'Letter to Daddy 3' By Adesina Ogunlana

VOL.14. NO.9, 07-04-14

 

 

Dear Daddy,

I hope you are not cross that I bother you with this letter and so soon too. You are in a place of rest but a child like me cannot and will not allow you to forget that he is around and needs Daddy still.

Our elders say that “oku olomo ki sun.” (“The dead with offspring left behind still keep an eye on them”). I am not too sure whether this applies to the dead who are say, Chinese, British, Hausa, Ibo, Zulu, Egyptian, Holtenpot, Igalla, etc. Those ones may decide to sleep, but the Yoruba dead do not sleep or forget about their offspring; so there!

Today, 7^th April 2014 marks the tenth day since you “crossed the border.” Even though you left us quietly, even stylishly, the “whole Nigeria” has heard about your departure to yonderland.

I am sure you’ve met Baba Awolowo and Chiefs Michael Ajasin and Bola Ige, not to talk of your own dear father, Master. Thank God for Master, who made you abandon the aspiration to become a doctor and turned you into a Barrister.

I am happy to report that your dear wife and our mama, is keeping the home front afloat even though she is missing you terribly. She told me you were not just a husband to her but a father and a friend.

My sisters, Tola and Bola are doing very well too, attending to the unending stream of relatives, friends, neighbours and other fellow Nigerians who are paying condolence visits to the family.

Daddy, is it too late to make a legal practitioner out of Tola? Her mouth is too sharp for an accountant that she is. Accountants are supposed to be dull, wooden figures and saturated mechanical characters, but she is not. She is fond of calling me “Omo Baba” and introducing me to people as “Omo Baba” so I have resolved to pay her back in her own coin. From now on, her name is “Omo G.O.K,” I make a solemn vow to start calling her “Omo G.O.K”; we’ll see who will get tired first.

Daddy, all sorts of wonderful fellows have come to pay condolence visits to Mama. Bola Tinubu the Jagaban was here; Babatunde Fashola of the “Pay your Tax” fame was also here. Ibikunle Amosun too, came calling. His Excellency, Prince Bola Ajibola too. Your aburo Tunji Ayanlaja SAN also came but without his famous Apoti Aje. Mr. Okey Wali SAN, the president of the Nigerian Bar Association in company of several ‘Tigers’ and Dolphins from the Lagoon Bar also came.

The chairman of the Surulere Local Government also came calling, only to be put to task by Mama on the poor condition of the road to the house.

There was this gentleman who also came a visiting. He would not touch the scrumptious small chops offered him on the grounds that tradition forbade refreshment on condolence visits.

But Mama would not hear of any such talk. “Hey, look my dear, we are not mourning here, we are celebrating life. G.O.K died an old man. He was going to mark his 83^rd birthday,” she said.

Daddy, enough of the reports – let me go to my real reason for writing you.

And I ask only one question: Where is the book, the story of your earthly life that I repeatedly advised and requested you to write before your departure to yonderland?  

 http://learnedsquib.blogspot.com/2013/04/if-you-see-my-papa-hosannah-by-adesina.html  

Daddy, where is it?

Well, don’t be too distressed. What a daddy cannot or would not do, his kids can do.

For your information, I am interested in that project; so is Tola. Though you never wrote your Auto biography we shall do your Biography.

Close enough the target, I guess?

Old man, we miss you.  And Bye for now, Sir.

Your Son,

Adesina Ogunlana.