Late Prince Ayakeme konboye was born 61 yrs ago to Ogboduru his mother and Emgbouke his father of Agbadaware Quarters, Okpokunou Town in the then Western Region now Burutu LGA in Delta State.
In his early life, the late Ayakeme attended L.A primary school opokunou in the 1960s and then further proceeded to St. Vincent College Okuagbe. After his educational pursuit the late Ayakeme settled for a private business life in Lagos state.
The young handsome Ayakeme met his ever gorgeous and beautiful wife, Victoria Ebimoere Embale my mother in 1981 and their union was blessed with a son and two lovely daughters only after some years of waiting for the fruit of the womb.
In 2007, my father feeling the need to connect with his own people relocated his family from Lagos back to Delta state. The relocation was to enable him to be actively involved with the socio economic and political life of his people.
The late Ayakeme was a man who built bridges of brotherhood and love amongst people, in fact his life was an epitome of this simple but scarce human virtue and he demonstrated this till the end of his earthly journey on the 16th November 2014.
As a family man, the Late Ayakeme was known for one thing by his wife and children.
This is, his enduring love for Education. He believed that to conquer the challenges of the 21st century one must be equipped with the right mental capacity and learning. For him education is the platform to stand on as a basis for the continuing development of the people and the society.
Personally, I got a good grasp for reading and loving literatures because my father saliently made this happen. He would often ask me then as a child to go buy his daily news papers and upon his reading it, he would ask that I read and tell him what I understood.
To the entire family, he was deeply committed to family matters and welfare. And to many persons, he was cheerful, loving, a connector who listens and above all peaceful.
Today, Upon seeing the existential condition of my fathers' ancestral community, I finally understood my fathers' 'Dream' and why his love for education remains so sacrosanct.
Inspite of the travails and challenges of life that he faced, The late Ayakeme still have the audacity to hope and faith in a better tomorrow........
For me, words spoken today may not capture the totality of his life, but all I have to say is that my father succeeded In passing on the torch, and the baton to generations that come with a mind for genuine progress.
And so I say 'Doh' (thank you) .....'emien ka men' (you have done well)... 'Ye kile men dau' ( I greet you papa). For You are my best friend, my confidant, my backbone, you are my hero who fought your way through life even to your last breath.
For if I am to come to this life again and given a chance to choose, I will still pick you as my father........ Sleep well papa for you will forever remain in our hearts.
presented at the funeral service in okpokunou Burutu LGA of Delta state
By Yerinlaimi Emgbouke Konboye a.k.a @yekeme
