a new journey by drawing even closer to God, the One who steps in when earthly anchors are removed.
“Now, a new journey has begun,” Pastor Jaiyebo said. “So we need to cling to God to know how to move on. God gives a premium to the fatherless and the widow.”
Quoting Jeremiah 49:11 (AMPC), he reminded the family of God’s promise: “Leave your orphans behind; I will [do what is needed to] keep them alive. And let [those who are] your widows trust and confide in Me.”
“Know that God more than before is now your Father,” he affirmed. “He is the God of the fatherless. He is a judge, that is, the defender of the widow. The husband may not be there, but you must know that God has stepped in to be your defender.”
He also delivered a solemn warning drawn from Exodus 22:22-23, urging all to treat widows and orphans with dignity and care: “Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry.”
“The Bible says you should not maltreat the widow or orphans,” he emphasised. Consoling the widow, Pastor Jaiyebo said, “God will show anger on those who maltreat you. So address issues God-ward. It is now the time to understand that God is now your husband, and Father to the children.”
A final question to the living
As the message drew to a close, Pastor Jaiyebo once again turned the hearts of all to the urgency of eternity, quoting Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 (MSG). He posed a final, sobering question:
“In the end, where will your spirit go? It is either hell or heaven. Both are eternity, which you can’t change or reverse. When your spirit departs, how many people can boastfully say that it will go to the Lord?”
He clarified that the real issue isn’t the number of sins a person has committed, but their response to Christ, the only one who forgives sins.
“The problem is not your sin, but you not accepting the Lord who can forgive sins. John 3:17 tells us, ‘For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.’ Give your life to God.”
His final charge was clear and urgent: “Give your life to God. Take eternity seriously. When the final call comes, make sure you are ready.”
The service was attended by a full assembly of clergy from Charis Family International Church and beyond. Officiating ministers included Pastor Moji Jaiyebo of the Bodija branch, Rev. Kayode Opemiyan of the Ologuneru branch, and Pastor Temitayo Gesinde from the Ring Road branch. They joined the Senior Pastor, Pastor Tunde Jaiyebo, in ministering to the family and congregation.
Also present were guest ministers including Apostle A. O. Oladokun (Aduragbemi), Spiritual Head of C & S Noah Ark Zion Worldwide, who offered the opening prayer, and Bishop Mathew Olaleye of Agbala Daniel Church, Ile-Ife, Osun State, who also participated in the solemn occasion.
Together, their presence and prayers underlined a message that had been consistent from the first night of tribute to the final benediction, that a good name, a prepared soul, and a life lived in Christ remain the true legacies worth striving for.
A legacy etched in love and sacrifice
Even as messages of faith and eternity resonated through the services, the enduring image of Pa Emmanuel Akintunde Akinsola remained that of a man who lived not for himself, but for others.
The submissions of family members and friends who paid tributes could be summarised as thus, he didn’t need to be wealthy to be generous, nor loud to be influential. His life was proof that quiet sacrifice, genuine love, and unwavering faith could build a legacy more enduring than monuments.
Indeed, the closing note of this final farewell was not just grief, but gratitude, and a charge to all still living to follow Christ, live meaningfully, and prepare for the eternal home.
At the graveside: A solemn farewell to a life well lived
As the final moment drew near and the body of Pa Emmanuel Akintunde Akinsola was lowered into the earth, the atmosphere at the graveside was filled with deep emotion, silence, and sacred reflection.
Under the canopy of a clear Ibadan sky, family members, friends, and church members stood in hushed reverence, some with heads bowed, others struggling to hold back tears, as they prepared to bid a final “good night” to a man who had given so much in life.
Leading the brief but moving committal service was Pastor Tunde Jaiyebo, Senior Pastor of Charis Family International Church. With grace and gravitas, he began with the timeless reflection from Scripture:
“Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He comes up and is cut down, like a flower; he flees as if it were a shadow, and never continues in one stay.”
His voice steady but solemn, Pastor Jaiyebo reminded the gathered crowd that death, though painful, is not the end for those who die in Christ. It is a transition, a temporary parting, and a doorway into eternity.
Then came the final rite, the committal, introduced by a liturgical declaration, steeped in centuries of Christian burial tradition and filled with hope. Standing at the edge of the grave, Pastor Jaiyebo proclaimed:
“Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God in His great mercy to take unto Himself the soul of our dear brother, Pa Emmanuel Akintunde Akinsola, here departed,” he said slowly and reverently, “we therefore commit his body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ. He shall change our vile body that it may be like unto His glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself.”
As the words hung in the air, the first handfuls of earth were poured gently over the coffin. The dust-to-dust rite began. One after another, family members stepped forward, It was a moment of transcendence, grief met with grace, finality met with faith. As the soil returned to the earth, handful by handful, the dust-to-dust rite drew tears and muffled sobs from loved ones. Children, grandchildren, and extended family members stood in quiet procession, some whispering prayers, others mouthing the words, “Good night Grandpa,” as if speaking into eternity.
The moment was sacred.
The grandchildren, many of whom had shared touching memories the night before, now stood shoulder to shoulder, their faces etched with both loss and pride. “Good night, Grandpa,” they whispered as the soil touched the wood.
Prayers were said.
Heads bowed again.
And with the soft, closing cadence of hymns and scripture, the funeral drew to its close with a final prayer, sealing not only the grave but the chapter of a life beautifully lived and faithfully honoured.
And just like that, Pa Emmanuel Akintunde Akinsola was laid to rest, not in despair, but in “the sure and certain hope” of the resurrection promised in Philippians 3:21, where Christ will “transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.”
It was not a goodbye in despair, but a good night in faith, an assurance of reunion in eternity. For those who knew him best, Pa Akinsola would not be remembered by the finality of a grave, but by the grace of his life, and the God he served until the very end.
Indeed, it was not a goodbye, but a peaceful, holy good night.
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