The death at 53 of our Most Reverend Dr. Humphrey Olumakaiye, the Anglican Archbishop of Lagos raises the age-long question: Why do good people die young? I know there are answers to this question in the Bible but I decided to take the matter to a theologian to give me his informed perspective.
Venerable Dr. Lawrence Kupolati teaches at the Emmanuel College of Theology and Christian Education, Ibadan. He was a former priest in St. Matthew’s Church, Ijebu Jesha, which the late Archbishop Olumakaiye transformed into a Cathedral through his hard work, visionary leadership and commitment to soul-winning. In an interview conducted on phone, I asked Dr. Kupolati to tell us: what kind of leader was the late Archbishop, what did he do as a labourer in God’s vineyard and why did God allow such a good man to die so early at the height of his glory? This is Venerable Dr. Kupolati on Olumakaiye, the young bachelor who cheated death twenty-four years ago when he “died” in a motor accident but was miraculously brought back to life by the Almighty God.
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The death of the Most Reverend Dr. Humphrey Bamishebi Olumakaiye is a colossal loss to the church of Nigerian Anglican Communion. It’s a loss that has left a gap that cannot easily be filled, because he was a man that touched so many people’s lives. Not even people, he touched parishes too. An evangelist to the core, he was also a philanthropist, a humble, diligent, versatile, dogged bishop. That’s Olumakaiye for you. He was a man that never believed in negativity. He was always optimistic in anything he did. He would always by any means find a way where there is no way. He was a man of God and a principled man.
Currently, I am a lecturer in Emmanuel College of Theology and Christian Education where Anglican and Methodist priests are being trained in Ibadan, beside University of Ibadan. That is where the college is located. Until his death, he was the chairman of the governing board of the college. Since his death, there has been no lecture, no activity, nothing. The college is mourning now. When he came on board as the chairman of the governing board in year 2020, immediately he assumed office, he started developmental projects. If you come to Emmanuel College now, Emmanuel College is a new place compared to the time he came on board. During the 2021 Convocation, he was hale and hearty. He raised millions of naira for the development of that college. Through his efforts, doggedness and activities, the college is building the administrative block. It has been roofed, it has been cemented and fittings have been made. What is remaining is for little touches in order to dedicate the place.
Archbishop Olumakaiye was just a man of vision, a man of focus, a man of diligence. That is Olumakaiye for you. And he was very humble.
WHY GOOD PEOPLE DIE YOUNG
His death at such an early age is part of the mystery of life. That is why God is God. If God is such a being that can be calculated like two plus two is equal to four, it means that He is not God. One cannot fathom the almightiness of God’s activities. That is part of the secrets of God’s activities. In human knowledge and perspective, man will say that God shouldn’t have allowed that to come, but you leave the stage when the ovation is loudest.
His good works were following him. When he resumed onboard in year 2002 at Ijebu Jesha as the Vicar of St. Matthew’s Church, now Cathedral at Ijebu Jesha, the church was almost empty. The church was almost in disarray. But his arrival happened to be a turning point in the life of the church. Earlier on, I told you Olumakaiye is an evangelist to the core. Through his evangelistic mission, the lost sheep, those that had gone to other churches or those that were lukewarm to the Christian faith came back to the church. Today, St. Matthew’s Church can be compared to churches in Abuja, in Lagos, and anywhere. His arrival became a turning point. The church was upgraded into a cathedral and it became the diocesan headquarters. That is Olumakaiye for you. Both Christians and Muslims in the street of Ijebu Jesha would definitely remember Olumakaiye for who he was in the land of Ijebu Jesha.
So for somebody to have made such an impact in a local setting there is need for God to compensate. That is how God elevated him. From Ijebu Jesha, he was made a Bishop at Osun North East, Anglican Diocese with the headquarters at Otan Ayegbaju. If you get to that Ota Ayegbaju, you will see his good works and legacies. Among his long list of achievements, talk about the new Bishop Court, the Prayer City in Ora Igbomina, in Ila Orangun. You will know that Olumakaiye was a man of dignity, a man of hard work, a man full of dexterity, a man full of action, full of vision and full of focus. That is Olumakaiye for you.
He had a terrible motor accident in 1998. He was going on a church activity and had an accident between Ile-Ife and Ibadan. As at that time, he was preparing for his wedding. He was hospitalized and was even dead but for divine providence, God resuscitated his life to 24 extra years of working diligently in God’s vineyard. That is Olumakaiye for you.
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Authenticating the death and rise of Archbishop Olumakaiye, Yemisi Falope wrote this tribute in Facebook: “I thought the miracle will happen a second time. Without any medication and human help, God brought you back to life when nobody ever knew you. You were to die with your destiny then. I thank God heaven has not regretted bringing you back but rather backed you up to quickly fulfill your purpose. Your star shone globally, you made impact and you were called home to rest. You will live long in our hearts my brother, Priest and Bishop.”
