It’s very difficult to sum up one’s life and influence it had on you in a few short words. This period of time has shown that life is short and we must live it to the fullest extent. My dad was a loving friend, sibling, son, father and husband. The impact he had on our lives is evident from the love that has been shown to us as a family during this difficult moment. We are very grateful to everyone who has shown their support. He was tough but fair and now he has run his race and we would continue in his stead, a new life dawns for us all and as much as it hurts right now; I know we have gained a fierce guardian angel. His legacy will continue through those he has left behind. We would miss you dad, continue to rest till we meet again.

— Ademide Daniel, Son · Permalink

Firstly, I want to give my heartfelt thanks to everyone who came out today. Thank you all for the incredible support you have provided for my family and me during this incredibly difficult time. Your love means the world to us, and we appreciate each and every one of you. Where do I start? Well, I never thought I’d be standing in this position, doing this so early in my life. I’ve always been hopeful about time. But time is precious—that is something I am learning every single day. It is so important that we give time to our loved ones as much as possible. Through everything, I have to trust that God’s timing is always the best timing. It’s not an easy thing to understand right now, but it is a truth we live by. My dad was the true definition of a man. He was a man who acknowledged his wrongs and spent his life correcting them. I know he spent a lot of time thinking about how he could be a great father to his children. My only wish is that I had told him more often that he was the best father I could have ever wished for. He was a man who never let any obstacle distract him from being who he was. Seeing him go out to work every single day to provide for us, without a single complaint, taught me everything I need to know about dedication. Even though he didn’t always give me formal life advice, the one thing he always advocated for was for me to be better than he was. I keep that lesson close to my heart every day. He was a typical dad. If someone were to ask me what my relationship with my dad was like, I would say it was complicated, but in a wonderful way. He corrected me when I was wrong, made sure I understood my mistakes, and showed me how to fix them. He was also a deeply religious person. He always made sure I stayed in tune with God and His teachings, and he was very strict in that aspect. If you didn’t show up for Bible study, you wouldn’t hear the end of it—my brother can absolutely attest to this. He wasn’t a loud person normally, as some of you may know. But once you got to know him, he could be the loudest in the room on his day. A prime example of this was whenever he was behind the wheel, feeling the need to get his point across to the driver in front of him about how terrible their driving was. My mom can definitely verify that. At his core, he was a man who always took care of the people he loved. He treated everyone like family and would always extend a helping hand whenever he could. He was respected and loved by everyone. That is exactly who I aspire to be, and I hope he is looking down from heaven today, proud of the son he raised. 'Life is short' is a saying we hear all our lives. My dad used his time here on earth wisely. He did not take anything for granted. He was firmly grounded in his beliefs and valued what it meant to have a family. He made it his life’s mission to be better for his family, and that is exactly what he did. I know he is looking down from heaven right now, proud and grateful for the legacy he left behind. Rest in peace, Dad. We love you

— Korede Daniel, Son · Permalink

As you grow older, there are certain experiences in life you can’t avoid. However, this has always been one of my biggest fears. I knew this day would come, I just never knew it would come so soon. I prayed for this day not to come at all, but unfortunately it did. I take after my dad in so many ways: our quiet nature, tiny eyes, love for coffee, brilliance, etc. I was very lucky to have gotten such a man as my father. From my younger years to now, I have always viewed him as a man that holds up to the standards of the head of the home. Yes my dad was quiet, but he was very assertive too when necessary and sometimes not. He would always work hard to provide for his family and handle things to the best of his abilities. And still, he would try his best to listen to his wife as much as his spirit led him. The bond between my dad and mom was very admirable. They are the definition of two becoming one in a marriage - never leaving the other out of anything. As my dad, Aderemi was one of my biggest supporters ever. I remember multiple occasions when he would defend me to my mom, bringing out his expertise in law. There was never a time he would ever let me doubt myself, whether I’d be serious about a life changing decision or be joking about something like marrying a prince. He always found it easy to encourage me or my brothers or my mom, no matter how difficult things were or even how much he may have had doubts. He loved us so deeply in his own way. There was nothing he would have wanted more than for all his loved ones to be doing well. Which is why I know he’d be so appreciative of everyone who has supported the family in this time and come out to celebrate his life today. May God continue to bless and lift you up in your time of need. Amen. We truly thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we do not take your prayers and your presence for granted. All in all, I know the greatest accomplishment of his life apart from marrying my mom and having three amazing children of course, was to take his service with God more seriously. I believe finding his relationship with God honestly gave him a refined passion in life that was beautiful to witness. From how much he had been through, it would have made sense to give up all hope but he didn’t. His life was a true testament of the strength that one gains when God is involved. And I truly believe that is what my dad would want us all to learn from him. Not that everything is going to be perfect all the time but that with God, there can be peace in imperfection. Which is all you really need. Though he could be very quiet most times, his passing was very much loud in the sense that it has been very impactful. However, we take comfort in God and in each other because at the end of the day, we know he would never want us to dwell in pain and tears. Although these words will never be enough to encapsulate your importance in our lives, we will always remember you, Aderemi Daniel. We thank God for your life and for those you’ve left behind. And we pray that your name will always be remembered for good around the world and that we will forever make you proud. I love you daddy. Your princess misses you everyday.

— Sayo Daniel, Daughter · Permalink