Olaoluwa Daranijo

Dear Laolu, It feels insane to hear people talking about you in the past tense. When they told me what happened, the feeling that ran through my body can only be described as a kind pain that can’t be put to words. I didn’t want to believe it. A part of me still doesn’t. You brought all the energy. Lived the most chaotic way and we loved you for i...more

Dear Laolu, My Soccer STAR Why did you have to leave me so soon??? May your gentle soul REST IN PEACE. I love and miss you dearly; it’s only been three days since your passing. I am truly thankful to God for the bond we shared and it’s obvious to me that the ALMIGHTY GOD was part of our relationship, I cherish the fact that your last day on earth...more

Olaolu, My Brother, Where do I even start? Words fail me — but needs must, so I’ll give it a go. Twin. Partner in greatness. I’ve known you longer in this life than I haven’t. It feels surreal to speak about you this way — in past tense — imagining your ever-present smile. I don’t want it to be true, but seems to be because of what I hear around me...more

Laolu was the epitome of the phrase 'calm, VERY cool, and collected human.' I can never get over this loss, but I’ll take solace in the memories we have of you. You’re the BEST brother and uncle we could ever ask for. We love you. May your sweet and gentle soul rest in the bosom of our Almighty Father.

To love you and be loved by you was an honour. To know you is to love you - your ever so sweet and gentle self, we went through rollercoasters together and it only brought us closer, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. You showed me that no matter what life throws at you, kindness should never leave one’s character. From spending everyday together ...more

I remember Laolu from DWC, and every single memory I have of him is of him smiling. The sweetest, kindest, most non-problematic person ever. From our time living at Day Waterman up until December 2023 in Lagos, I hadn’t seen him—but he never forgot to wish me a happy birthday or say congratulations when it mattered. You’ll really be missed, Laolu. ...more

Laolu lived life to the fullest. If only we had known your time here would be so short. My brother, my friend. Your happiness made me happy. Your joy reminded us all to persevere. I wish I had seen you one more time, just to have one more memory of your essence. Laolu, you were a soldier. You stood strong in every moment, and for that, I am so pr...more

Classmate, roommate, friend, brother. LD you were one of a kind. One of the most athletic, charismatic and funny guys I knew and someone I aspired to be like even though you were younger than me. From that first day of class in 7A our lives were connected. You were one of the reasons I go by "Feme". I remember you calling me "limousine head" and y...more

Olaoluwa, I think of you and your name and I can only agree with its meaning. That’s exactly how we experienced you. What you carried in your heart and gave the world could have only been from God.. such a fruitful human being, who carried joy, love & a fullness of character in them from so young. Its so admirable to see how, no matter what stage ...more

One of the best things about Laolu was his spirit — he had the warmest heart and the best laugh. It’s been a few years since we were really close, but there was a time when he was one of my best friends. He never hesitated to tell me how much he loved me, and was there for me. He wore his heart on his sleeve, and that was the best thing about him. ...more

To Laolu, my cousin by blood but my brother by heart. You were a constant presence, a guiding light. You were the one who made laughter feel louder, silence feel safer, and moments feel meaningful. You knew how to lift spirits, how to protect without asking. Losing you leaves a space no words can fill, no time can heal. But I carry you with me, in ...more

🤍🤍🤍LAOLU!! My precious little brother, My first SON. My pride & joy I always bragged about. My heart is shattered as I write this as I still have not come to terms with the fact you were suddenly ripped from my world. A part of me still believes you would still walk through those doors. I spent my whole life protecting you, playing the part of ‘...more

Laolu I'm very thankful. You are the greatest person I have ever met, and I am grateful I met you. I'm in complete despair. Laolu You are the most modest, adored, and kind person on the planet. I will always have love for you. Your dreams always made me feel better about myself, and I will always treasure your big smiles, and wise words. Everyone a...more

LD my brother, this does not feel real.. I'm still in shock.. we literally played football together and caught up on life just two weeks before the news broke out.. I am honestly lost for words whenever I see a photo of you or hear people talking about you in the past tense. LD my brother, there are so many things I wish I had said to you in person...more

Love you lil bro

Dear Laolu, I’m still struggling to believe & accept it all. You’ve been in my life since the beginning & your impact will be one i’ll never forgot. You were always so kind, caring, funny, full of life, the one who could get me smiling and laughing. I was always a quiet person but with you, I never felt that way, you were a safe space, a motivator...more

Laolu, You were gentle, sincere and effortlessly kind and I feel incredibly blessed to have known you, to have called you my cousin. I keep thinking of the little things, your smile, the way you always carried yourself with calm confidence, the way you made things feel light even when life was heavy. I’m proud to have known you, to have shared m...more

my dearest friend laolu 🤍 knowing you was a once in a life time blessing that i thank God for choosing to bless me with. to know you is truly to love you. you had the most infectious laugh (that i have been playing on replay all week), the most calming aura, the coolest vibe, and the kindest, gentlest soul. the times i spent with you are some of...more

Laolu, my sweet cousin, I am heartbroken. This will never make sense. It hurts too much to comprehend. My dear Olaoluwa, you were always the kind of person whose presence didn’t need to be loud to be felt. You had this quiet strength, this warm calmness, that made anyone feel at ease just being around him. You didn’t have to say too much to brin...more

Olaoluwa, It still doesn’t feel real. I find myself waiting for a “my killy” message to come up on my phone, but it hasn’t. The days feel colder, darker and sadder without you. But I can take solace in the fact that I was fortunate enough to know you. We were (almost) 12 months apart and had a bond that most people wouldn’t understand. You were...more

