ADIEU RICHIE DAYO JOHNSON
Just two weeks ago, when I wrote a tribute about my late brother, Apostle Ladi Lloyd-Kuyinu, I have prayed to God not to have any cause writing another one on anybody closer to me again. How could I have fathomed that exactly a week when my brother was buried, his bosom friend from secondary school, Birch Freeman High School and school mate at Ogun State Polytechnic who also happened to be my very close friend when our paths crossed at a postgraduate school in Middlesbrough in 1983 also died.
We were going through our enrollment registration at Teeside when he came across my name on the notice board and started wondering who was this Lloyd-Kuyinu. Anyway, he didnt take him long to fish me out of the few blacks that were enrolled for the postgraduate course.
When RDJ, approached me in his Queen's English diction and introduced himself and regaled his relationship with my late brother, we became bonded from that moment.
RDJ was a multitalented and multifaceted man who was always well crafted for whatever he planned to do. His affinity for speaking Patua (jamaican language) endeared him to all our course mates of different nationalities. I called him Dread as a rastafarian is referred.
There were so many fond memories with RDJ since we met.
When we were in Middlesbrough, I remembered when Funmi, his wife who was also at Teeside University studied French and had to go to France for a short external school program. RDJ will not allow me rest until he traveled to France to see Funmi. When Funmi got back from France we started referring to her as Mademoiselle Fumchie and later Madame Fumchie when they got married. One incident that intrigued me was when RDJ narrated his experience about the French delicacy of how sweet was the frog legs they ate at a restaurant.
So many countless occasions especially on weekends he would bring out his guitar and we sang reggae rhymes for our delighted weekend enjoyments. This also attested to his musical skills.
One incident I can never forget and which will ever remained indelible in my heart was when we came to London on holidays, we had good times and we had to go back to school. On our way to Middlesbrough, we drove in separate cars and had pulled over at a Motorway Cafe on M1 because we were very hungry but unfortunately we hadn't money. I remembered RDJ said he had his credit card with him but he was not sure if it would be honored because he had already exceeded his credit limit. However, we decided to try our faith and see whether we could get lucky. We went in and ordered chicken and chips and to our chagrin the credit card was accepted. When we got our food and about to start eating I threw my cutlery aside and started using my hands and devoured the food. RDJ being a man that ensued decency in everything he does was shocked at my manners of eating with my hands in the public especially with the white people around us who starred at me. But when I thought of what we went through before we could get the food, it gave me no chance to spare anything on my plate, hence, the reason I used my hands. I was particularly excited that by the time I finished eating almost every white people around us used their hands to do justice to their chicken and chips and RDJ remarked how pleasantly he was at the end of the day having done justice to our meals in African way.
He was a very compassionate man with the heart of Gold. He would always be readily available at short notice to render helping hands to anybody who needed his assistance. I've heard people said to me countless of times how generous he was.
RDJ encouraged me to come back to Nigeria after we finished at Teesside University. We enrolled together for our NYSC same day at their Surulere office.
The world has lost a toastmaster, inspirational speaker, coach and multi disciplined talent. Anytime I had cause to interact with RDJ, I always learned something new. He was well endowed with knowledge on various issues.
About 4 or 5 years ago, he invited my wife and I for a breakfast in his Magodo house and I remembered I retorted how well organized RDJ had been since I met him way back our school days. I also remembered my wife commented when we left his house of how finicky he was especially with what goes into his mouth.
A wellness expert who was very careful about his eating and drinking habits. He had a penchant of scaling or measuring what he consumed. He was so conscious and vast in his articulation for healthy living and wellness.
RDJ was an encyclopedia of knowledge and intuition. He was always armed with vocabularies to buttressed his points. He was an extremely critical thinker and personality who proffered solutions at what were perceived as difficult. Many people loved his approach to problems solving because of his critical analysis of his perspective on issues. Mentioned any topic and you'll be amazed at how RDJ would trash it to pieces without reference to his books. He was so cultured and gave attention to details. All these attributes made him unique and exemplary.
RDJ, had definitely left a void in his profession. We are going to miss his baritone voice that made his presentations very attractive. His good dress sense mode would be remembered for a very long time. RDJ will not wear a suit without a matching neck tie and pocket handkerchief.
Hmmmm a good kindhearted spirit had evaporated from our midst and there's nothing we can do about it. But seriously we are all a stone throw to our graves. We should all endeavor to leave a footprint that will remind people that we were once here.
RDJ will be solely missed.
My heart goes to Madame Fumchie and the children for this big loss. We have lost an icon and it's only God that can strengthen you and the family at this period. RDJ demise is another painful death within a month. We can only be comforted because we believed he is resting at the bosom of our Lord.
To his siblings whom I have known for donkey years, please accept my condolences for the loss of this great and wonderful man. It is true when they say it's not how long but how well. RDJ journey on this earth was short but was profound and impactful. He had changed many people's life through his teachings. He had given people that came across him hope to survive. He was a decent character that had tremendous influenced on people both near and far to him. He was a good man with impeccable demeanor and charming personality.
Adieu my brother and friend.
Taiwo Lloyd-Kuyinu