*Photo: Aregbesola*
Many years ago while I was a Reporter/Researcher with Tempo Magazine, I was running two articles – ‘Heartlinks with Adeola Agoro’ and ‘Bites and Kisses’.
I was the darling of several people with Heartlinks with Adeola Agoro because I was connecting them with their desires, which ranged from love interests to lost contacts and whatever they wanted.
But with Bites and Kisses, I made enemies. It was either I was unearthing matters that did not concern me, or I was exposing what needed to be conceiled – I was biting. I was also hailing those who were doing well in the society or in their chosen careers – those were the ones I was kissing.
Whether I was biting or kissing, I was dreaded by everyone. Even those I was kissing didn’t feel safe with me. Maybe they felt I could bite them one day.
I learnt a bitter lesson – no matter how good a person is, he never forgets (forgives) those who try to bring him down even if he did bad to them. Most people would want to be corrected privately.
I went to take up the media job of Sen. Musiliu Olatunde Obanikoro after that. And I made sure I didn’t make enemies no matter how firece the opposition was.
When I saw the video of the person who was harassing Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, abroad last week, my heart almost stopped working.
I felt – ‘What madness would make you see a former governor and a current minister of your country and ridicule him no matter what country in the whole universe you’re living in???’
No matter what they’re feeding you back there or no matter the frustration that drove you abroad, you should be sensible enough to respect some things – position, age and dignity.
No matter what you think about our public officers, coming face-to-face with them should make you ask for a selfie first. Well, that’s what I would do first. Then, we would sit down together and I would ask questions about why Nigeria is the way it is. After that, we can rub minds and I would extract a promise that things would get better in my country. I would then exchange numbers and we would keep in touch.
But then, sense is not sold in the market. But first senselessness is the order of the day. People want to become ‘popular’ on social media with the wrong things and that’s why they attract idiots like themselves and do not get invited to where they can contribute sensibly to burning national matters.
And when you check those they’re popular with, you will see a great number of those who have missed it in life. That’s why poverty keeps getting stronger and going round. People don’t have sense.
Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, the former governor of my state, the one who helps everybody he comes In contact with, the man whose name is mentioned everywhere now as the man who allowed opposition to win in a state he once governed, the Omoluabi person that many cannot but love, I beg, I live in Abuja where you live as a minister. I like eating at Transcorp Hilton Hotel.
In fact, I’ll be there by weekend, precisely at the lobby to take lobster. I may be wearing jeans and a flowery top. Please come and eat there. Maybe I can meet you and we will discuss prisons reforms and the things I want for prisoners. And maybe I’ll be given the opportunity to contribute my own quota to what should be done.
And if you’re not coming there, anywhere you are, I’ll be there. I will kneel down like a properly trained Yoruba lady and call you by your pet names. I will then ask you those burning questions I’ve been meaning to ask you and them we will find a way around them and I’ll hold you by your words.
I was born and raised well. I don’t insult elders and I don’t harrasss them. And because you’re from my own very state, I will prove to you that bibi ire ko’se fo’wo ra. You can’t buy pedigree with money. Yes o.