As the two weeks of activities for the celebration of the 80th birthday of the living legend Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi was brought to a close Saturday, tributes are still pouring in from those he has significantly impacted within and outside the Pharmacy world.
One of those pharmacists who can never forget the great influence of the octogenarian in their lives is Pharm. Adebowale Robert Tade, member, Board of Trustees, Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos.
Tade, who was the first Nigerian pharmacist to be elected into Board of Directors of Pfizer New York, attributed his success to the wise counsel from the Pharmacy Icon.
As he fondly calls him Egbon, Tade further described Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi as a great encourager, who is always after the progress of all.
Below is his full tribute to Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi :
My first interface with Prince Adelusi-Adeluyi was during my internship with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, 1970/71 at Massey Street Children Hospital, Lagos Island.
I was bored with routine professional services, which limited my horizon to just dispensing and compounding of mixtures and emulsion.
I resolved to discuss with and sought advice from seniors in the profession. I chose to visit Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi and Pharm. Joe Olarogun, then with Glaxo Nigeria Ltd.
I visited Juli Pharmacy which was then located in one of the sizeable apartments at the rectangular building complex close to Ikeja roundabout.
Egbon Julius was immaculate in his white overall dress and was always like that in the Pharmacy. His dress colour signature till today, even outside his practice sessions, remains all round white and it stands him out in the crowd.
Here is a man, white in outlook without stain and inwardly he’s also without stain. Here is a man who refuses to join the crowd of shameless swindlers in our community but strictly adheres to the Biblical teachings on contentment as stated in 1Timothy ” Godliness with contentment is great gain..” Godliness is a God-centered life . It is finding joy in what God has given to you. The opposite of contentment is greed which destroys capacity to enjoy what God has given.
I was totally engrossed by the setting of his retail practice, second to non in any of the pharmacies I ever visited pan-Nigeria; neat environment, shelves and medicines well arranged and therapeutic group of products were adequately positioned.
I was endeared to follow suit and to start my own retail business but he advised me not to do so untill I had experience in marketing and building up my human relationship.
I later learnt that he had brief exposure to management in Pfizer Ltd, Ikeja, Lagos.
He had left Pfizer Ltd before I joined Pfizer in 1973. I heard so much about him; young entrepreneur on a fast lane, who wasn’t ready to go through the bureaucracy and corporate politics to reach the top management position. One of his contemporaries in Pfizer was late Pharm. Alhaji Faworaja.
After voluntarily leaving Pfizer, he settled down to the practice of Community Pharmacy and fast-tracked his unique and enviable practice to the top in Lagos and indeed, Nigeria.
I heeded his advice to acquire marketing management experience and by the grace of God, no regrets. He strongly advised me to be diligent and well focused anywhere I was employed.
I opted to grow in my marketing pursuit in multinational corporate institutions like Burroughs Wellcome, Beechams and Pfizer. My marketing career in Pfizer translated into becoming Chairman/Managing Director of Pfizer Anglophone West Africa,1998 -2005 and Chairman/Managing Director of Livestock Feeds Plc in earlier years.
Egbon Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi kept rapt interest in my progress since my first meeting with him and up till now. God bless him.
I vividly remember his excitement and show of brotherly love on my election to the Board of Directors of Pfizer products PLC in 1985; indeed as the first Nigerian pharmacist to be so elected by Pfizer, New York.
He remembered his advice to me twelve years earlier; said to me then with a pat on my back “Boy, that was a fast -track you went through.”
Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi is a great encourager, always after progress of all.
On his behalf, we are saying thank you Jesus, thank you my Lord…2×
Why are we thanking God?
Egbon Juli ia alive and well.to be physically present to witness and partake in the Landmark celebrations of his 80th birthday anniversary.
His darling wife of several decades is very much around him in high spirit, love and excellent marital relationship.
He bolstered the determination of his children for hard work, honestt and integrity in line with the Scriptures: “Train up a child in the way he should go; Even when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6.
I give glory to God for His goodness and mercies upon Egbon Julius. I pray for further longevity for him in excellent health.
