John Olulope Ajayi, the Founder and Publisher of MARKETING EDGE,  has been laid to rest in his family compound in Ijan-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Amid uncontrollable tears and faces etched with sorrow, the painful certainty echoed through the gathering that the vacuum created by the passing of John Olulope Ajayi will remain forever irreplaceable.

That final moment was the culmination of a week-long passage of honour, reflection, prayer and collective mourning that began days earlier, unfolding like a carefully written tribute across cities, communities and institutions he once served with uncommon devotion

From the moment his remains arrived in the ancient town of Ijan-Ekiti, sorrow took form. It sat on faces, it bent shoulders and filled the air with a silence so deep it spoke louder than cries. This was not grief confined to bloodlines; it was collective mourning.

Family members wept openly, friends struggled to steady themselves, colleagues stared into space, and admirers whispered prayers through tears.

Everyone present understood the same truth, that this was not an ordinary farewell.

The emotions that welcomed John Ajayi home were raw, unfiltered and profoundly human.

Tears rolled endlessly not only for what had been lost, but for what could never be replaced.

In those moments, tributes felt inadequate, words felt fragile, and even memories felt too heavy to carry.

 

A Farewell Beyond Royalty

As the cortege moved through Ijan-Ekiti on that final day, it became clear that John Ajayi deserved more than a royal burial even royalty came to honour him.

A royal representative from Ijan-Ekiti stood tall, royal sceptre in hand, following the remains in solemn recognition. It was a powerful gesture, heavy with symbolism.

Thrones were momentarily left unattended, traditions momentarily suspended, because honour demanded presence. The land itself acknowledged one of its finest sons.

Across the congregation were key political figures from different parts of the country, leaders who had converged after days of shared remembrance to pay final homage.

They came not out of obligation, but respect, standing shoulder to shoulder in uncommon accord to honour a man many described as a state builder, a community pillar, and a bridge between institutions and individuals. In life, John Ajayi united people. In death, he did the same.

 

Faces That Told the Story Words Could Not

Looking across the congregation gathered at St. James Catholic Church, Ijan-Ekiti, where the Funeral Mass was held on Friday, January 16, 2026, one did not need explanations. The faces told everything.

There were faces of men and women who had walked with him across decades.

Faces of those who had lost a mentor. Faces of those who had lost wise counsel that never failed.

Faces of staff members who had lost not just a leader, but a shield, a guide and a father figure.

Faces of industry professionals who had lost a moral compass, a tireless advocate and a fearless voice. Faces of communities who had lost a dependable ally.

Faces of friends who had lost laughter, honesty and loyalty. Faces of family members who had lost their anchor.

In every direction, grief wore a different expression, yet spoke the same language.

 

When Words Found Their Mark

As the officiating minister, Rev. Father Monday, who journeyed from Abeokuta, Ogun State, began his exhortation during the Funeral Mass, something remarkable happened.

Heads nodded instinctively across the packed church. It was as though everyone was silently responding, “Yes. That is exactly who he was.”

The Reverend did not merely preach but painted a life. He traced the trajectory of John Ajayi’s personality in layered dimensions his discipline, his generosity, his passion, his tireless commitment, his refusal to do anything halfway.

Though he lived 62 years by the calendar, Rev. Father Monday declared that by impact, John Ajayi lived 102 years.

It was not a metaphor lightly offered. It was a conclusion drawn from lives touched, projects nurtured, institutions strengthened, industries shaped and communities transformed. His years multiplied themselves through service.

 

A Life Given Without Reservation

John Ajayi never rationed his passion a truth repeatedly echoed throughout the week of activities held in his honour.

Whether it was during the Requiem Mass on Monday, January 12, 2026, at the Catholic Church of Transfiguration, Arepo, Ogun State, where prayers rose solemnly for the repose of his soul, or during the emotionally charged Night of Tributes.

This was on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at the Luxury Event Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, where colleagues, friends and industry leaders took turns reliving his kindness, courage and conviction, the same story emerged again and again, that, John Ajayi gave everything to everything he committed himself to.

He never decided to do less because something appeared smaller or less visible.

He gave the same intensity to faith, to community, to profession, to family, and to service.

He did not calculate convenience. He did not negotiate commitment. He did not hold back strength, time or even health.

Those who spoke during the Service of Songs on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at Journalists Estate, Phase One, Arepo, testified to a man who sang life into others even when his own strength was waning.

Voices broke, hymns trembled, and memories flowed freely, yet one truth stood firm, which was, when John Ajayi was involved, he was fully present, relentlessly driven and unashamedly committed, even to a fault.

 

Doors Opened, Doors Now Silent

By the time the wake-keep held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at his country home in Ijan-Ekiti, unfolded under the quiet Ekiti night, grief had matured into reflection.

Stories shared under soft lights revealed how his life opened doors that will continue to serve generations yet unborn opportunities created, standards raised, pathways cleared, systems strengthened.

Yet in the same breath came a sobering truth: with his passing, certain doors have closed conversations only his wisdom could navigate, interventions only his courage could make, reassurances only his voice could deliver.

It was a loss felt not just in the present, but in the future.

 

Everything to Everyone

John Olulope Ajayi was many things and somehow, all of them at once.

He was a husband, father and family man whose presence anchored both nuclear and extended families.

His immediate younger brother, Honourable Oluwadamilare Ajayi, spoke of a man who was a critical pillar sacrificial in love, boundless in kindness and deeply invested in everyone, including those beyond bloodlines.

He was a friend whose loyalty ran deep and quiet. A mentor whose tutelage shaped minds and careers.

A leader who protected his staff fiercely and believed in people before they believed in themselves.

An industry pillar whose influence cut across sectors. A community builder whose contributions spoke louder than titles. An institution to institutions.

To individuals, he was dependable.
To associations, he was committed.
To communities, he was present.
To industries, he was indispensable. To all, he was irreplaceable.

 

A Legacy That Refuses to Be Buried

As the final rites concluded and he was laid to rest in his family compound in Ijan-Ekiti, followed by the quiet entertainment of guests who lingered not in celebration but in shared remembrance.

Above all, one truth remained undeniable: John Olulope Ajayi’s body had been laid to rest, but his impact stood upright, unbroken and unburied.

The tears will dry, the crowd will thin, time will move forward, but the vacuum he left behind will continue to remind everyone who encountered his life that greatness is not measured by years, but by depth of service, consistency of purpose and courage of commitment.

John Ajayi lived fully. He gave completely. And even in death, he continues to teach that a life poured out for others never truly ends.