You can also contact us by clicking here.
Wale Ojo-Lanre, Esq.
Haa! Haa!
Yes, you heard me right.
The journalist who cursed at Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari’s super mega empowerment in Ogbomoso was a reporter.
I was that journalist.
Before anyone begins binding and casting, I must confess that this was not a curse which would cause panic. This was a lovely curse. It was a beautiful curse. A sweet curse.
The graceful wife of former Oyo State Governor, Otunba Chris Adebayo Akala (the woman we respectfully refer to as Aunty Kemi Akala)
Kemi, the Chief of Staff at the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), has been an elegant woman who is always pleasant and warm. She is a woman of dignity and calmness, whether she’s in or out of government. She’s one of the rare public figures who is both humble and simple, but whose nobility does not suffer.
I still remember the Oyo NUJ Press Week that was held in my capacity as the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists Oyo State Council.
She was a great help, particularly during the church service at Ogbomoso. She didn’t treat it as an ordinary assignment. She gave the event weight, color, warmth and presence.
This was Kemi, the First Lady of Nigeria.
She used smiles to resolve issues, ease tensions and reach out to people.
When I met her in Ogbomoso, at the launch of Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari’s super mega empowerment program, it wasn’t just a chance encounter. This was more than a casual encounter.
It was an emotional reunion, a celebration of memories, and a show of respect.
She beckoned as soon she saw me.
Here you are, Mr. Wale Ojo Lanre!
As soon as I woke up, I moved to her.
I called her Aunty Kemi Alao Akala.
She smiled when she saw my famous Visit Ekiti cap.
She joked, “No Ojo-Lanre.
You too should go to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital,” referring to Ogbomoso’s great pride and one of Akala’s lasting legacies.
When I heard the joke, my heart swelled.
I said, “Ma. I’ll invite you specifically to Ekiti where warm and cold water run side-by-side at Ikogosi.” Come and see the beauty.
She seemed to be delighted.
While we were exchanging pleasantries, I recalled the warm, supportive, kind, and great deeds that she and Bra Bayo had done when they were alive.
She smiled. She then looked at me in that serious motherly way that conveys both love and authority. Then, she cursed.
“Wale Ojo Lanre, I know you’ll never stop being a good person. “I know that you won’t.”
Open my mouth.
“A curse, ma?” I asked jokingly.
She replied “Yes” and laughed.
You will never be free from the spell of goodwill. “You are not an insensitive person.”
Imagine a curse like that.
The curse of good.
The curse of memory
The curse of gratitude
It is a curse from which one must never escape.
These words have touched my heart in a time when many people forget the kindness of others, and where conveniences today often overshadow yesterday’s generosity. These words reminded me of the importance of gratitude. Memory isn’t foolishness. Politics has nothing to do with loyalty. Character is what it’s all about.
Perhaps that was what made the day so beautiful. In an event in which Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari empowered people with great style, I heard another kind of empowerment through Aunty Kemi Akala’s words.
It was the empowerment that came from the heart, of memory and of being reminded of goodness.
Just arrived in Ado Ekiti, after witnessing and participating in the noble act of Senator Buhari from Oyo North. Was I able to see in Ogbomoso? It was extraordinary. The scale was huge. It was also practical. People-centered.
Beneficiaries received 42 vehicles as well as more than 250 deep-freezers, 250 generators and more than 200 grinders.
I was dazzled.
My mind was hazy.
My mind was agitated.
This Senator is a man who understands what it means to be responsive and responsible in legislation. He knows that representation does not mean noise.
Impact is what he means. Service is impact. The ability to directly touch people’s lives and provide them with opportunities to be independent is service.
God bless Mrs Kemi Kemi for her motherly warmth and grace.
Bra Bayo Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala’s name will remain inscribed in history and the hearts of those who knew him.
May God strengthen Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari to continue serving his people.
The curse on Chief Mrs Kemi akala is something I fully accept.
I wish you and me a life filled with goodness.
