Pa Victor Ademola Kuti: Eternal Reverberations of a Fulfilled Life

Looking straight ahead in deep contemplation, sympathy was thawed by fond memories. All those who gathered in the sprawling home of Pa Victor Ademola Kuti (JP), in Ijebu-Imushin, Ogun State, to pay their last respects to a great leader, who devoted his life to community service and invariably, humanity.

As they say, an art piece is a near mystery. You do not rush at it but adjust ourselves to it. It is also a challenge that you may be able to decipher and understand it, only gradually. It is a challenge that holds some constant and continual significance. And as the Yoruba observe, you do not stand on one spot to watch a dancing masquerade, for the reason that a masquerade is a composite art-piece, in motion.

Similar to the masquerade, the biography of Pa Victor Ademola Kuti (JP) who was born on 30th November, 1937 is scintillating enough for an ideal hall of fame. He is the child of Papa Nathaniel Adebanjo and Madam Oduneye Kuti. He started his primary education at St. Mary’s Anglican School. ljebu Imusin in 1946-1953. Papa Ademola had his first taste of teaching as a pupil Teacher between 1956 and 1960. He married Adiat Omolara Kuti (of blessed memory) on 4th November, 1965.

* Work Experience

Going down the memory lane, Pa Kuti, the quintessential, worked with De-Facto Works Ltd between 1961 and 1964. He thereafter shifted services to Mobil Service Station, Great Bridge Street, Lagos between 1964 and 1976. Papa Ademola registered his company with Federal Ministry of Works Registration Board – Ademola Kuti Agencies in 1975.

Papa Victor became a registered contractor with the Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Civil Aviation, and in the elitist Central Bank of Nigeria (Staff Welfare Office) Lagos, as well as the Federal Ministry of Works Lagos.

He was a staunch member of Bishop Adelakun Howells Memorial Church, Surulere and belonged to the following groups – Egbe Imole Kristi and became President from 2O03 -2011, Anglican Elders Fellowship, Celebration of Jesus Group and a member YMCA of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, ljebu Imusin. To God be the glory, he was chosen as the Society’s President in 2003. He visited the Holy lands Israel and Jerusalem in 2008.

Papa Victor Ademola Kuti in his lifetime, was happily married with children and grandchildren.

* Social Life

Papa, as a devout Christian, was christened Victor, a name symbolising conquest of life’s challenges. It was incontrovertible that this man was a very active churchgoer from his youth. Coming from a fairly long descent in Christian lineages, he probably did not have much choice on that. This is because in his referred family, everyone was punctual in church attendance, for both Sunday School and regular main service. As for community service, Pa Victor Ademola Kuti was a doyen, the envy of the slothful sluggard. He was a community servant and leader in Ijebu-Imushin where he contributed significantly to community development.

The challenges that life put across to Pa Victor Ademola Kuti were enormous. But where others possibly failed, he gallantly made it. Where success would have impeded growth, he was contented and kept aspiring. Indeed, he was an unparalleled phenomenon; one who faced challenges with determination, optimism, and forthrightness and he had useful nuggets to positively manage the challenges that life posed to all: parents, the youth, students, administrators, community leaders, among others. This is the more reason that on the occasion of his death, all palms were clapsed in gratitude to the Almighty who guided him through life, as his highly engaged sojourn on mother earth glorified God and benefitted humanity.

Quoting Pa Victor Ademola Kuti, Verbatim:

* Advice to the Youth

“The first advice I have for the youth is not to be discouraged. Anyone that wants to get married should know he should have a job and he or she is capable of taking care of children produced from the marriage. That is one of the problems of this country-they cannot afford a wife and they cannot afford to take care of their children. Youths of nowadays don’t want to get married because of the situation of the country and those are the problems of this country. If you want to marry, you must have means of livelihood; if you don’t have the means, don’t marry”.

* His Philosophy

“Do the best in all circumstances for everybody and without doing wrong to anybody. People tend to associate fulfillment with wealth or monetary worth. It is whatever you set out to achieve in life that makes you fulfilled. I set out to be what I am, to be kind to people, to be generous, to live according to my conscience. I listen to advice but I don’t take every piece of advice. I am not rich and I don’t have to be rich to be a fulfilled man”.

In the main, for Pa Victor Ademola Kuti, here lies a man who lived a life of service, etching his name and that of his family and heritage in marble, and in the ever fresh sands of time. Goodnight to the hero of all times.

 

– The Issues Magazine

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