Laolu’s presence was a gift - and there are no words that will truly capture the fullness of who he was. Laolu - I’m so grateful to God to have known you. You were so kind, so loving, so full of light - your energy lifted everyone around you, and your laugh could light up an entire room. I’m so heartbroken, Laolu. You had so many dreams - so much...more

LD! Incredibly kind, funny, easy-going and caring are just a few words I’d use to describe you. You were not only a big brother to me, but to so many of us in DWC, so much so that you came all the way back to Abeokuta for our graduation, 2 years after yours. Although the last few days have been extremely difficult, I take solace in the fact that ...more

When I think of my childhood, it’s impossible not to think of you and our friendship. Growing up with you and spending the better part of five years seeing you every single day was an absolute honour, something I wouldn’t trade for the world. I can’t imagine a life without knowing you, laughing with you, plotting schemes with you, and loving you. F...more

My bro, where do I even begin? I thought about it, and I see our relationship in 3 phases. The first was our time in DWC. I joined DWC in year 8, a year after you guys all started. I was the new kid from Abuja. Zero ties to Lagos. You and Eniola were amongst the first to welcome me into the fold. More often than not, the new kids struggle - missin...more

Laolu had the best laugh I’d ever heard. It was unique. It was contagious. But more than anything, it was comforting. From Peddie to Drexel, I followed when I could to cheer you on. I’d go to track meets and wait for your events to be announced, then run as fast as I could to find the best view so I could watch you. We did the same with your foot...more

Where do I even begin? LD, my roomate for 4 out of 5 years in DWC. Classmates for 5 years, graduated together. So many many memories. We played football together for years, even had our own rivalry- Choco FC vs Supastrikas. Then you were on the otherside of the world but we still kept in touch. You came back, and it was like you never left. I have ...more

Dear family and friends, Since the passing of our beloved Cousin,Brother, Uncle, Nephew and most importantly Son. My heart remains changed forever 🤍 Today, I find myself trying to put into words what feels impossible to express. The loss of my “Cuzzoo” has left a space in my heart that words will never fully fill. He wasn’t just family, he was a ...more

My dear LD, this was not the plan. I have been putting off writing this because Lord knows I have been waiting for you to just appear and start laughing at us all. I am honestly still waiting. You were simply the loveliest, most fun and charming. Every moment I ever spent with you was full of joy, it was so easy and fun and pleasant to be around yo...more

My brother. The words escape me, but frankly, words are truly not enough. I thank God for the bond we shared. Only in hindsight have I really come to understand the true meaning of brotherhood, and I’ll forever be grateful to have been able to experience that with you. The understanding that didn’t need to be spoken, the light you brought into ...more

My baby, On our last day together you bought me a rose & made sure I carried it around the entire day we were out. You always went out of your way to make me happy. Life with you was so good that nothing has meaning anymore. We were locked in. We were meant to move in together next year. We wanted to get married. You were my support & safe space a...more

Laolu it's so hard to come to terms with your passing, it's been more than a week and I still find it hard to believe that you're no longer here with us. You were my big brother and it's difficult to imagine my childhood without you. You were a blessing to everyone around you and you had a special gift of making everyone smile with your infectious ...more

LD, aburo mi, Writing this is breaking my heart. We met when you were just 11, and I was 12. From the very beginning, we shared dreams, and year after year, I encouraged you to chase them with all you had. This moment is incredibly tough for me. We used to play basketball for hours—some days, it was just you and me on the court after school. For...more

Olaolu my brother, my Wonderkid. I cannot believe I am writing this message. Hearing this devastating news broke my heart. But God knows best. Gone too soon, but forever in our hearts. You were a shining light, full of joy, laughter, and boundless energy. Your love for football mirrored your spirit: passionate, fearless, and full of life. You...more

Dear Laolu, honestly the news of your passing came as a rude, rude shock. I couldn’t believe it then and I still can’t believe it now even as I am typing this. I am so happy and count myself lucky that I got to experience you as a friend. You brightened up every space you found yourself in, you were just such a good vibe to have around. I loved tha...more

For me, one of the truly precious things about friendship and companionship is loving all the different versions of a person. I loved Laolu from when he was a scrawny 11 year old full of energy running across the pitch with the ball and making everyone laugh as the designated class clown of 7A. I loved him when he moved halfway across the world a...more

Dear Laolu, Even now, over a week later, I’m still struggling to believe this. When I heard the news of your passing, I was — and still am — deeply heartbroken. So many of my childhood memories include you — from growing up in UPDC to our time at Day Waterman College. Even though we went separate ways after DWC, I always remembered your kind spirit...more

My dearest cousin. To say this is a tragedy is an incredible understatement. Since this loss, I cannot stop thinking about how much I miss you. Every day passes by solemnly since your passing. I am certain I will miss you forever. You were a friend. You were a joy to be around. You were so kindhearted and loving. You have been making me laugh since...more

When we left DWC, only a few of us came to America, chasing dreams of becoming professional athletes. You played soccer and I played basketball, but the early struggles were similar. Even back then, you just KNEW everything was going to work out — and that you were going to be a STAR. And that’s exactly what you became. It’s rare for someone as gi...more

It’s hard to put into words the heartbreak of losing a cousin like Laolu. You were kind, humble and full of light. Your calm presence, your smile, your laugh and your quiet strength truly left a mark on everyone you met. You never judged, you always listened and you loved deeply. Even though we grew up in different countries, I would always hear ...more

Laolu Daranijo, my cuz, my cuzzo The words escape me to describe this profound loss. I hold so many fond memories of our reunions and interactions. They seem too few now. Your calm and inviting personality was refreshing. And you stayed true to who you were. The one funny exception is when you tried to go as “Ollie” during one of your early school...more