Penpushing member, late Joseph Shopade buried in hometown, Abeokuta

The remains of Joseph Shopade, a member of Penpushing platform who slumped and died at the age of 59, in Maiduguri, Borno State Capital, were on Friday, May 16,2025 committed to mother earth in his hometown, Abeokuta.

Penpushing reports that the burial service tagged, ’Celebration of Life’, was earlier held at St Paul’s Cathedral, Oke-Igbore, Abeokuta and had in attendance the family members, friends, colleagues and associates of the deceased, as well as members of the Penpushing platform led by Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji

The order of service include meeting the corpse at the church, hymns, psalm, Bible reading, sermon, prayer, thanksgiving and solo performance, as well as farewell prayer at the grave side after the church service.

Penpushing further reports that the late Shopade was said to have left behind a powerful legacy of service, sacrifice and spirit filled living, and his children and family remain living testimonies of his Godly values and enduring strength

The legacy equally has it that his impact, both in Nigeria and beyond, continues to speak through the systems he shaped, the communities he uplifted and the lives he touched while alive

Penpushing also reports that until his death, he works with United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) as a humanitarian staff in the North-East with operational base in Maiduguri.

The deceased worked at Ogun State University between 1989 and 2005 as a lecturer during which he took a leave of absence in 1999 from the University to work with United States Agency for International Development/Office of Transition Initiative (USAID/OTI) as a Senior Program Officer.

Penpushing reports that he has worked with various organisations, including Technoserve, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as worked with United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-Nigeria and serves as a National Expert, Democracy and Governance to United Nations Development Programme(UNDP).

The late Shopade during his life time was actively involved in the Peace Building and Reconciliation programs of Ife-Modakeke, Ijaw-Ilaje and Oke-Ogun herder crisis, and equally played major roles in community conflicts across the length and breadth of the country working on humanitarian efforts and disaster management.

Penpushing further reports that during the first tenure of Senator Ibikunle Amosun as the Governor of Ogun State, he was appointed a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) Multi-Lateral Agencies.

The last social outing was at a birthday event of the wife of a friend at Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday 4th May where he was full of life with old friends, and till death, he was an active member of the Penpushing platform who was noted for his passion in assisting the needy and downtrodden

Penpushing also reports that the Management and Editorial Board of Penpushing Media, owner of Online Newspapers and Television, on behalf of membership across the globe earlier in a letter of condolence said the deceased will be solely missed.

The condolence message signed by the founder of the media outfit Prince Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, lamented that the news of the death came as a thunderbolt to the members across the globe.

‘It was difficult to believe when it hit the airwave, it was difficult to believe when the sad news spread like wildfire, indeed, the demise was big blow to the family and our organisation’, the letter reads.

‘No doubt will miss him and her death is a huge loss to the Penpushing Platform where he is a proactive member, while it is indisputable that his legacies are immense and remain indelible in our hearts’.

‘His mentorship role to many people which cut across all gender, and ethics as well as religion deployed his Godly wealth of experiences to better the lot of the society, while it is our prayer that God shall grant him eternal rest’, Kayode-Adedeji wrote.

‘Hopefully, we had envisaged that a loving soul and this great man would be with us for a long time, but it has pleased the Almighty God, the unquestionable, to take him home for a deserved rest. Adieu, Shopade good night’, the letter emphasised.

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