Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of HIS saint. Psalm 116:15
A Legacy of Excellence and Service to Humanity
The life of Professor Tajudeen Adepemi Adebiyi was a man of profound character; a good man in the truest sense. He lived a life of purpose, leaving the world significantly better than he found it. His journey began on July 27, 1942 in Northern Nigeria, during the final years of British colonial rule in Nigeria, which received her independence in 1960.
Dad, and grandfather, often spoke with pride of his own father, our grandfather, and great grandfather, who served as one of the first Nigeran civil servants (With Sir Louis Ojukwu and Ogbeni Oja Odutola) during the historic transition to self-rule. We were raised knowing we came from a long line of intellectuals, educators, and servants of humanity. He was one of the pioneer Nigerian students to come to America. Dad didn't just inherit his love for knowledge; he weaponized it for good, using his expertise to uplift every soul GOD placed in his path.
Growing up in Lagos, Dad attended the Western College of Commerce in Ebute-Metta, Lagos. Following his graduation in the 1960s, he faced a trail of character development when an uncle stole his travel funds. Undeterred, he and lifelong friend, Dr. Wale Oyegbola, took a daring leap of faith - by sea on the Elder Dempter's "MV Aureol" ship bound for the United Kingdom.
In UK, Dad balanced the grit of manual labor in an ice cream factory with the rigors of academia, eventually earning his first degree in Accountancy. His thirst for growth then led him to the United States. Admitted to the University of Maryland (UMCP), College Park in 1969: he was among the pioneering group of black students on campus following the Civil Right Acts. He often joked about the isolation of those days, saying the campus was so "white" that seeing another Black Man required an immediate celebratory greeting.
Scholarship funds from the Nigerian government were rarely enough to cover the realities of life abroad. To survive, Dad worked as a tax accountant and a janitor at UMD. In a testament to his humility and drive, he would attend Master's level courses in the morning, only to return in the evening in a janitor's uniform to clean those very same classrooms. Though he occasionally felt the sting of embarrassment when recognized by classmates, he persisted, ultimately earning his MBA in Finance, Accounting, and Quantitative Analysis.
Armed with his MBA, he launched a tax and financial advisory practice, where he met his dear friend of 56 years, Dr. Sunday Ogunwuyi as well as the late DC Mayor Marion Barry. His academic contributions also began during this era, lecturing at Bowie State (College) University. By 1977, he reached the pinnacle of his field, obtaining a PhD in Banking and Finance.
Dad's career was a masterclass in financial economics and international impact. Dad became a Financial Analyst at NICON (National Insurance Company of Nigeria) and worked as an adjunct professor at the University of Lagos. Newer opportunities beckoned as he joined the United Nations in Dakar, Senegal. There, he worked closely with entities such as ECOWAS, and African Development Bank, advising African nations on economic development and growth as they navigated the complexities of post-colonial independence.
He later transitioned to the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in Jeddah, Saudi, Arabia, where he served with distinction for 20 years. One of his most enduring legacies involved the economic resettlement of Afghan refugees fleeing the Soviet invasion in the 1980s. Dad didn't just build camps in Pakistan; he created financial frameworks that allowed refugees to integrate, work, and regain their dignity.
In a beautiful act of divine synchronicity, a child of those very refugees- who grew up in a camp, Dad helped sustain- became a doctor and eventually immigrated to Texas. That man, Dr. Sadat, was the physician who later provided the emergency care and cancer diagnosis that prolonged our father's life. We are eternally grateful for that full-circle blessing.
Even retirement could not slow him down. He was called back to service by the Nigerian government to serve as the OPEC Fund with (Nigerian Leader Rilwan Lukman) in Vienna, Austria, where he formed another lasting bound with Mr. Abiodun Fawumi.
Upon returning to Nigeria in 2005, his "retirement" was short-lived. Recognizing the need for ethical investment, he served as an independent Director on the Board of Jaiz Bank Plc, bridging the gap between the IDB and local investors. His work helped create jobs and opportunities for millions of Nigerian.
Professor Tajudeen Adepemi Adebiyi-the boy once nicknamed "Lawyer" the young man known as "Bobo London" and the patriarch revered as "Prof"- is revered by his wives, children, grandchildren, and a vast community of loved ones. He was a beacon of light, and his story will be told for generations.
Your number one fans,
Temitope A. Blount
Adeyemi Adebiyi
and Grand Children
Hymn 1: When We All Get To Heaven
1 Sing the wonderous love of Jesus;
sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions, bright and blessed,
He'll prepare for us a place.
Refrain:
When we all get to heaven,
what a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus, w
e'll sing and shout the victory!
2 While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
clouds will overspread the sky;
but when trav'ling days are over,
not a shadow, not a sigh! [Refrain]
3 Let us then be true and faithful,
trusting, serving ev'ry day.
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
will the toils of life repay. [Refrain]
4 Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold.
Soon the pearly gates will open;
we shall tread the streets of gold. [Refrain]
Hymn 2: Nearer My GOD To THEE
1 Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
2 Though like the wanderer, the sun gone down,
darkness be over me, my rest a stone;
yet in my dreams I'd be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
3 There let the way appear, steps unto heaven;
all that thou sendest me, in mercy given;
angels to beckon me
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
4 Then, with my waking thoughts bright with thy praise,
out of my stony griefs Bethel I'll raise;
so by my woes to be
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
5 Or if, on joyful wing cleaving the sky,
sun, moon, and stars forgot, upward I fly,
still all my song shall be,
nearer, my God, to thee;
nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!
