March 31
March 31
Baba Lawyer,
Egbon mi from another mother. You were my cousin's childhood friend in Molete Ibadan, there you used to play football on the grounds of ICC primary school with my cousin, your dearest friend, Abiodun Oladewa between the 70s-80s. Your friendship continued as destiny brought your paths to cross in Lagos.
I got to know you in 1989-1990 during your law school days, then I just moved in with my cousin at 435/437 Herbert Macaulay street. I remember vividly that you had 3 regular friends, all of whom were your classmates at OSU and law school respectively (late Segun Odubela, Femi Durojaiye, Jide Okafor). You guys were always together, dreaming of a successful practice years ahead. Not too long after, Femi Durojaye relocated to England, leaving you, Jide Okafor and late Segun Odubela who used to fondly call you, his royal highness, the one and only Akarigbo, Oba-lola, Obaleye Solanke. As the years go bye, you and Mr Segun Odubela became like Siamese twins.
By 1990 when you moved in with my cousin, Kunle Adegborioye too moved in and we became 4 flat mates, I was the youngest amongst you. Although we were all from different parents, we lived happily with little or nothing, everyone of us looking forward to a greater future in our respective chosen fields. My cousin and Kunle were some of the finest young professional artists-Painters at the time. I was a fledgling teacher while you were the legal luminary, smart, intelligent and a sagacious promising lawyer in the making, always scolding and letting us see reason why we were wrong in our line of thoughts or decision and why ir would not hold water in the court of law.
One thing nobody could fault you with is your love for good, quality things. You loved good dressing and never failed to dress well. You could spend hours trying to match a neck tie with your shirt and suit, the color combination must match. You were what the Yorubas call, 'Afinju'.
Brother Dele, I remember how the 4 of us used trek to our favorite restaurant at Jibowu, while 3 of us eat like hungry tigers, you would barely eat what you ordered, but tell us that, we were not supposed to be eating like we did. You would tell us we ate like artisans, you were always the polished one but we never cared, we laughed it off. Some days when we didn't have enough money to go eat at the restaurant, we improvised by cooking concoction-rice, at other times, we used grind-pepper to make stew and or meatless-egusi-soup for our eba. No matter how hungry you were then, you never ate that with us- You called the food poison which you were afraid may kill us some day.Your sister, auntie Yinka on many occasions was your saving grace from hunger.
When my cousin relocated to England in1991, you asked me to come live with you in your father's house at Moshalasi where you left me while you went to Kano for your NYSC at Majiyagbe and Co. Immediately after your NYSC year in Kano, you came back to Lagos with a big dream. Although you had big dreams, navigating around it was a bit difficult as it is normal for any young aspiring professional in Nigeria. It was tough but I saw a hunger and determination to succeed in you.
I also remember vividly how you would wake up middle of the night, strategizing on your next moves. I never forgot how on different occasions when you would wake me up middle of the night chastising me about sleeping too much, your words were, 'you can't make it in life if you continue to sleep like this, midnights like this is when successful people are busy making money'. My response were, "only God can make one rich regardless of whatever efforts you put in or did not put in". Most evenings, we would hang out at Agege motor road in Moshalashi to see your friends Brother Bode Adams, Segun and Gbenga Ayoko, there we would discuss into the wee hours of the nights.
Around 1992, I left you at Moshalashi to go live at Gbagada, although we were not seeing each other like before, you remained the only egbon I had around. I would visit you at Ojuelegba where you had your chambers. After my NYSC orientation in 1997, I was so disappointed that I could not serve at Shell BP where I had been assured to serve. I asked you if you could help me get into AIT. Immediately you told Otunba Owuru, one of your mentors who, even without knowing me, gave me a note to Kenny Ogungbe who immediately gave me a spot as a Youth Corper at DAAR Communication, all because of you.
It was at your chambers at Ojuelegba on one of my visits that my turning point came. I used your landline telephone to make a call that helped me relocate to England. While in England, I would call you every now and then, you will always call me, 'Aremuu-mii'. The last time I saw you was in 2011 when I came home. I was so happy to see you, your wife and little children then. However, I felt something was wrong, something was not right. You had lost so much weight even though you were not known to be a very massive person at the best of times. I asked what was wrong but you said nothing and we laughed it off blaming it on the Nigerian stress.
I was in regular contact with you for many years, especially on many of your trips to Scottsdale, Arizona, we would talk, joke and be sarcastic without ending like we used to do at Herbert Macaulay in the 80s. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to visit you. I should have find time to visit you.
Baba-D, Bros-Del, Baba-Lawyer, my flat-mate, my landlord, my friend, my egbon, my confidant, the day stood still as I read through your sudden passing on Facebook. I am yet to recover from your demise, it is an understatement that you are sorely missed. Coincidentally, I got to know of the death of your bosom friend, Mr Segun Odubela's demise on the pages of a newspaper, less than one year after your passage. This confirms how very close you two were, you will surely continue with your friendship beyond.
In March 2024, you would have clocked 60, happy posthumous birthday. Tomiwa and the children are holding fort in your absence, albeit you are missed every moment of their days. I know you are with them and will always do-abiamo dada. Oko to moyin aya re.
Keep on resting in the bosom of your Lord, Oladele Obaleye Solanke Esq.
