Tributes to Our Father
How do you capture the essence of a man whose very presence was a testament to what humanity can achieve? My father’s story isn’t just one of personal triumph—it’s a roadmap for living with purpose, integrity, and unwavering love.
In a world increasingly defined by greed and corruption, my father stood as something rare:
a beacon of hope, a man of honor who believed deeply that the staggering inequalities of our society were fundamentally wrong. He was forever a socialist with a healthy distrust of wealth and power, not out of bitterness, but from a profound understanding that true richness comes from what we give, not what we take.
His philosophical mind ranged far and wide, driven by an insatiable passion for knowledge and an unshakeable desire to make an indelible difference in people’s lives. He didn’t seek fame, money, or glory—his unconditional generosity was reward enough. Whether with friends, family, coworkers, or complete strangers, he possessed this remarkable ability to make everyone feel comfortable, valued, and heard.
His greatest passion was his sincere dedication to fighting for the common man and addressing the plight of the masses. Even to his own detriment, he spent most of his time championing this cause that struck such a personal chord with him. It brings tears to my eyes knowing all the lives he touched, often without those people ever knowing the depth of his sacrifice on their behalf.
What made him truly remarkable was his courage and dogged survival against impossible odds. Through every hardship, his character remained unshakeable, his convictions unwavering. He never backed down from his beliefs, not for one moment.
Perhaps most remarkably, there was his enduring love for my mother—his wife and partner in a marriage that lasted forty years. Their relationship wasn’t without its frailties and tensions, but it was strong both in spite of and because of these challenges. I grew up witnessing what genuine partnership looks like, learning from a surprisingly nontraditional man who showed me that love perseveres.
I loved my father deeply, though I didn’t always show it and probably let him down at times. Yet his love for me never faded—it remained constant, unconditional, and transformative.
As I reflect on the legacy he left us, I find treasures that money cannot buy: a hunger for knowledge, a passion for helping others aspire to greater heights, an example of a life whose riches owe little to material wealth, a sense that anything is possible through hard work, and a model of what a father should be. These are his gifts to us.
Though he wasn’t outwardly revealing about his religious convictions, as my father neared his end, he knew with certainty that God was his Creator and strength, and Jesus was his salvation.
This would be what he’d want—for us to look at each other and appreciate what we have together, and what we hope to make better. His legacy lives on not in monuments or accolades, but in the values he instilled, the lives he touched, and the love that continues to guide us forward.
– Uwa Osunde
A tribute to my father, Dr Lasisi Adams Osunde.
When I think back on my father, even all these years after his passing, I remember a man of deep integrity. He was quiet, steady, a man of routine — kind in his way, yet firm in his principles. He lived by the same values whether in public or in private, never compromising, never cutting corners. For him, excellence wasn’t an option, it was simply the only way to live.
My father was very much a family man — not just the anchor of our home, but a pillar for our extended family as well. Like many men of his time, his love was not always loud or showy. It came through in the little things, the gestures that often go unnoticed but speak volumes when you look back. Through his own example, he taught me what it means to live with contentment, honour, righteousness, and hard work.
He also loved Nigeria with all his heart. He believed deeply that leadership should serve its people, and he never shied away from speaking the truth. Even when it meant standing alone against the storms of dictatorship, corruption, and injustice, he stood firm — like a single tree facing raging winds. He wanted a Nigeria where fairness, accountability, and justice were not just ideals but realities for every citizen.
There are times I wish he were here today. And yet, a part of me is grateful he was spared from seeing how much of what he fought for has been eroded. Still, I choose to hold on to hope. However faint the ember may seem at times, I believe it can be fanned into flame again. One day, I want to be able to say, “Daddy, your fight for a better Nigeria was not in vain. It was worth everything. Thank you for your sacrifices.”
I am the woman — and the parent — I am today because of the values he instilled in me. He left me a good name, an inheritance of character and principles more precious than gold. For that, and for him, I will always remain grateful.
– Your daughter, forever proud,
Aibiokunla Osunde-Ogbebor
The Man Dr. Lasisi Adams I know.
Born into The Adams Osunde Family of Okemole -Lagos Street/Idahosa Street axis, of Benin City, Edo State.
The man I know as Dad was a very strict disciplinarian, a stickler for details, and a time-conscious person. He was also warm and open-hearted, always ready to help and support in any way he could, with a listening ear.
He will tell you straight to your face where you are wrong no matter whose ox is goad & spoke truth to power.
He declined a position in General Sani Abacha’s administration on the principle of not destroying the unionism he had spent his lifetime building, and in doing so, he exemplified speaking truth to power. As a unionist, he also resisted many entreaties to enrich himself at the expense of the people he had sworn to serve, remaining steadfastly committed to them and never placing himself above those he pledged to represent.
Contentment was one of his guiding principles, a quality many unionists lack today. He also managed the chaos of unionism and family life with remarkable balance.
The Boys Scouts Motto is “Be Prepared”. As a Unionist he was always ready to be arrested/picked up during the hay days of military rule in Nigeria and was not going to compromise for a better living and working condition(s) for the Nigerian workers – his constituency.
“Ink can’t pen enough words to describe you as whatever we write can’t ever describe or explain your person or principles. Your favorite sentence was “Iku lo ma Laja” Means ” It’s death that separates fights.” Death tried to stop you from fighting for Nigerian workers, but it failed, because your legacy lives on. The fight never ends; the baton has simply been passed on to another generation to continue where you left your mark.
– Owen Lati Osunde