Femi Rotifa
The love you gave remains our guiding light.
We Remember
A year has passed, and it still feels impossible that we are writing these words. We met you at different points in our lives, but somewhere along the way, friendship became family. You were a brother to us, full of laughter, kindness, mischief and an unforgettable ability to bring people together.
We remember the little things. Your endless jokes and ridiculousness that lifted our spirits, your ability to turn the most difficult moments into memories we would laugh about for years. You brought light into ordinary moments and laughter into difficult ones.
We remember your generosity. You gave freely, showed up when needed and went out of your way to make life a little easier for those around you. You were incredibly intelligent, but it was your heart that made you truly special. You had a way of making people feel special.
We had so many plans. We imagined the lives we would build, the places we would go, the successes we would celebrate, but we never imagined that you would be missing from those moments.
A year later, the ache of losing you remains, but so does the joy of having known you. Your life touched more people than you probably ever realised. We hope that wherever you are, you can see the impact you had on all of us. We hope you are smiling, knowing that you are still spoken about, still remembered, still loved.
You will always be a part of us. We will carry your laughter and memories with us wherever life takes us.
We love you, Femi.
And we remember...
Gallery
Memory wall
I still imagine what you’d say in different situations and how you’d easily just drop new slangs. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, we were supposed to have plans, go to Qatar, and tour the world. You were supposed to witness Arsenal win the Premier league and experience the small wins with us, like me driving, Okpulor getting married, some of your guys falling in love, and others learning french. I know you’d have teased and yabbed every single one of us.
Fambam meetings aren't the same anymore. We miss the endless banter, hearing about what’s new, discussing politics, those unwarranted slangs, and how you were always yabbing each of us.
I want to believe you are in a better place. Everything reminds me of you- Olamide’s old music, Adekunle’s Ariwo Ko and you always asking me the meaning of empty barrel lo ma pariwo. I still think of you whenever I'm preparing for exams, making endless meaningless mnemonics, and always saying "there is still time" even at the very last minute.
You were always eager to help junior colleagues and went out of your way for your friends. You were a real one, and we still remember, I mean how could we ever forget? You were so eager to carry everyone along, you shone in every space you stepped into, and you carried every responsibility with grace.
It’s no wonder September 1st, 2025, was such a grim day.
I miss you so much Rotifa. I really do hope you are resting, because knowing you, you’d definitely be up and about either cracking jokes or looking for the next thing to get involved in. Keep lighting up the other side, till we meet to banter again….🕊️
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