BORN FOR THIS
By Fr. Martin Oladiipo Badejo
NOBILITY. GRACE
Nobility is never lost in the crowd. There is always a noticeable character in the one who carries it. That noble character may be unconcealed in some, but even when it appears quiet in some others, it is never lost on those who are able to discern it. More still, when nobility meets and cooperates with grace, the results are overwhelming. Nobility may be conferred by family background but grace is given by God. When they converge in one person, what to expect is formidable and prodigious. Now, come to think of it, when we have the opportunity to recall the memories of those whom we hold dear, who possess these characters of nobility and grace, it may be difficult to find the right words, yet we know that we owe them a lot. One of the reasons it may be so, is that such people hardly boasted about themselves. More often than not, their work spoke and still speaks for them. In other words, it might just be enough to point to what they did, it might be just be okay to have few words which convey profound gratitude to them for living such exemplary and disciplined lives.
THE TASTE OF THE PUDDING
The foregoing may appear abstract, but for those who knew the man, a noble, a father, a confidant, a teacher, a communicator, a quiet disciplinarian, a priest, a prophetic soul, a bishop, you will make no mistake about it. Yet, as many as never met him physically, but by the many testimonies which surround his life and death, will be convinced that so he was. The man was born for this. He carried nobility. He carried grace. Late Bishop Julius Babatunde Akanni Adelakun was a man who combined nobility and grace. He brought this into his calling as a priest. Whoever came across him was never left in doubt about why God chose him. He was born for this, and evidently, he cooperated with that grace of God. The results are evident. It appears that he did not do ear-splitting things. But he did the important things. Indeed, he did not even speak much. But he said the important things at the appropriate times. Of him there was once a description by his successor in Oyo Diocese, an albeit chucklesome description. He was described as an ice-cold can of drink that needs no introduction especially in the heat of the sun. The condensation which surrounds the can is enough to attract anyone who longs to quench his thirst. So, was the man.
THE MAN “JULIUS BABATUNDE AKANNI”
Bishop Julius Babatunde Akanni Adelakun was born on November 4, 1934, in Onigambari, in the former Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria, which now forms part of Oluyole Local Government, Oyo State. He had his elementary education between 1943 and 1951 and his secondary education at St. Theresa’s Minor Seminary, Oke Are, Ibadan between 1952 and 1957. He grew up amidst muslim children, but was quite close to the Catholic Priests, the Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), and so he had strong Catholic Christian ideals from his young age. He said of himself that from the day he passed the test to become an altar server, only sickness could prevent him from serving or attending Masses even on weekdays. That was how it all started. As a young secondary school leaver, he was admitted with his bosom friend, Late Msgr. Joseph Adeniji Taiwo, into the Catholic Major Seminary of Saints Peter and Paul, Bodija, Ibadan, to study for the sacred priesthood. They were both ordained as Catholic Priests at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church, Asogo, Oyo, on the 27th of June 1965.
While he worked as a priest at Ile Ife, he did further studies in the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), between 1966 and 1969 graduating with a degree in English. It was such diligence in his character which won him a scholarship to study Social Communications to Masters degree level at Purdue University, Indiana, USA. He finished his studies in 1971, returned to Nigeria and was sent to his alma mater, Saints Peter and Paul Seminary Ibadan as a formator and lecturer, where he taught Philosophy and Homiletics. Not long after that, precisely on November 16, 1972, he was appointed the auxiliary bishop of Oyo at the young age of thirty-eight. He was ordained bishop by Late Bishop Owen McCoy on February 11, 1973, and appointed Bishop of the same diocese on April 13, 1973. At the creation of Osogbo Diocese in 1995, he was installed in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption on April 30, 1995. He retired on November 4, 2009, at the age of seventy-five. Blessed with quite a number of years in retirement, he died on October 24. 2025, just two weeks before his ninety first birthday.
A SIMPLE PRIEST
Now late, Bishop Julius Adelakun will be remembered for living a simple priestly life. He was a pastor who taught more by example. His pastoral resilience in confronting tough grassroots evangelization is remarkable. A lot of people still wonder how he was able to navigate the tough terrain of the new Oyo Diocese, facing the challenge of building an entirely new area in need of primary evangelization when he was already 61 years of age, and with only a few priests, just eight priests to be precise. But that was the man. He was a gentle winner. His expression of silent but actively strategic courage spoke to many. Baba Adelakun as we all called him had such spiritual calmness. The combination of all these in one man, made him win many battles in the frontline of his duty as father and leader, managing situations, people, and his diocese, with incredible wisdom and vision. For instance, no one raised an eyebrow when I suggested the title Echoes of Wisdom for the collection of his homilies and speeches, which I had the rare privilege to edit for publication, at the celebration of his seventy fifth birthday and retirement. Indeed, in the man, whose memories we now recall, there was an equilibrium of nobility and grace.
