Family Celebrates Ex-THISDAY Sub-editor with Thanksgiving Service

The family of former Sub-editor with THISDAY, late Princess Wuraola Florence Adewoyin (nee Oyedele), on Friday, organised a Thanksgiving service/Final burial ceremony in her honour in Lagos State. 

It was a gathering of family members, friends, colleagues, well wishers and members of the public at The Apostolic Church (TAC), Abule-Egba District, the venue of the event. 

The Adewoyins and Oyedeles rolled out the drums to offer thanks to God for a life well spent for their beloved one.

The Thanksgiving Service was conducted by the Apostle in charge of the district, James Adedamola Salako.

In his sermon titled “Death, the Way to Eternity,” Apostle Salako while eulogising the life Mrs Adewoyin lived, admonished the congregation to live a life worthy of emulation and pleasing unto God for death is an inevitable end, which must come when it must come.

He said, “Whether we like it or not, we must die someday, and you will only be remembered by how you affected humanity and the kingdom of God as well as be accorded eternal recognition in heaven because God has not found you wanting in your spiritual race,” he said.

He said it was in order to shed tears for ‘our sister’, but noted that rejoicing was more appropriate as she lived a God-fearing life, and now in heaven.

“Death does not have a date. Death does not say because you are young or you are old that you are not going to die. We should all be prepared for death. Do good, prepare yourself for death, so that when the time comes, you will be free to go to meet your Lord. The Bible says, prepare to meet your Lord. So we should all be prepared. That’s my message,” he concluded.

Shortly after the sermon, Apostle Salako, assisted by the Assembly pastor, E. O. Oke, prayed for the family members of late Adewoyin, asking God to grant them the strength and fortitude to bear the loss of their mother, wife and sister.

Speaking with journalists, family members and colleagues of the late journalist bared their minds on her personality, describing her as highly energetic, vibrant and friendly. 

Among dignitaries present at the event was THISDAY Director, Digital, Mr Tokunbo Adedoja, who was Adewoyin’s former boss. He described the deceased as an excellent human being, who took her job seriously, and handled assigned tasks professionally.

“I worked with Mrs Adewoyin for about four consecutive years, and she was an excellent human being. A professional to the core. She took her job very seriously. While I was the Group News Editor, she was the sub-editor. She was very diligent, very committed, and hardworking. She did assigned tasks with little or no supervision. She had a very good command of English, and she edited news pages excellently. It was a pleasure working with her. Even after she left the organisation, she kept in touch. From time to time, she would call and we would exchange views and all that. During her 50th birthday, I was not in town but my wife attended. That was how important she was to us. It’s sad she’s gone but I believe she has left a good legacy. And I’m happy for her children because she left a good legacy,” Adedoja said.

In her eulogy, the first daughter of the deceased, Mrs Ayobami Adewoyin-Kelani, a Communications expert, described her mother as very accommodating and a woman whose presence was felt wherever she appeared

“My mum was very accommodating. We just wonder how many hearts she had as she made room for everyone irrespective of their background. She nurtured and mentored people. If she were not my mum, but a woman I just met, maybe at work, I would have loved her. She had such a great personality. It’s very easy to fall in love with her. She’s respectful and wonderful.

“I will miss her energy. My mum was an energy goddess. When she enters a place, you will know that somebody has entered. She brought cheerfulness, cheery atmosphere, vivaciousness and vibe wherever she was,” Mrs. Kelani said.

Apostle Salako corroborated the stance of everyone on the personality of Mrs. Adewoyin, adding that she was a ‘great believer’, willing to participate in all church activities. 

“She was lively from what people say about her, and what I saw within the short period I was with her. She was an apostolic to the core. And that I’m going to miss in her. She held onto the doctrines of The Apostolic Church vis a vis the rule of belief, conduct, and the tenet of The Apostolic Church. 

In her vote of thanks, the second daughter of the deceased, Miss Olatide Adewoyin, appreciated the guests for the love shown at their time of mourning, and wished everyone a safe trip as they journey back to their respective homes.

“My mother defines everything. She was my mother. She was my sister. She was my friend. She was my best friend,” she said.

Mrs. Adewoyin died on July 8, 2023, at the age of 57, and was buried on July 10.

She is survived by her widower, children and sisters among whom is Mrs Bose Adelaja, a member, National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP). 

Born on the 4th of March, 1966, she hailed from Oke-Ijemo, Abeokuta, Ogun State. 

Little Wuraola started primary school at Shiloh Primary School, Agege Lagos State. She was a very brilliant pupil with excellent diction that was beyond her years and she took this brilliance all the way to her high school days at St. Leo’s High School, Abeokuta in 1980. 

She attended  Ogun State Polytechnic, Abeokuta (now Moshood Abiola Polytechnic) where she studied Mass Communication from 1988 – 1993 graduating with an Upper Credit, after which she proceeded for the mandatory one year NYSC in Edo State where she got awarded the Chairman’s Honour at the end of service, she also had her Masters in Communication and Language Arts at the University of Ibadan where she graduated with distinctions in 2012. 

She had a stint at NTA 12, Ogbe Abeokuta where she worked as a Newscaster for her Industrial Attachment. 

In 2005, she alongside three other Nigerians got scholarships to obtain a diploma in journalism at the India Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, India where she beat scores of other journalists to clinch the first position.  A staunch believer in the Nigerian project, she proudly flew the flag and brought the glory to her home country.

She’s a CMD Certified Trainer and a member of Nigerian Institute of Training and Development. 

She started her career at the Ogun State Government Office not long after her secondary school education in 1986. She later left the job to further her education at Ogun State Polytechnic. 

She started her career in Journalism at the defunct Comet Newspapers in 2000 from where she proceeded to THISDAY Newspapers in 2003 and grew to become the first female Chief Sub-Editor in THISDAY and the first ever female Chief Sub-editor in Nigeria. 

She pivoted from journalism to Training Consultancy in 2012 when she joined Tom Associates, Lagos. She retired from active service in 2017 and took her side hustle of over 15 years as her main job up till her final moments. She was an alaga iyawo with a smooth blend of both the traditional and contemporary spices. 

On marital front, she got married to Architect Oribayode Alani Adewuyi on 30th January 1988 and the marriage was blessed with a daughter, Ayobami Tiwalola.

However, God willed to take Oribayode home leaving his young wife and six months old daughter behind. 

On 5th October 1995, she  remarried to her heartthrob, Prince Ajibade Olasunkanmi Adewoyin, and their marriage was blessed with three children.