Bashorun Dele Momodu happened to Wale Adedayo too. And, the lessons remain evergreen as if one was being taught as a Primary One pupil. Three instances, which were major, in the course of my work, are important:
About 1997, when I was a student in the UK the regular £50 was always a life saver for a struggling son of man, who was self sponsored at the time. My part-time security job (7pm – 7am) paid £3.50 per hour. But after deduction of taxes and others, there was little or nothing to save to offset tuition and accommodation costs. Our first chance meeting was at his dentist on a street I cannot remember now.
But the major counseling, not advice, Bob Dee filled me with is part of what I often tell my son today – a law graduate, who is a writer, but wants to just write, not caring whose ox is gored! 1997 or thereabout was the year that the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, was arrested for bringing hard drugs into the UK. The UK Immigration Service also had wahala with the old man, who used ‘Ori Olori’ to bring a mother and son into the UK using the international passport of the Oba’s wife and son.
I was Deputy Editor of The Trumpet newspaper, published by Femi Okutubo , at the time. Being a member of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in London, one was able to access officers of the Metropolitan Police (Scotland Yard) along with Immigration and Customs officials. The story was duly published by The Trumpet with a lot of brouhaha among Nigerians living in the UK, especially the Yoruba community.
At the prompting of the Nigeria High Commission, a UK-based lawyer, Ned Nwoko (yes, the same man), had successfully ensured the old man was released. But journalist must write story nah! Son of man was able to get so many unpalatable facts, which were published by The Trumpet. And, Bob Dee intervened. Furiously too. His label of “yellow journalism” for me did not get me angry. I knew he was angry that a first class Yoruba Oba was being dragged on the streets. His subsequent advice was invaluable.
In 2009, at the height of my ‘war’ with former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Bob Dee called this Ipata man again. At some point, he had to go the hard way: “Se o mo wipe mi o si ninu awon ti won wa ngba owo lowo oga e! (Hope you know I am not one of those on the payroll of your boss).” It was a kick for a brain reset for me, that, he meant well.
To finalise our discussion, he went into details of his very close relationship with Globacom boss, Mike Adenuga Jnr. He explained that it was because he listened to the man’s admonition to discontinue a ‘war’ he was having with a very top Yoruba monarch that the man has been very good to him. I subsequently agreed to sheathe my sword.
Lastly, Bob Dee may know or he may not know that, son of man benefited from what others gave him. When I was running for my dear life between 2009 and 2010, I was a squatter in his Suite at Excellence Hotel, Ogba, Lagos for more than six months! Of course, Egbon Dupe Ashama arranged that for me.
Agba yin a di ale sir. E o ni di agba Iya! Ase!!!