His simplicity made him achieve goals which marked him out in the areas of “pastoral planning, health delivery services to the neglected, education to the youth, social endowments in rural development of the marginalized and simple workers, the enriching of cultures through inculturation, dedication to social justice and peace manifested in his social services and utterances” (Quote taken from the comment of his friend Late Bishop Michael Patrick Olatunji Fagun in the book titled, Bishop J.B. Adelakun: The Chief Servant Leader, authored by Peter Ajayi Dada). He believed very much in the collaborative ministry with the women religious and the laity.
FATHERLY BISHOP
But what would you expect from one whose journey was intertwined early enough with the likes of the greats, such as Anthony Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie, Archbishop Felix Alaba Job, late Archbishop Gabriel Ganaka of Jos, late Bishop Michael Olatunji Fagun (his bosom friend, who died only two weeks before him), late Bishop Boniface Dalieh of Liberia, late Msgr. Joseph Adeniji Taiwo (his childhood friend and Vicar General for many years), and late Msgr. Michael Omisesan. They were all classmates from St. Theresa Minor Seminary, Oke Are.
It must be said that while Bishop Adelakun was blessed with wonderful collaborators, he also raised many who like himself go everywhere inspiring others. Among them are, Archbishop Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, Bishop Emmanuel Badejo, Bishop John Oyejola, Bishop Francis Adesina, and Late Bishop Paul Olawoore, to mention a few, whom he ordained to the priesthood. He was an example of one who insisted on doing things right, and knew the right language with which to communicate it in an appealing way. As a communications expert, he put what he learnt to practice and raised many more like himself, including the pioneer Director of the Center for the Study of African Culture and Communications (CESACC), Late Rev. Msgr. Professor Joseph Faniran, and even Bishop Emmanuel Badejo who became National Director for Communication at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), President of the Pan African Episcopal Committee for Social Communications (with acronym in the French language, CEPACS).
A good number of priests (some whom he ordained and many more who came across him), the religious, and lay faithful, especially the youth, definitely have a lot to say about the man, who was a noble man, a father, a confidant, a teacher, a communicator, a quiet disciplinarian, a priest, a bishop. Ask the seminarians who worked with him after his retirement from active service, and eventually took care of him as he aged, and you will hear their testimonies. Even after retirement from active work as bishop, he remained relevant. He did not impose himself on any of us. He always made himself available for service. He was always present at the diocesan functions. He never missed the diocesan priests retreats and diocesan pastoral seminars. He did not say much. He would rather listen. Little wonder, his retirement home was almost a mecca for priests, religious and lay faithful paying him visits from time to time. In fact, of everything, he never lost his voice till he died. His voice was just distinct. You would just love to listen to him. I bet, now that he is gone, his voice still rings in our hearts.
YOUTHFUL VETERAN
How can we not talk about Baba Adelakun’s love for the youth? He is credited with the initiative of forming the Catholic Youth Association back in 1973, in order to bring the youth together to learn and express the faith. That is another testament to his pastoral vision. This initiative is what snowballed into the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria. His house back in Osogbo and even in Oyo, was always open to the youth, with his encouraging words and smiles. I recall always one of my personal experiences of him. As a little boy of nine years in primary six, at St. Clare Catholic Nursery and Primary School in Osogbo, we just moved to our own house which was quite a distance from the school, so I had to walk about an hour to get home. On a certain day, as I walked home, I noticed his car, a Peugeot 505 with the registration number OY 11 SA coming behind. As he drew close, I childishly called out in Yoruba, “Bishop ę gbé mi”, (literally meaning, “Bishop, carry me”). Of course, the car sped past me. But all of a sudden, I saw the car stop. Then he reversed the car to where I stood, still shocked thinking I would be smacked. He told me to get in, and he took me home. As evident in the countless tributes which have kept pouring in since his demise, Baba Adelakun, was simple and approachable.
STAR’BOY EVER PRESENT
Though gone from our sight, we shall always remember him. We recall these fond and encouraging memories. We thank God. We thank you Baba Adelakun. As his nephew, Professor Philip Ademola Olayoku called him, STAR BOY. Truly so, we see it. Hear again the Late Bishop Michael Fagun his bosom friend speaking about Baba Adelakun, “Your placid, cultured, welcoming and refined personality, typical of your race betray your well founded background, ever unruffled, deliberate in your well thought out ideas, never in a hurry, majestic in gait and motion and ever achieving the end purpose; a man of God with deep human feelings who would weep like Jesus on the death of Lazarus his friend” (culled from Peter Ajayi Dada’s write up on Baba Adelakun). He combined nobility and grace. He was born for this. He lived it. We witnessed it. I am grateful to have received the sacrament of Holy Orders from him. No doubt, many others are also grateful to have had him as father, confidant, and bishop. May he rest in peace. Amen.