The Catholic Diocese of Oyo came together in solemn unity as the funeral Mass of the late Bishop Emeritus, Most Rev. Julius Babatunde Adelakun, was celebrated on the historic grounds of St. Bernardine’s Grammar School, Oyo — the very place where he was ordained a bishop 52 years ago.
The moment carried both emotional depth and historic symbolism, as Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo used his closing address to honor the life of his predecessor and to make a passionate, unmistakable call for the government to return mission schools to the Church.
Addressing bishops, clergy, religious, dignitaries, friends, family members and faithful from across the Ibadan Ecclesiastical Province, Bishop Badejo began by rejecting the title of “Chief Mourner,” insisting instead on celebrating the rich and blessed life of Bishop Adelakun.
He expressed profound gratitude to all who had shown kindness from the moment of the bishop’s passing, extending his appreciation to the Dicastery for Evangelization, the Apostolic Nuncio, the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, and the Christian Association of Nigeria for their prayers and solidarity.
He paid special tribute to Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin, Bishop John Oyejola, Bishop Francis Adesina and many others who supported Bishop Adelakun in his final years. He also acknowledged the medical professionals, institutions, religious communities, friends of Oyo Diocese in Nigeria and Ireland, and especially the seminarians who dedicated 16 years to caring for the elderly bishop.
Bishop Badejo reserved particular praise for Msgr. Anthony Olawumi, Bishop Adelakun’s closest companion during retirement.
Standing on the grounds of St. Bernardine’s — the first Catholic grammar school in Oyo and Oke-Ogun — Bishop Badejo reflected on its proud heritage and lamented what he described as the tragic consequences of government takeover of mission schools.
Standing on the same red earth where he had once sung in a youthful choir, Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo used the funeral Mass of the late Bishop Emeritus Julius Babatunde Adelakun to issue a solemn, urgent plea for the restoration of mission schools to the Catholic Church.
He reminded the faithful that St. Bernardine’s, founded by the old Oyo Diocese and diligently managed at that time by the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, once produced generations of “noble, productive and eminent Nigerian citizens,” formed through discipline, service, moral grounding and academic excellence.
He described with quiet reproach how the school’s values and influence diminished after government policies “snatched and took over those schools,” a takeover he called an act of “thoughtless myopia” that weakened institutions once known for shaping the character and future of young Nigerians. His call was far more than a sentimental reflection — it was a clear moral demand.
Bishop Badejo prayed that God would “reestablish His kingdom of justice among our leaders” and called on authorities to restore mission schools to the Church so that education rooted in values, discipline and true human formation can be revived.
He insisted that returning these schools would allow the Church “to continue the good we have been doing on a larger scale than we are able to do right now,” describing it as an urgent remedy for the decline in quality and values seen since the takeover. “God will bring back sanity into governance in Nigeria,” he prayed, linking the restoration of mission schools directly to national renewal.
In a deeply personal moment, Bishop Badejo recalled serving as the youngest member of the choir during Bishop Adelakun’s episcopal ordination in 1973 on this same soil, describing it as a divine circle now completed with today’s farewell. He expressed his belief that with the passing of the diocese’s patriarch, the Diocese of Oyo had “come of age,” even humorously noting that Bishop Felix Ajakaye had once encouraged him to learn from the burial of Bishop Fagun. He added that perhaps those coming after him should also begin taking notes.
Bishop Badejo thanked the Adelakun family, represented by Mrs. Julie Alade and Bola Adelakun, for standing by the Church in caring for the late bishop. He extended heartfelt appreciation to everyone present, praying for safe journeys and God’s continued guidance. He invoked blessings on all who expended their resources, time and love throughout the funeral rites, concluding with a prayer that the memory of Bishop Adelakun and the grace of the day would remain sweet for years to come.
Through his moving tribute, Bishop Badejo not only celebrated a life well lived but also used the moment to issue a moral appeal to the nation — one rooted in history, justice and the Church’s long-standing contribution to education. The farewell to Bishop Adelakun became, in his words and conviction, a call to restore what was taken and to rebuild a future worthy of the values the late bishop spent his life defending.
