By Babafemi Ojudu
Today, this fine gentleman is another year wiser. And by “fine,” I mean it in the most original sense of the word. Our friendship dates way back to 1980 when we both stepped foot into the then University of Ife. We’ve stuck together through thick and thin for decades. He even graciously became my landlord for a brief moment when my “real” landlord decided to give me and my wife a hard time, what they call real shege , in Lagos. And, to top it all off, he named his first daughter Tola after my wife. That’s true friendship right there.
During his last visit to my place in Ekiti, he took over my bed because it was the only room with air conditioning powered by solar energy. Can you believe it? A small guy asserting dominance over a big guy – it’s like a little David versus a large Goliath.
Okay, I’ll admit it – he had me beat in grammar in Ife , but when it came to Literature, I was the undefeated champ during our university days. However, when it comes to Aluta matters, I was miles ahead of him. He wouldn’t even touch that with a ten-foot pole. My only regret is that when he joined the Guerrilla army of The News, he managed to escape arrest during those heart-stopping raids and ambushes by the Abacha forces. I secretly wished for him to get arrested, just like I had been countless times. That’s what friends are for, right?
I’ve heard rumors that the Emure people are skilled in aferi – a juju that makes one invincible to the enemy. Some say that’s why he managed to evade capture so many times. But I simply refuse to believe it. My theory? He was just too small, like ‘a tiny dot in a circle’, apology to President Buhari for the security forces to even notice. He was often mistaken for a ‘copy boy’ in the newsroom. I even teased his wife about his refusal to develop a lovely stomach pouch like mine. I accused her of not feeding him well enough, to which she would respond with a half-hearted “Asonilenu lore yin.” Apparently, even if she fed him the whole world, it wouldn’t show in his body. What an ingrate of a husband. But I suspect that’s just her frustration talking.
Nevertheless, let’s raise a glass today in honor of the man I affectionately call “small Dots” – after all, we’ve been friends for over four decades.
Happy Birthday, Dotun ADEKANMBI!
