SOLILOQUY: Just to say thank you

By Ayeni Adekunle

‘Bring me all your flowers today
Whether pink, white or red:
I’d rather have one blossom now
Than a truckload when I’m dead’ – Author unknown.

Dave Njoku was a reporter with the Daily Times, when our paths crossed in 1998.

I was trying to transform my local event to a national youths award for music, and a chance meeting with Dave would lead me to a beautiful relationship with the arts and entertainment desk at Daily Times.

Most times, all you need is for one man to believe in your dream.

Dave did. But he was not a core entertainment person; so he introduced me to his colleagues Francisca Kadiri, Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Jude Nwauzor who were all more than happy to help and support.

Beyond news stories and interviews, Francisca, Nse and Jude became unofficial members of the committee, supporting the sponsorship drive, and helping with contacts and other invaluable resources. I remember vividly, the several meetings at Dave’s home, near Igbo Elerin, after Okokomaiko on the outskirts of Lagos. I remember the sponsorship meetings with Francisca, and how Jude combed Ikeja and environs with me, looking for a venue owner that’ll let us use his property. The venue we eventually used, Jerry Anazia’s Party House on Allen Avenue, was partly facilitated by Jude. Nseobong who introduced me to almost everyone he knew, shared his media contacts freely, and helped write most of our news releases.

I was a young boy – a teenager – with no contacts, money or experience.

Apart from my AIT sisters Liz Boglo, Lade Atofojumo and Shade Lediju, and my friend Father U Turn, I doubt I knew anyone else in the industry at the time. And I was planning to organize the Youths Awards For Excellence in Music (YAFEM). How to get the major stars to attend and perform? How to fund the event? How to put everything together? I was already neck deep before I realized what id gotten myself into.

But thanks to Dave and the Daily Times crew, thanks to my AIT sisters, to my ‘oga’ Niyi Abiwonnu, my friends Henry Ekechukwu and Idris Sarumi, and to the late Soji Dehinde (who, amongst many other things, hooked me up with Ayo Animashaun, and Tee A who hosted the show), we had a ball when YAFEM debuted on November 22, 1998.

During the show that night, Sunny Neji, Daddy Showkey, Zaaki Azzay, Blackky, Alariwo, Deji and Yemi Adenuga, Kupa Victory, Pasuma, and many others were so impressed they prayed for us and offered support in many ways.

It’ll be 14 years this Thursday.

I had since forgotten about YAFEM, having moved from events promotions to media and communications. But the memories have been rushing back since last week, when Nseobong, who’s now an editor with THISDAY told me he clocked 50 on November 9.

Apart from YAFEM, Nseobong has added value to my life and career in more ways than I can ever pay back. When I became a reporter at Encomium in 2004, he became one of my biggest fans and supporters, along with Steve Ayorinde, Olumide Iyanda, Tunde Obe, Keke Ogungbe and others who provided all the encouragement and tips a young man needed to excel on the job.

When I Suddenly left Encomium on February 13, 2007, following a disagreement with my boss Kunle Bakare, there were three people God sent to me: Jahman Anikulapo who offered me The Guardian platform, and for whom I wrote my first post-Encomium piece; Chude Jideonwo who recommended me for several editorial positions, including the position of Editor at MADE Magazine (I lost that job to Chris Ihidero, by the way), and Nseobong Okon Ekong who got me a ‘job’ at THIS DAY, through then Gliterrati editor Moses Jolayemi. I would spend the next two years plus running the showbiz column in THIS DAY on Sunday, a period I consider one of the most important in my career.  I never received a dime all through my stay at THISDAY, but the readers I reached, the contacts I made, the lessons I learned are absolutely invaluable.

I never worked as a full time staff at THISDAY, and even when I moved to THE PUNCH following Steve Ayorinde’s kind invitation in 2009, I remained an external columnist. This is because, following Keke Ogungbe’s advise, in my last days at Encomium, I had developed interest in PR and set up a small business. The business grew so fast that within two years, we were working with some of the biggest entertainment brands around.

That business is what many now know as BlackHouse Media (BHM). And in spite of being my former ‘boss’ who was reluctant to see me leave THISDAY, Nse has been one of our biggest supporters. Having a reliable media network is an invaluable asset in PR. With many agencies, brands and organizations constantly competing for space; hoping to retain top of mind awareness in the minds of their publics, people like Nseobong (and a lot of my other friends at The Punch, The Guardian, The Nation, Encomium and so on) are the reason we’re still in business.

And when he told me casually over the phone last week, that he had clocked 50, I didn’t think twice before saying to him ‘egbon we have to celebrate you o’.

I have often said that we need to appreciate our friends and family more; celebrate and appreciate them now that they’re still here. What’s the use of all the tears we shed, all the sorrow and agony, all the tribute we pay when their soul is gone, if we showed no gratitude, no love, while they were here?

In Nigeria, it’s fashionable to celebrate and honour the rich and powerful.  There’s nothing wrong with that. But people like Nseobong whose professional conducts are worthy of emulation, should be celebrated more.

The support I received from him and the Daily Times gang in my early days, the opportunity to use the THISDAY platform, the lessons I learnt from him have contributed tremendously to who and what I’ve become today. The BHM Group currently employs over 30 people, with clients and partners in telecoms, fashion, banking, media, FMCG, entertainment and other industries. I look back and wonder how I’d have been able to build the dream, without the early support I received from Nse and co in 1998, and from the likes of Keke, Ayo Animashaun (who gave us our first office space, for free) and my best friends M. A. Oguntala and Dotun Ayeni – who have supported every single career decision I’ve taken, even if it made no sense to them at the time.

Nseobong has never been rich and I doubt he’ll ever be a big man, by the Nigerian definition. He lives in a modest neighbourhood called Isheri-Oshun in Lagos, was without a car for many years until he recently got an official car from THISDAY. An arts and culture reporter, with very key interests in music, hospitality and tourism, he must have seen many come and ‘make it big’ within a few years, while he remained on the beat, travelling round the world to gather stories while struggling, like the typical Nigerian journalist, to make ends meet.

And for someone who doesn’t exchange coverage for money; who would scarcely ask for favours or expect gratification, it’s not surprising many, including me, have often taken him for granted. It’s easy, in fact, to take the average good Nigerian for granted. And it’s terribly wrong. Why is it that the people we’re quick to please, are those ‘troublesome ones’ who throw tantrums and threaten and blackmail?

People like Nseobong – and I’m fortunate to be surrounded by many of them – deserve all the gratitude we can show; all the love and respect and praise, now that it still has meaning. I’ve started showing mine for sometime now, as many of my good friends will tell you. And it’s been my decision that when someone that’s very dear to me achieves a milestone, I’ll go all out to honour him or her.

50 is major, and Nse is next on my list.

Happy birthday, dear sir!