Your one and only, Akinloye Oyerinde-Kobinu ENIKAN
Egbon mi from another mother. You were my cousin's childhood friend in Molete Ibadan, there you used to play football on the grounds of ICC primary school with my cousin, your dearest friend, Abiodun Oladewa between the 70s-80s. Your friendship continued as destiny brought your paths to cross in Lagos.
I got to know you in 1989-1990 during your law school days, then I just moved in with my cousin at 435/437 Herbert Macaulay street. I remember vividly that you had 3 regular friends, all of whom were your classmates at OSU and law school respectively (late Segun Odubela, Femi Durojaiye, Jide Okafor). You guys were always together, dreaming of a successful practice years ahead. Not too long after, Femi Durojaye relocated to England, leaving you, Jide Okafor and late Segun Odubela who used to fondly call you, his royal highness, the one and only Akarigbo, Oba-lola, Obaleye Solanke. As the years go bye, you and Mr Segun Odubela became like Siamese twins.
By 1990 when you moved in with my cousin, Kunle Adegborioye too moved in and we became 4 flat mates, I was the youngest amongst you. Although we were all from different parents, we lived happily with little or nothing, everyone of us looking forward to a greater future in our respective chosen fields. My cousin and Kunle were some of the finest young professional artists-Painters at the time. I was a fledgling teacher while you were the legal luminary, smart, intelligent and a sagacious promising lawyer in the making, always scolding and letting us see reason why we were wrong in our line of thoughts or decision and why ir would not hold water in the court of law.
One thing nobody could fault you with is your love for good, quality things. You loved good dressing and never failed to dress well. You could spend hours trying to match a neck tie with your shirt and suit, the color combination must match. You were what the Yorubas call, 'Afinju'.
Brother Dele, I remember how the 4 of us used trek to our favorite restaurant at Jibowu, while 3 of us eat like hungry tigers, you would barely eat what you ordered, but tell us that, we were not supposed to be eating like we did. You would tell us we ate like artisans, you were always the polished one but we never cared, we laughed it off. Some days when we didn't have enough money to go eat at the restaurant, we improvised by cooking concoction-rice, at other times, we used grind-pepper to make stew and or meatless-egusi-soup for our eba. No matter how hungry you were then, you never ate that with us- You called the food poison which you were afraid may kill us some day.Your sister, auntie Yinka on many occasions was your saving grace from hunger.
When my cousin relocated to England in1991, you asked me to come live with you in your father's house at Moshalasi where you left me while you went to Kano for your NYSC at Majiyagbe and Co. Immediately after your NYSC year in Kano, you came back to Lagos with a big dream. Although you had big dreams, navigating around it was a bit difficult as it is normal for any young aspiring professional in Nigeria. It was tough but I saw a hunger and determination to succeed in you.
I also remember vividly how you would wake up middle of the night, strategizing on your next moves. I never forgot how on different occasions when you would wake me up middle of the night chastising me about sleeping too much, your words were, 'you can't make it in life if you continue to sleep like this, midnights like this is when successful people are busy making money'. My response were, "only God can make one rich regardless of whatever efforts you put in or did not put in". Most evenings, we would hang out at Agege motor road in Moshalashi to see your friends Brother Bode Adams, Segun and Gbenga Ayoko, there we would discuss into the wee hours of the nights.
Around 1992, I left you at Moshalashi to go live at Gbagada, although we were not seeing each other like before, you remained the only egbon I had around. I would visit you at Ojuelegba where you had your chambers. After my NYSC orientation in 1997, I was so disappointed that I could not serve at Shell BP where I had been assured to serve. I asked you if you could help me get into AIT. Immediately you told Otunba Owuru, one of your mentors who, even without knowing me, gave me a note to Kenny Ogungbe who immediately gave me a spot as a Youth Corper at DAAR Communication, all because of you.
It was at your chambers at Ojuelegba on one of my visits that my turning point came. I used your landline telephone to make a call that helped me relocate to England. While in England, I would call you every now and then, you will always call me, 'Aremuu-mii'. The last time I saw you was in 2011 when I came home. I was so happy to see you, your wife and little children then. However, I felt something was wrong, something was not right. You had lost so much weight even though you were not known to be a very massive person at the best of times. I asked what was wrong but you said nothing and we laughed it off blaming it on the Nigerian stress.
I was in regular contact with you for many years, especially on many of your trips to Scottsdale, Arizona, we would talk, joke and be sarcastic without ending like we used to do at Herbert Macaulay in the 80s. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to visit you. I should have find time to visit you.
Baba-D, Bros-Del, Baba-Lawyer, my flat-mate, my landlord, my friend, my egbon, my confidant, the day stood still as I read through your sudden passing on Facebook. I am yet to recover from your demise, it is an understatement that you are sorely missed. Coincidentally, I got to know of the death of your bosom friend, Mr Segun Odubela's demise on the pages of a newspaper, less than one year after your passage. This confirms how very close you two were, you will surely continue with your friendship beyond.
In March 2024, you would have clocked 60, happy posthumous birthday. Tomiwa and the children are holding fort in your absence, albeit you are missed every moment of their days. I know you are with them and will always do-abiamo dada. Oko to moyin aya re.
Keep on resting in the bosom of your Lord, Oladele Obaleye Solanke Esq.
Your one and only, Akinloye Oyerinde-Kobinu ENIKAN