The immediate past Director of News and Public Affairs, Ministry of Police Affairs, Dr. Kazeem Oladimeji Bolaji, has paid tribute to his late father, Alhaji Yusuf Akanbi Bolaji, describing him as a humble, disciplined and deeply committed family man who devoted his life to raising his children and upholding strong Islamic values. Bolaji spoke at the 8th-day Fidau prayer held in honour of his father on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at the family residence in Oke Onijo, Surulere, Lagos.
The Fidau prayer was well attended by dignitaries and associates from different walks of life, including members of the Bolaji family, friends, officials and staff of the Ministry of Police Affairs, serving and retired police officers, members of the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), journalists and other well-wishers.
Many Muslim clerics from Ikorodu, Lagos Island, Surulere and other parts of Lagos also attended the gathering to offer prayers for the repose of the soul of the 90-year-old patriarch, who died on Wednesday, September 16. He was buried the following day in his hometown in Kwara State according to Islamic funeral rites.
Reflecting on his father’s life, Oladimeji Bolaji said the deceased was the only child of his parents and did not come from a wealthy background. Despite his modest beginnings, however, he was determined to give his children the best possible education.
According to him, his father made a commitment to provide quality education for all his children and raised them with discipline, endurance and resilience.
He recalled that his father consistently encouraged his children to pursue education with determination while remaining spiritually grounded and holding firmly to Almighty Allah.
Bolaji said his father may not have attained great wealth himself, but remained confident that his children would grow, succeed and excel beyond his own circumstances. Among the qualities he said he learnt from his father was humility. “He never overlooked people and never looked down on anyone,” describing the late patriarch as a true family man who maintained strong relationships with relatives, neighbours and people who crossed his path.
He said his father deliberately visited members of both his immediate and extended family, adding that his life demonstrated the importance of humanity, discipline, tolerance and endurance. Bolaji also described him as prayerful, reliable and purposeful, with a strong commitment to Islam and cordial relationships with his neighbours.
In his exhortation, the Chief Imam of Phase 1, Lagos Island, Imam Lukman AbdulWahab, described the late Alhaji Bolaji as a good man and prayed that Allah would grant him Aljannah Firdaus. He urged the family to preserve the unity that the deceased promoted throughout his lifetime. The cleric reminded the gathering that death is inevitable and that the responsibility of the living is to prepare for it through righteous living.
The cleric, Imam AbdulWahab encouraged the media veteran, Oladimeji Bolaji as the eldest son to lead the family with patience, wisdom and a commitment to keeping the family united.
The deceased is survived by 11 children, including one deceased, and two wives, one of whom is also deceased.
