Dr. Josef Os’afore Ojo Ogbomedah aka Joe Edahson today 5/11/2020 you would have turned 65 years but only two days to your 46th birthday precisely 3/11/2001 the cold hands of wicked death forcefully snatched you away at your prime while on a national assignment. Joe was a workaholic, untiring and very committed to a course he believed in. In academia he was the sole authority of the history of Akoko-Gbangiri. He delivered scholarly lectures at the University of Ibadan, theUniversity of ÃŒfẹ (now Obafemi Awolowo University), College of Education, Ilesa, etc. A journalist of fairness excellence he was the pioneer features editor of the Graphics newspaper before he pulled out of government service to establish his newspaper. He was founder, CEO and MD of Dodorima newsletter, the Rainbow newspaper, and Sunrise newspaper a grassroots local weekly. Joe Edahson was an activist and politician. He penetrated the ranks of the political hierarchy of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria(UPN) single handedly got the governmet
Government of Chief C. O. Adebayo to approve a College of Education to Ogori in 1983. Unfortunately, the coup d’etat of Gen. Buhari/Idiagbon aborted it. He was Vice Chairman/ Supervisory Councilor of Agriculture in the then Ageva LGA the position he used to reconcile and unite the Ogori community because of political differences. He also fought ceaselessly to stop the encroachment of Ebiras on Ogori land along Ogori-Ageva road. Joe Edahson will be remembered for several roles and contribution to the uplift of Ogoriland. In 1982 he vehemently opposed the inclusion of Ogori/Magongo in the newly created Ageva LGA by Alhaji Adamu Atta’s administration of old Kwara State. Instead, he agitated for the creation of Tibile LGA (for OgoriMagongo) with the headquarters at Akpafa. For several years he with a few others MC Ovia-osese cultural festival and gave prominence to the festival in his newspaper publications.
Josef Os’afore Ogbomedah Ph.D., you remain indelible in my heart and fact in the heart of most Ogorians. You can’t die because your deed lives on. He was a grassroots mobilizer, a democrat, a vibrant youth motivator, a believer and lover of Ogori, a detribalized Okuro, an academic guru, a historian and a gem. Edahson needs to be immortalized. The labour of this hero must not be in vain. Joe, how should I address you today? Happy posthumous birthday and or may your great soul continue to rest in peace.