NOTES ON THE LIFE OF THE LATE DADDY JACOB ADELAYO WILLIAMS (Alias: DADDY ELELEDE)DIED 6th AUGUST 1921, AGE 91

Daddy Jacob Adelayo Williams was born in Oyo in 1830 of royal maternal lineage. His paternal ancestry was from the place now known as Ijaye Orile in the present day Oyo State of Nigeria. Daddy Elelede Williams emigrated to Lagos where he settled in the Okesuna, Lafiaji area. He soon acquired a wide stretch of land, most of which being marshland, was most suitable for his extensive piggery and cultivation of mainly fruit trees, herbs and medicinal plants. He was a very successful farmer, having a piggery that was then second to none in Lagos. This earned him the alias of Daddy “Elelede”. However, he also practiced his life-long occupation as a herbalist with astounding success in the area of midwifery and what in modern medicine would be referred to as gynecology.

During his lifetime, he was renowned as a devout Christian who was unfailingly attended Sunday service at the First Baptist Church, Lagos with a retinue of his entire household, comprising his children, grandchildren and other family members. He was ordained as the first Deacon of First Baptist Church, Broad Street, Lagos which, together with all the saints departed, he must have labored to establish.

He was reputed to be a strict disciplinarian who insisted on daily morning assembly for worship and prayer for all we did in his household. “Remember this Sabbath day is to keep it holy” was a golden on the revered rule for him. Recitation of bible passages was a must for members of his family before lunch on Sundays.

His favorite prayer was:

“Oluwa, Iwo ti O fi ki was pegbogbo ise wa lai si ife ko je nkanRan Emi Mimo Re, ki O si tu ebunife daradara ni siwa I’ okanKi a le maa se ife Re.Oja tii se oja alafia,ati gbogbo iwa orunlaisi eyi ti enikeni ti mbe laaye,a kaa si oku niwaju Re.Fi eyi fun ni Baba wa orun,Nitori Jesu Kristi Olwa ati Olugbalawa, Amin.”

This prayer must be recited by each child to earn his/her portion of the Sunday pork (choice pig was slaughtered every Saturday); otherwise only “Ilasa” a regular vegetable soup would be served any defaulting child. It is gratifying to note that his only surviving grandchild, Pa. J. A. Depiver, remembers this prayer and recite it clearly from memory. Pa Depiver, age 79 years was only nine years old when daddy J. A. Williams passed on in 1921.

Daddy Elelede’s favorite hymn was:

“Wa s’ adura ooro,Kunle ka gbaduraAdura ni Opa KristianLati b’ Olorun rin”

Daddy Jacob Adelayo Williams was called to Glory on Saturday, 6th August 1921 at the ripe age of 91 years. He was buried the same day at Ikoyi cemetery after a funeral service at First Baptist Church, Lagos. It is again noteworthy that his grandchild Pa. Depiver, recalls are recites even today, the entire bible lesson read at the funeral service, viz: Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8, 13 and 14.

Daddy Jacob Adelayo Williams of Blessed memory was survived by six children whose Descendants today, on the 70th anniversary of his death, praise God Almighty for the priceless legacy of Christian devotion, discipline, service and love bequeathed by our great fore-father.

Six children of Daddy Jacob Adelayo  Williams post-deceased him and each raised Descendants now constituting the six branches of the Daddy Elelede Williams family, namely:
Joseph Adewole Idowu Williams (Alias Baba Ibadan) 
Emmanuel Adedoyin Williams(Alias Baba kerkere)
Abigail Moradeun Depiver(Nee: Williams)
Matilda St. Matthew-Daniel(Nee: Williams)
Moses Adejumobi Williams(Baba Petesi)
Dorcas Adejoke Agbebi(Nee: Williams)

To God be the glory !

A thought for now.

“Remember your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, I find no pleasure in them”-
Before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return; after the rain;
when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint;
when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the street; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along. And desire no longer is stirred.The man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets.

Remember him before the silver cord is severed, or the golden bowl is broken; before the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the wheel broken at the well. And the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. “Meaningless ! Meaningless !” says the teacher. “Everything is meaningless !”
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil”
Ecclesiastes 12: 1-8, 13 & 14. (NIV).

Dedicated to the memory of Daddy JACOB ADELAYO WILLIAMS By Daddy ELELEDE WILLIAMS FAMILY Pa J. A. DEPIVER, (President). Mr. ADEGOKE WILLIAMS (Secretary). 2 Upper Strachan Street, Lafiaji, Lagos. 6th August 1991. 70 Years in Loving Memory of Daddy JACOB ADELAYO WILLIAMS.