Timeline
Gallery
Memory wall
When I arrived in the United States on July 4th 1977, as a young 16-year-old girl, I came simply to visit my uncle, Dr. Adebiyi, whom we lovingly called Uncle Pemi. I came with my brother, and we came to stay with him. At the time, none of us could have imagined that this visit would become the beginning of a life- changing journey.
Uncle Pemi welcomed us into his home and that home became the foundation of my life in America. What started as a visit eventually became my path to becoming a student, building a life, and growing into the woman I am today.
Looking back now, I can say with deep gratitude that the foundation of my success in America was largely shaped by the life and example of Dr. Adebiyi. His discipline, his character, and the way he lived his life left a lasting imprint on me.
Living with him was not always easy because he was strict and deeply disciplined. But today I thank God for that discipline. Those values molded me. They shaped the way I think, the way I approach life, and the way I pursue excellence.
From him I learned to be progressive and forward-thinking, to take risks, to challenge myself, and to always strive for the best. His life demonstrated what it means to be an achiever-someone who is resolute about success and committed to making a meaningful impact.
Today, when I look at my life- as a pastor, an entrepreneur, a professional working in the marketplace, a wife, a mother, and now a grandmother- I recognize that many of the values that shaped my journey where planted in those early years under his guidance.
Uncle Pemi was more than just an uncle to me. In many ways, he was also a father figure. His mentorship, guidance, and love helped shape the trajectory of my life.
When the history of my life is written, Dr. Adebiyi-my Uncle Pemi- will always be part of that story.
I thank God for his life.
I thank for his influence.
And I thank God for the legacy of discipline, excellence, and purpose that he passed on to me.
His life made a difference, and his impact on my life will never be forgotten.
With gratitude and honor,
Pastor Abby Daramola
Dr. Adebiyi was technically my uncle, but he functioned more like my older brother. My mother, who is his older sister, treated him as her first child. Today, they are the two surviving siblings out of six children born to their parents, Chief Nasiru Akani Adebiyi Bello and Madam Aliratu Abake Babarinsa Bello.
“Bros,” as I called him, lived and breathed numbers. He believed strongly in a growth mindset, grit, and quantitative thinking—often speaking about mental models such as IRR, NPV, cost–benefit analysis, Fibonacci sequences, pairwise comparison, and more. He frequently reminded me to take two things seriously: my money and God. We also went to church together many times.
First Day of School: A Funny Snapshot
The late Mrs. Amudat Bello—mother of actress Shaffi Bello—once took young “Taju” to drop him off at school. However, he refused to be left there and created quite a disruption. As a result, “Aunty Amuda” had to stay with him for the entire day.
His father later got wind of the situation. The following day, his dad personally drove “Bros” to school. When they arrived, the teachers immediately remembered him and warned his father that the young man might not stay.
Chief Nasiru Akani Adebiyi Bello looked his son in the eye and asked if he wanted Aunty Amuda to stay with him again. “Bros” slowly shook his head and quietly followed his teacher to class.
The rest, as they say in Hollywood, is history.
Omo wa l’Abeokuta. Omo wa ni Ijaye Kurumi.
Rest in Peace.
It was a cold and snowy January in 2003 in Vienna, Austria, where I had just taken up a new appointment. With no knowledge of the German language, finding our way home would have been quite daunting. Yet Professor Adebiyi kindly offered to take us home from the residence of a mutual friend who had hosted a welcome party in honor of my family.
I was still wondering how he would find his way to our apartment when he calmly announced that we had arrived home. That moment marked my introduction to a new city, new technology, and—more importantly—a new and enduring friendship.
Years later, our friendship continued to flourish, even after he relocated to Lagos. I was always pleasantly surprised that this distinguished and liberal-minded Muslim was often the first to send me greetings during Christian festivals. Having been educated at a Baptist secondary school, he not only had deep respect for other people’s faiths but also took genuine joy in celebrating with everyone.
As a Professor of Mathematical Economics and a manager of funds for major institutions such as the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund, he was a reservoir of knowledge, experience, and wisdom. He shared these generously, whether serving as a member of a bank’s Board of Directors or mentoring and developing teams of young derivatives and commodities traders. At one point, he was approached to manage Nigeria’s sovereign wealth fund, but he graciously declined for personal reasons.
Professor Adebiyi was generous in many ways and across all walks of life. He gave freely of his money, time, knowledge, and wisdom, sharing these gifts equally with others—always without the slightest hint of arrogance or superiority.
I came across Professor Tajudeen Adepemi Adebiyi about five years ago through one of his close friends, Mr. Abiodun Fawunmi, whom I have also known for more than forty years. I handled a job for their joint company, and that was how I first met him.
My first experience with Professor Adebiyi was the way he appreciated the work I did. He humbled himself so much that I began to wonder how a professor could be so humble.
In his interpersonal relationships, Professor Adebiyi was a man of excellent character. He cared not only about you personally but also about your family. Although he was a Muslim, he had deep respect for the faith of others. His life was very exemplary and worthy of emulation.
Even in sickness, he came across as a man determined to live. He was a quintessential gentleman—generous, humble, and someone who got along well with everyone around him.
We shall miss him dearly.
We pray that God will take care of the family he has left behind.
Adieu, Prof.
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