Obituary of Olalekan Ariyo

Olalekan Ariyo was the youngest of three children born to Janet and Titus Ariyo on October 13th 1966 in Ibadan Nigeria. He attended high school at the prestigious Government College Ibadan (GCI) from1976 to 1981 and entered the renowned University of Ibadan Nigeria where he completed a Bachelor's degree in Human Physiology and later a Master's degree in Chemical Pathology. He met Sade Adesina in 1988 during a "chance" meeting with friends and it was love at first sight. He attended medical school on a Mobil scholarship at Ogun State University (OSU). In medical school he became a Commonwealth Foundation Scholar and received sponsorship for a medical elective to Dominica in the West Indies where he gained experience and found his passion for service investigating disparities in health care. Lekan graduated from OSU in 1994 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS). In the spirit of true service for which his life was marked he elected to pursue an internship in the West Indies attending to the medical needs of the underserved communities of the British Commonwealth territories. During the 2 years in the West Indies he also taught medical students and helped them prepare for important qualifying exams. After 8 beautiful years of courtship Lekan and Sade got married in London England on Februari 10th 1996 and in their typical modest style their wedding reception took place in Sade's tiny apartment attended by friends and family. On April 4th 1994 the Ariyos welcomed their beautiful twins Oreoluwa (the gift of God) and Oreofeoluwa (the grace of God) into the world at Harold Wood Hospital Essex England. Shortly afterwards Lekan moved to Chicago where he completed a residency in Internal medicine at the Cook County Hospital followed by a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Chicago. He was joined by his family in 1997. In 2000 the family's traveling life continued with a move to Saipan in the North Pacific where for the next 3 years; Lekan practiced medicine as the sole geriatrician in the Northern Mariana Islands of the US and was also personal physician to the Governor. In 2004 following a brief stay in Chicago IL the family relocated to Albany GA where he joined Albany Area Primary Health Care as a board certified geriatrician. There he was actively involved in nursing home practice and its reform and was also the Medical director at Dawson Manor Nursing Home in Dawson GA. The Ariyos settled down and made a home for themselves in Albany GA where they were welcomed by their local and broad community with open arms and hearts. His professional life continued to flourish and he received numerous awards including "Excellence in Performance" award by Medicaid in 2005 for his work in medical direction of the SOURCE waiver program for the frail and elderly. Between 2006 and 2009 he received the "Active Teacher in Family Medicine" award from the American Association of Family Practice. He was also appointed Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. He was a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Geriatrics Society the Georgia Medical Directors Association and the Albany Advocacy and Resource Council which supported developmentally-delayed and physically injured individuals. He actively supported the Albany Alzheimer's Association in an advisory capacity. With a mixture of trepidation and hopeful anticipation for the future the family left their Albany family and moved to Colorado where he was appointed Medical Director at Total LongTerm Care the PACE (Program for All-inclusive Care for the Elderly) in Februari of 2010. He joined ActiveHealth Management at the end of 2010. He was very proud of his beautiful wife and his multi-talented children. They travelled the world together making friends and memories and his passion for living infused every aspect of his life. An avid golf enthusiast he shared his passion for the outdoors with his family running 5ks hiking cycling and kayaking. With the twins they formed the "RIYO TRIO" their own family triathlon team with Ore (swim) Ofe (run) and Lekan (cycling) while Sade participated in marathons and half marathons crying laughing and documenting their experiences all the way. A compassionate physician considerate teacher and a devoted friend he taught every one he met what it meant to truly care for others. He also had the rare knack of making everyone around him feel special. His sudden passing on Mei 1st 2011 has left us bewildered and numb with shock. His life measured in years was all too short but he lived every moment with genuine kindness and to the fullest. He will be sorely missed by Sade Ore Ofe his siblings Yemi Ayopeju Nike Wunmi and Tola and a host of lifelong friends. The world is indeed a better place for his having been in it. Dearest Bamba we love you and miss you. Rest in peace.