I walked into his office to invite him 2 Season2 of our
show in 2010. We had never met but he hugged me.
He told me how he loved our show and how I would go
far up the ladder of Success. I discovered that he liked
to laugh a lot.
On the day of recording, he came to time and when
we were done, he shared money around like a politician
going to the polls. And so we would become 'friends'.
More like Egbon (elder sibling) and aburo (younger
sibling).
When my father died 2years later and we reeled in
pain and confusion, his boys were there in 30mins
with MIC's best hearse. Without a mention of money,
they took my dad to the best morgue around and
immediately started making plans for the burial.
In his office, he gave me my pick of the best coffins
and asked me to bring any amount of money I wished. 'I
could do it for free', he said, 'but I don't want you to
bury your father in a coffin that costs you nothing'.
On burial day, he personally carried my father's body all
the way to our village, Ajaawa, in Oyo State. He spent
the night. Next morning, he danced in front of the
coffin to and from the church and personally laid my
dad to rest. He also stayed for the party after,
'spraying' money on us all as we all danced to Shina
Peters, trying to bury our sorrow.
When I returned to thank him in his Lagos office, he
was wearing a beautiful pair of slippers. Black and
obviously costly. 'I like your slippers Uncle', I said. He
immediately removed them and insisted I must take
them there and then!
I protested long but he wouldn't budge. If you see me
wearing a pair of Italian leather slippers, they are the
ones.
He explained to me how life was just fleeting and how
we should try our best to avoid unhealthy attachment
(s) to anything. You see, having buried so many, rich
and poor alike, he had a view to life dat was
uncommon & probably wholesome in health.
He also agreed to come on our show for the 2nd time
setting a record as the only Special Guest to have had
that honor.
When it was time to get married, he danced behind me
on the engagement day, wearing my colors and yes,
sharing money again.
Not minding age, he threw himself prostrate beside
me and my friends as we 'begged' for my wife in the
tradition of the land.
He would call me up every now and again, always
chuckling. 'Iyawo mi nko', he would ask? (how is my
wife?) He was in the habit of saying to my family, 'I
love you guys'. I am not sure I ever said d same to him
even though I felt it.
And so I woke this rainy day as even the skies mourned
and shed tears thinking 'surely if good deeds meant
anything…surely if good deeds mean anything, this was
a man who did not deserve to go thus. Surely not in
this manner!'
But what do I know? I am just another traveller on
this parched tract. Your work and Legacy live after
you Uncle Tunji.
I love and will miss you.
In the words of the yoruba people, 'O ye Olorun bi ko
ye Eniyan'. (God understands all mystery)
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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