Photo credit: Vectezy
He was a Christian of the Catholic denomination. He actually nearly became a ‘Fada’. However, he dropped out of the junior seminary.
He came from a family of teachers. His father was a school headmaster. They came from Abeokuta but settled in Ado Odo.
He read Education(English) at Unilag. He was into student union politics at the faculty level.
When he finished, he worked with the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission. Our paths first crossed at St Stephen’s Secondary School, Ado Odo.
When I met him, the first thing that I observed was that he was cool and calm. He did not allow any problem to outweigh him.
Even though his late wife was a junior sister to ‘Chicago’, the principal, with whom I had a raging battle, he did not let it affect our friendship.
Friendship?
No!
Brotherhood!!!
I found in him the elder brother that I never had!
Indeed, he was someone with whom I could keep my heart, travel round the world, and my heart would still be beating.
He made Ado Odo so habitable for me that people felt I was an indigene of that ancient town. Together, we painted the town ‘red’. He had a Suzuki motorcycle with which we stormed parties he was invited to.
At many of these parties, the drummers would flock round him beating their drums to a frenzy, seeing him, they were always reminded of his illustrious father.
When I opened a shop, he was my greatest customer!
After I had left Ado Odo, I did not let the place leave me. Anytime I went back there, he gave me a rousing welcome.
We lost touch for some years.
After what seemed to be ages, I heard on the radio that NUT was having an annual general meeting at the then Ogun State Hotel. The announcement was signed by STEPHEN IDOWU OGUNJI, national general secretary.
For me not to appear there would have amounted to betrayal. I saw Mr Ogunji organizing the conference. I got a five-star treatment.
I did not know that would be our last meeting. I was actually expecting him to become the national president of NUT.
I heard he later became a principal. How I would have wished to work with him.
Well, some three years ago, I got a rumour that this fine gentleman was dead.
It took this long because I felt I.D. could not be dead. Being a person that lived life to the fullest, he just did not have the ability to die. However, it has been confirmed that the ace sportsman(he, unsuccessfully gave me lectures on tennis) is no more!
Since I now know the obvious, let me ask him these simple questions: Which Church do you attend? Are there mosquitoes in the great beyond? Have you seen those who went before you? Do you still take your Guinness stout and palm wine? Is the palmy there ajabale?
Finally, I hope you are sitting on the right hand side of our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Continue to rest in peace!
Like I have always said, if our peers are bidding the world farewell, we should be preparing for the inevitable!!!
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