I have this habit of celebrating those I’ve come by during my sojourn in this treacherous life. The reason is that I believe it’s better to celebrate those who are close to me during their lifetime rather than singing their eulogies after death.
I remember a guy who has corrupted me so much that he has spoilt my already bad name. If I hadn’t known him, I would have been a teetotaling priest now.
He’s no less a person than Fatai Abidemi Aro!
Of course, I first knew him at Ebute Meta. But then, we only knew each other on, ‘Hello, hello’, basis then.
We even happened to have attended the same University at the source. Still, we hardly knew each other. To crown it all, we served in the same state, the magnet was just not there.
You know as a man of God, my intuition was telling me Aro, wasn’t the best friend one could have.
Not that he was a thief or a rapist. But then, the Yoruba will say there are things that might not be stealing but might still bring a lot of shame.
The first job Aro got was with NEPA substation, Ijede on the outskirts of Ikorodu. There, I got baptized into night crawling and I ceased being an innocent boy.
In fact, I’m begging those who pity me to separate me from Aro by fire or by force. His corrupting influence on me is too much.
Too, too much!
It was while visiting Aro often and often that I discovered that, ‘One for the road’, could end up being a carton for the road. I then developed a way of not being intoxicated by alcohol.
The ladies, ‘Boda Aro, emi o nwo’ru fimu yi o’!
The rest is left to readers’ vivid imagination.
When I was working at Apapa, Aro was a constant visitor.
When he was working at Ewekoro Cement Factory, I was also a rather frequent visitor.
When I moved to Abeokuta and he happened to be living in Ifo, it was equal to what the Yoruba call, 2 ge 4!
Inspite of the fact that he’s still a corrupting influence, I discovered that he’s so trustworthy that one can give him his heart and go to bed. When one wakes up the next day, he will find his heart intact.
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