By Wale Ojo-Lanre
Alhaji Azees Arisekola Alao, going by your deeds and acts when you were on the face of the Earth, you will be in Aljaanah. You were not a saint, you were human, and Allah knows this. But your good deeds superimposed your wrong acts and God forgives.
I am sure Allah would have forgiven you. But for me, Wale Ojo Lanre, I don’t know why I should forgive and forget you. Forgive and forget you in a hurry? God will punish me if I do. And I will never.
Why should I forgive and forget a man who called me Onitemi? I cannot forgive and forget you because…
You were a priceless philanthropist, the best so far. Though I never demanded any financial obligation from you, you never turned down anyone who I referred to you.
Let me remind you why I will never forget and forgive you for being a rare kind man: Some years past, a mentor, brother of mine and benefactor of mine, who is not from my state but one of the best politicians in Nigeria now, was a Senatorial candidate of a party. Nice intelligent guy, a visionary and an accomplished professional with brilliant ideas but no funds for his ambition. And we love this man to partake in the election. I quickly made a call to you, Alhaji AAA, you asked me to send your number to the DPN candidate, which I did. Two days later, you left a message through Soga Oke. GSM was not yet in Nigeria, a period of analogue telecommunication, a poor one foisted on us by ITT of MKO fraudulent business. You asked me to see you in your old Bodija home at 5.30 am
I never knew you had invited my Mentor and brother. He was seated in your visitor’s waiting room downstairs, while I was ushered into the one on the first floor.
You put on a while Jalamia. As you sighted me, you called me “Wale Ojo Lanre Onitemi.” You now sent for the visitor downstairs, a Muslim name which you fancied so well. You went to the room, and twice you came out with two Ghana-Must-Go bags. Wallahi talai was filled to the brim with money, the highest denomination then.
You handed them over to me, saying “O le gbe fun Egbon re baun.” And I immediately handed it over to that responsible fellow, who was accompanied by one of his friends.
The man was shocked. Yes, he was shocked at your sheer and rare philanthropic gesture with nothing attached, saying, “ko de mo mi o. Wale o se o.” (and he did not know me from Adams).
DPN senatorial candidate on getting to his BMW car said “Wale, wa mu tie ninu owo yi. Iwo lo se at least, emi ko mo Are ri.” He was in a greater shock. I looked at his face. “Sorry, I will not take a kobo from this money. It is meant for your campaign.”
The man could not believe this: ‘Wale, mo ni ko mu any amount se”. ‘Moni mi o muse,” I replied to him (Meanwhile, I had only N50 on me. And Moyo was complaining about the paucity of money last night).
He looked at me and said, “You will never regret this.” And I have never regretted that action.
And you want me to forget and forgive you for raising my status? For helping my brother, friend and benefactor?
You called me Onitemi, the meaning and reason I don’t know.
I also remember that day at Ibadan Airport. Just a coincidence meeting. A friend needs an introduction to a bank
You said, “Onitemi, I will help Inshallah.” And you did.
I remember when I was preparing to wed.
the news filtered to you through my mentor, Dr Victor Sowemimo Omololu Olunloyo. And you told Dr “egbon mi onitemi ko ni so fun mi. Omo Ekiti ti ki bere owo.”
You indeed sent an album. The copies there were no photos but cool naira. I promptly diverted half of the naira on my uncompleted first house in Ibadan and lavished the remaining on the wedding.
When you read about my tourism strides and my sojourn in Israel, you promised to send me to Mecca to see the mighty work of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon him).
Too nice. Too compassionate. Too fatherly. No one enters your house and goes out without smiling. You are the best. The best. And the best!
And they want me to forgive and then forget you. I will never. You will Rest in Peace. You are Resting In Peace. Rest on Onitemi.
*Ojo-Lanre sent in this piece.
