In Memoriam

With gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing to eternal glory on Tuesday, June 1, 2010, of our husband, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin — Elder Macaulay Oluwafunmi John.

Papa Olu John is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mrs. Margaret Taiwo John, 8 children, and many grandchildren. Amongst Papa John’s children in chronological order are:

1. Hannah Abiola Akingbade (née John) — Elementary School Teacher in Lagos. Spouse: Mr. Tunde Akingbade, Engineering Department, 7up Bottling Plant, Lagos.
2. Emmanuel Babatunde John — Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, Howard University, Washington, DC, USA. Spouse: Mrs. Oluwatoyin Modupe John — Independent Sales Director with Mary Kay Cosmetics.
3. Andrew Akinwale John the 1st (Deceased — April 27, 1970 – January 7, 1981).
4. Benjamin Oluseyi John — Fishery Farm Expert and Contractor, Sango Ota, Nigeria. Spouse: Mrs. Tosin John, Lecturer, Tai Solarin College of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
5. Rhoda Olutayo Farinde (née John) — Lecturer, School of Medical Records, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. Spouse: Mr. Kunle Farinde, Accountant, Federal Civil Aviation, Benin City, Edo State.
6. Dorcas Olubunmi Johnson (née John) — Medical Records Personnel and Statistician, Ondo State Ministry of Health. Spouse: Dr. Ibikunle Johnson, Medical Officer, Health Center, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo Town, Ondo State.
7. Victoria Iretiolu Adebayo (née John) — Computer Scientist and Lecturer, Covenant High School, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. Spouse: Mr. Ade Adebayo — Business Executive.
8. Andrew Akinwale John the 2nd — Student, Bachelor of Business Administration, Lagos State University.
9. Joseph Omoosho John — Student, Federal College of Statistics, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.

Papa Macaulay Oluwafunmi was born to Mr. John Akinmeji and Mrs. Christiana Akinmeji of Iju-Odo, in the present Okitipupa Local Government area of Ondo State, Nigeria, on April 30, 1941. Papa John was a very intelligent child and always at the top of his class. He was so gifted that he was immediately employed as a teacher, even without the prerequisite Teacher’s Training Certificate required in his early days. He therefore had the opportunity to train many students who are today holding key positions in various ministries and parastatals in Ondo State, Nigeria.

Papa John lost his own father when he was 17 years of age, and therefore had the responsibility of prematurely becoming the breadwinner of his family. He was saddled with the responsibility of taking care of his mother, and his two siblings, Mr. Gideon John and Mrs. Mary Idowu (née Akinmeji), who are still alive and well. The loss of his father also aborted his dream for higher education. However, he was such a man of great intellect that he very easily rubbed shoulders with even post-graduate and doctorally educated peers.

Papa John worked all kinds of jobs to support his family. He later relocated from Iju-Odo to Lagos in pursuit of better opportunities in 1959. It was in Lagos that he adopted his father’s first name as the family name, starting the Macaulay Oluwafunmi John Clan — a demonstration of his love for his late father and also to avoid discrimination in the British colonial era, when not having an English name was seen as a disadvantage.

In the late 1960s, Papa John joined Boulos Enterprises in Lagos — the sole motorcycle assembly plant for Suzuki Motorcycles in Nigeria — where he worked tirelessly to help build the company. In the early 1970s, Papa John ventured out on his own, becoming a major dealer and distributor of Suzuki motorcycles. He started MacJohn Enterprises, and opened offices in Lagos and Maiduguri, Borno State, driven by his adventuring spirit to bring Suzuki to parts of Nigeria where it was previously unknown.

MacJohn Enterprises was an astounding success for a number of years. Papa John also had an incredibly big heart and an extremely generous spirit. He made sure he spread his wealth around and lifted so many out of poverty — sometimes painfully to the detriment of his own family. He hated to see people in lack, and would do everything in his power to help. MacJohn Enterprises went bankrupt around 1976 due to a series of unfortunate events, primarily involving trusted employees who stole incredible amounts of company finances. Papa John took this with grace and candour, picked up his life and kept moving forward. Remarkably, when the culprits were apprehended, he refused to prosecute them. He forgave them, released them, and let them go. As he said: “What will I gain for sending these young people to jail? That won’t bring back the money stolen!”

One legacy he refused to compromise was the education of his children — he went to great lengths to ensure all his children were well educated. He believed an educated life is a wealthy life, and an illuminated soul. “Knowledge is light, knowledge is power,” he used to say.

Papa John was a man gifted with tremendous intellect and astounding divine as well as practical wisdom. He became like an ‘Area Father’ for many — a go-to man whenever people were in trouble, defending the defenceless and helping the weak. He used his wealth when he had it to build tremendous goodwill that earned him deep respect and lasting connections. Papa John was well-travelled, having visited virtually all states of Nigeria, many countries of West Africa, and Europe. His lifelong dream of visiting the United States was realized in his final years when he visited his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren — and also to receive treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Today, we celebrate the life and times of Papa Macaulay Oluwafunmi John. Just as his middle name Oluwafunmi means “God gave me a gift” — he was indeed a gift of God to his generation, and to generations after him. Praise the Lord.

Burial Arrangements