OUR Baba, in many ramifications, congratulations on your birthday your excellency.
Sir, please, kindly accept my belated felicitation. E ma binu (don’t be peeved).
However, your 87th birthday reminded me of a day I refused to betray and sell you out. And my conscience, too.
Of course, I’m pushing this out now, not for any specific favour, or inducement, in mind, though I can ask for any because you will be willing to do it due to your large heart.
But, I’m writing this due to superlative facts ingrained in my sempiternal memory.
And, most significantly, when I saw you in a photograph smiling with one of the main actors [many years after] in this story that I’m about to reveal.
Indeed, I can recall that I was driving to your house (probably late 2003 or early 2004 shortly after you left office as Governor), when the call came.
“Oluwo, where are you now,” the familiar voice enquired.
Indeed, I quickly responded: “I’m driving to Chief Osoba’s house. We have a press conference there.”
“Can you quickly come to the Governor’s office complex to see me in my office for urgent assignment. It’s important,” the same voice pleaded as I heard some voices in the background.
Since I’m familiar with the person, though my “spiritual alertness” woke up and xrayed many possibilities in my mind, I made a detour straight to the “oga”s (in charge of a ministry) office.
As I was ushered into the office by the secretary, I saw the gentlemen waiting for me; not only the “oga.”
At least, by my gifted memory (which accounted for my A1 in History – plus other As – in my WAEC exam some decades ago), I still recall at least four faces with their names glued to my heart till today.
Immediately, my assignment at Chief Osoba’s house was reeled out to me.
What is it?
Do you wanna know?
Yes: to put a live call on my cellphone (MTN, you’ll recall of course) to the “office” for the team to listen to Chief Osoba’s conversations with us in *his* house “live and direct”.
As you may expect in such obvious endeavor, a promise of credit card (I think N5,000 then) and honorarium (or is it “bribe”) to buoy my cellphone and ensuring unfailing workability was made.
Still, I refused.
“Emi omo ti won biire” (me, a child who was well born (or well brought up), I flatly declined.
All other entreaties, even by others present, fell on my deaf ears.
I insisted that besides its unethical conduct, it’s immoral and un-Godly for me to engage in such act.
“Mama mi o gbodo gbo” (my mum must not heard of me in such misconduct) philosophy echoed in my moral upbringing caution.
At that time, only my mum was alive as “my papa don die plenty years ago.”
Annoyingly, I stormed out of the office and left for Chief Osoba’s house to join my colleagues with my name, honour, prestige and integrity intact.
Of course, I was fulfilled, in my heart, that I turned down such untidy and “used-and-dumped-destroyed” request.
But, sadly someone else (a fellow journalist who has a name to be identified with) did the “dirty job.”
Surprisingly, the following day, …..
Anyway, further details of events thereafter are in my unforgettable memory, which may be in a book [if I’m interested in writing one] or mere reference at seminar talks on idealism in journalism and ethical conducts of journalists while “romancing” with the government.
As I just, now, stumbled and read on Penpushing platform about your birthday sir @HE Chief Segun OSOBA , the memory of the unforgettable day returned to me.
Indeed, I must say that my refusal to betray you was not because you’re my Egba “papa”, fellow “Oluwo” (like I often joked with you then) and our “Baba” in journalism, but I did due to the fact that I cannot be bribed with ephemeral money or material things over such shenanigans.
Those who knew me well then, they still know me for that principle up till today.
In fact, that’s why I staged a one-man placard protest against racism (on a major road in front of our court) here yesterday.
Similarly, I declined because of our noble profession of journalism, the immoralness therein and definitely it was an un-Godly act.
Papa Osoba, sorry to disturb you with this historically undeniable facts (as I have witnesses, though one is dead: Toba Suleiman), but the incident flashed back to my memory as you mark your birthday and the photograph(s) that refused to depart my memory, hence my decision to share it here.
Once again, congratulations on your birthday Baba Osoba, an icon in journalism in Nigeria and, by extension, globally.
Lobafinish o!
*Chief ‘Femi Shodunke [Oluwo-Baaroyin, dr. _honoris causa_ ], Toronto, Canada.
