Night Of Tributes, As Lagos Sports Family Holds Candle Light Procession For Deji Tinubu

Lagos Sports Family gathered at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall of the Teslim Balogun stadium on Sunday to honour the pioneer Executive Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission, Mr Ayodeji Boonyamin Tinubu who passed on to glory last Thursday.

It was a gathering of who is who even beyond Lagos state as scores of people stormed the occasion to pay glowing tributes to Deji Tinubu who until his death was the Special Adviser on Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

The night was organised by the Lagos State Sports Commission to honour the deceased whose tenure as the chairman saw good development in Lagos sports.
The Indoor Sports Hall was electrified with the opening hymn which first stanza reads: “Shall we gather at the river, where bright angel feet have trod, with its crystal tide forever flowing by the Throne of God…”

Personalities who spoke one after the others described the former board member of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as a complete gentleman who loved humanity and generous to the core.

Junior brother to the deceased who represented the family, Mr Wale Tinubu said the family is still missing their son, brother and father who answered the call of his maker in his prime.

Wale recalled how Deji used to be a brilliant student during his school and somebody who worked so hard to become who he was before he died.

He called on people to always go extra miles to add values to the people they loved, adding that by so doing they will leave a long lasting legacy.

Chairman of the Sports Commission, Dr Kweku Tandoh said he was at the playground when Deji Tinubu slumped, adding that it has been so hard for he and those who witnessed the unfortunate incident to believe that Deji is gone.

He said the Lagos State Government and the good people of the state will miss the service of the deceased because he served the state meritoriously.

To former Sports Commissioner in Lagos, Mr Segun Dawodu, Deji Tinubu was someone that didn’t believe in failure and a dedicated person who loved football with passion. “I still can’t believe that I am the one talking about Deji in the past tense ” he said.

Vice president of the NFF, Mr Seyi Akinwunmi said Deji’s love for football was just an inborn that had become an addict. He said the large crowd that witnessed the candle light procession was a testimony that he lived a good life.