ÒGÌDÁN, ÒGÌDÁN, ÒGÌDÁN FOR WELFARE!!!
Refrain: Wero, wero
ÒGÌDÁN, ÒGÌDÁN, ÒGÌDÁN FOR WELFARE!!!
Refrain: Wero, wero
I call you today with the grace of the heavens in my heart and the voice of music that sings with the blessings of angels that recognise a gem wherever it is. Adédàmọ́lá Ògìdán is a friend of blessings and a commander of the garrison of goodness wherever there is war to be fought with ineptitude.
Three days ago, you arrived at the seventh floor of septuagenarians and for these three days I have been unable to put my thoughts together to celebrate a catechism of benefaction, a blessing of inestimable value, a loyal, warm, and intelligent man who is focused like the spirit level, constant like the Northern star and evident in glory like the lighthouse of Alexandria.
You were in Isa Kaita ground floor of the noble University of Nigeria, Nsukka and was introduced to me by my big brother Kẹ́híndé Olúpọ̀nà who was the Assistant Secretary of the Students Union in 1973/74 session. I recall with nostalgia the above chorus we rendered as we taxied back and forth UNN getting votes for you as the Welfare officer of the Students Union in 1974/75 session. You won the election with a land slide and the rest now is history. You are a name never to forget in the annals of the Nsukka Students Union’s history. In your tenure we enjoyed the best of services, and the epitome was when we were given twenty Naira rebate each as inconvenience allowance for sleeping three in a room instead of two from our annual school fees of N340 -N348 (depending on your course). This came with other perks and emoluments including the N500 students’ loan for students. I laugh to the toilets when I remember what Nigeria offered to us then and moan when I compare it with the sufferings of our young ones today.
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We became friends; very close ones at that. You were a pleasure to be with, a treasure to have and a star amongst students. You later became the Parrot of the Hornites Palmwine Drinkerds Club where you mesmerized Nsukka students with your writeups that warmed their hearts to high heavens with every plate of food served in the refectories. Your pen spoke with power; you displayed the uncanny erudition of a man from an indigenous background and crisscrossed literature like an Àṅjọ̀nú watching Chinua Achebe deliver powerful speeches at village meetings and Ochanja market Onitsha. You and I with Hornites Palmwine Chiefisis Délé Tóyè and Ṣegun Ọláwọyin were the revered guests to the Chiefs of Eha Alumuna (Hornites Patron), Ibagwa and Ogurugwu and we were the most renowned customers of Cletus Palmwine Shrine in town. At Cletus we tanked Palmwine like Tankers and imbibed Holywater delivered to our spirits like Holy communion to the Catholic. Indeed, at Cletus Cathedral, we inaugurated an Archbishop to minister the Gospel of Palmwine to the faithful at services and before you left the university, we had promoted the Nmayan Archbishop to a Cardinal for his capacity to intimidate the centipede in the gathering of drinkers. You and I also had our other prank that is a closely guarded secret known only to family members and close ones regarding our attempts to cross to medicine from Sociology and Philosophy because of Students Union. We hope our children never repay us back in kind with this wonder of our lifetime humour.
Ọmọ Bàbá Ògìdán, your home is my place; your place is my home. You married Olúfúnke, a Princess from the Royal Family of Ìdó Fábọ́rọ̀. Her great grandfather was the legendary Fábọ́rọ̀ of the famous Kíríjì wars. That lady is the cursor of your heart and a testimony of God’s goodness to a good home. She is an angel and a doyen of piety from Paradise. No wonder that you are gifted with accomplished children and have the best of persons to call your family members. You are indefatigable, loyal and blessed. You are also generous and willing to part with whatever you have for the goodness of man. You are Godly, honest and non-chameleonic. Indeed, you are a brave man and would speak your mind wherever the truth is needed. You have kept the best of circles and still parades yourself where men of worth are present. You speak always for a better Nigeria and is a willing contributor to whatever can bring joy and comfort to its people. Hence you succeeded in the world of journalism and became a name in the mass media that everyone is proud of. You shunned the brown envelope for the truth and is forever one of the last men standing where dignity is the sermon and integrity is the message. I toast your age of blessings that many will never reach but only the favour shall accomplish. 70 is not a mirage my friend.
My family and I wish you well as you cross into the seventh floor of men that are blessed with the prophesy of goodness, for mercy and success shall continue to follow you all the days of your life and you, your family and descendants shall forever be present where the grace of God abides and blessings are the showers of the day. Amen
Happy birthday to Adédàmọ́lá Ògìdán, a man for welfare and a gem that is forever one of the last men standing where dignity is the sermon and integrity is the message.
