Friendly Tribute - 40 ,life begins

Finally "aburo mi" my kid brother, crosses the 40th mark on this race,I say, welcome to the league of "old papa youngy" - we that rear breed, though we age our youth is renewed like the eagles.

Tunde,  padi me, my ace, partner in crime sorry, I mean ministry.,, - my guy! -  with an endless list of aliases I  have created for your over the  years, aka Mr. Okpobrisi, Luskoko, Orkwe! and of course Orboh! boyfriend,sorry man,am putting your secret aliases out in public domain, but it's about time, you’re 40 today, so we can't continue to hide these titles forever. 

Babatunde Rotimi Samuel Malaolu, - a brother,a friend, a man sold out to Jesus Christ, and man who lives life absolutely conscious of the price paid for his redemption . From our formative teenage years in Warri,Delta State Nigeria this boy - sorry I mean man! , has always been a God chaser, a church boy as we would call him, (since him leg nor dey ever finish for church) but thank God for being the "church boy" that you were, this rubbed off positively on me, then and even now. I remember now how you always was the voice of reasoning in our small crew that always hung out,to gist,play football or do all the stuff teens of the 90s normally would do. You always was the one to sound a voice of caution if we were ever up to no good, this earned you the title "fear,fear". Yes you had fear,but not the type we ridiculed you about, you had and always showed the fear of God. That same wisdom, I have come to see you demonstrate time and time again over the years. 

This Godly man of many parts, a scout, swimmer, teacher, pastor, musician, bass guitarist extraordinaire and a comedian in denial, trust me this dude is hilariously funny,a  techy & geeky fellow, a physicist and most importantly a good father and husband. Thinking of these words by Bob Marley, when he sang "Good friends we have, oh, good friends we've lost Along the way. " I say am glad and thankful to God that you're not a friend that was lost along the way,on the circles of life's journey.

You don't hear this often from me, but you are a good friend and a God friend - you been there in the faith and in friendship. You know am probably your biggest and harshest critic too, so this is no sweet talk and am sure you believe me when I say, You Sir, are worth celebrating today and always. 

As you mark the start of a special year and a more glorious period in your life. I say you're appreciated, thank you for the many things you represent ,and the many things you did and still do yet we don't get to say thank you, cause we assume that’s what friends do, so today and in your honor as you, celebrate here are some of my Thank You. – the good,the bad and the ugly ones too..lol. 

Thank you for being there during my days and years in Lagos from the first day landing at Ojota and navigating my way to Daddy Savage Street in Fagba, up till our days at Ladipo Kasum Street (Allen Aveune) before life's " hustle and bustle " dispersed us in diffrent direction ,Thanks for going with me all the way to Ibadan when I needed to seek admission to get back in school,Thanks for sharing that your small BQ at Anifowoshe Street Ikeja with three other homeless guys,yours truly included,all sojourning in Lagos and  you my friend never complained for one day,you so happily shared that pad with us.

Indeed I have come to learn that period was one of life's "bootcamp"preparing us for many of life challenges that were to come,Thanks for the laughter and merry heart you always create.

Thank you for teaching me how to swim,even though it was in the murky waters of (ogbogboro) our then neighborhood pond infested with all types of reptiles, yet our teenage obsession for swimming was more compelling we cared less about personal safety, now many years down the road swimming is still my favorite pastime activity.

and now thank you ooh! for  those days of allowing us to enter molue from Oshodi to Agege even when we could afforded danfo bus and. Thank you for those days of always buying Suko instead of Bonvita or Milo that probably might have allowed us to gain some weight.. lol.

Thanks for being an "aproko",sha!, you know you can't keep a secret.. lol., Thanks for teaching me the photo trick of "puffing" so one can look almost twice his size-..lol, Thanks for staying true to the adage, "instead of make food waste,make belle tear", you like free food my guy..lol, and Thanks too for never gaining excessive weight- you've been an encouragement in this journey of fatlessness.. lol why on Gods green earth we can eat all we want and never put on all that weight is still a mystery.

Pastor Tee

Thanks for always forgetting to call or calling when you have just 15seconds of call time left on your phone, so I will be the one to call back.

Since space and time would limit all my Thank you, let me close with this -Most importantly - Thanks for all the prayers, Thanks for the openness and honesty, Thanks for keeping the faith and ensuring your friends, family and all you know find Christ and stay in the faith. Thanks for being down to earth, yet an extremely Christ centered spiritual person, for just like HIM you are able to connect and share God's love and word with almost anyone.

I usually wouldn’t and have hardly ever done this on social media before but there's always a first time for everything right? And beside it's about time we appreciate people and do it here and now.

So not to worry I will do the next special appreciation when you hit 80 by God’s grace.

Dont get it twisted,its Tunde on the beat,not juju on the beat...lol