Edward Olusina Senu-Oke

SENU-OKE, Dr. Edward Olusina (“Prof”) was born April 30th 1953 in Lagos, Nigeria to the family of High Chief Daniel Senu-Oke and Chief Mrs. Patience Senu-Oke.

Prof attended Government Demonstration Primary School, and then Igbobi College Yaba Lagos where he was a senior prefect and well known for his athleticism, kind-heartedness, and love of life.

After Igbobi College, Prof left Nigeria for the United States where he enrolled in Wilberforce University, Ohio. At Wilberforce, he excelled academically and socially, but most notably that’s where he met his college sweetheart, Helen Pinckney, resulting in a 47-year life-long marriage. After Wilberforce, Prof ultimately became a college professor teaching Political Science at Joliet Junior College, where he was also the first African American Chairperson of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department.

Prof lived a rich life and he will be remembered for his big booming voice holding forth, often late into the night, talking politics and life. He loved music and had a powerful thirst for learning (earning a bachelor’s degree, two masters, an Ed.S and a doctorate along the way). His family and friends know that he has moved on to glory and are exceedingly proud of the life he lived, the legacy he left behind, and the example he set.

Prof is survived by his wife, mother, sisters, brothers, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. There will be a memorial service for family and close friends from 2-3pm on Saturday, November 21 at Happy Corner Church, 7037 N. Union Rd., Clayton, OH 45315. To share your condolences with the family please visit www.routsong.com.

The Broken Chain

We little knew that morning that God
Was going to call your name
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same. It broke
Our hears to lose you, you did not go alone;
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories,
Your love is still our guide;
And though we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same;
But as God calls us one by one,
THE CHAIN will link again.