Oladiji Durojaiye

Joseph Oladiji “The Blessed” Durojaiye (16 July, 1936 – 2 Mar, 2005) born on July 16, 1936 in great city of Awe, Oyo State, Nigeria to the late Moses Abiola Motolari Amole Iji Durojaiye and Florence Adedoyin Apinke Iji Durojaiye of Oloro’s compound, Awe. He attended Baptist Day School, Awe and the illustrious Baptist Academy, Lagos. He later obtained his Certificate from the University of London and the Administrative Staff College, Badagry with honors in financial management. He also studied and completed an impressive number of specialized courses in financial management and accountancy.

Life's Story

As a Civil Servant for about 35 years, he served at various times as Director of Finance in the Ministries of Education and Finance of the old Western State Government and later Oyo State Government. He retired from civil service in 1993 as the Director of Finance, Oyo State Ministry of Education. In retirement, he worked as the Bursar of the Cathedral of St. James, Ibadan. He was an accountant and administrator to the core, with meticulous record keeping.

Kingdom and Community Service

Upon retiring into solemn private life, Pa Durojaiye intensified his Kingdom and community services, with a lifestyle devoted to the service of God and man. He was the president of the Ibadan Christian Youth Council in the 60’s decade and attained other integral capacities with the First Baptist Church, Idikan, First Baptist Church Awe, Ibara Baptist Church and Oritamefa Baptist Church. Forever a teacher, he taught Sunday school classes, with great enthusiasm and thorough humility, and gentle in tackling the several dialects and languages to deliver the Christ’s message of patience, gratitude and kinship. Pa Durojaiye married his wife of nearly 40 years Mrs. Bolaji Durojaiye, and the couple was blessed with five God fearing and successful children. He was well traveled within and outside Nigeria, and he always made the time to tell the stories as being “God’s greatest debtor” while he recounts his faith and lives blessings. Pa Durojaiye was a prominent member of several international and Nigerian professional, Christian and cultural associations, among them the African Association for Public Administration and Management, Nigerian National Association of Chambers of Commerce. He was honored as the secretary and later president of the Egbe Omo Ibile Awe, a role he expanded to embrace Awe indigenes as brothers, sisters and mentorship for the younger generation. Pa Joseph Oladiji Durojaiye went to sleep in the Lord on March 2nd, 2005, having lived an exemplary life.