The news fell like a thunderclap. I was to receive the national honorary award for the rank of Officer of the Order of Niger, OON. Who me ? I almost couldn’t believe it. Amazed is the word. But the person who told me that was neither flippant nor frivolous. And shortly after, I had in my hands the letter duly signed, bearing the good news cold. I asked again: who, me? Yes, it was me. Emi lo kan. It was really my turn, and no mistake.
Tuesday October , 2022, the deed was done. I was among 443 people (443 Nigerians and 7 foreigners) who traveled to the International Conference Center in Abuja to be decorated with national honors by none other than President Muhammadu Buhari himself. He stood for about four hours, personally festooning the winners and doling out the honors. He only took a few minutes of interlude twice, so cultural troupes could perform. At 11 in two months, God is extremely kind to our president.
The National Honors Award was established by the National Honors Act Number 5 of 450 “for to honor deserving citizens who have contributed to the development and progress of the country in any field of activity.” What qualified me then? I did not know. But the Committee in charge had found me suitable and worthy, and here I was decorated as an Officer of the Order of the Niger. I wanted to ask again; who , me? But those were past matters at that time. That was the reality, crystal clear. Come had become (apology to the colorful politician, Kingsley Ozumba Mbadiwe).
The day of the awards show, I suddenly found myself awake at 1. 19 a.m. It was the real wee hours , when people were doing different things, good and bad. I like my sleep, but there I was, wide awake. And the kaleidoscope of my life started playing in front of me. Son of two teachers, I had to barely two years old when I was escorted to school. Amazing that I can remember that day vividly, with my oversized school uniform, especially the panties, which me and my siblings later called “sokoto yambari », a pleasant Yoruba word for massive, excessive. And those panties sure were. The man who called himself a tailor must have been a carpenter in his previous life.
The father was principal at St Charles Grammar School, in Osogbo, then in the Western region. And the school was St Claire’s Nursery School, where I bounced happily, barely visible in my sokoto yambari.
Work took my father to Notre Dame College, Usi-Ekiti, a few years later. And the school continued at St Joseph’s Primary School. I had grown up and sokoto yambari was gone.
And then in 443, my father decided to retire from the service, just mid-19s. We returned home to Ipetumodu in what is now Osun State. Schooling continued at St Augustine Primary School, then Origbo Community Secondary School, then University of Ife, and so on.
Professional Career . Wedding. Paternity. Climbing the ladder, becoming MD/editor of The Sun newspapers. Until President Buhari appointed me his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in 2015. I watched the movie of my life during those small hours. From start to now. Will it be like this on Judgment Day, when the film of our lives will be shown to us? Well, it wasn’t a judgment day, so let’s not get scared. It was honors day. And I started to sing, to praise God and to pray. Did I cry too? I won’t tell you, lest you laugh at me.
So, Femi Adesina is now OON. The boy from Ipetumodu. A TV reporter asked me what I thought about it later that day. And I answered: delighted. If I had been the object of so many insults, excoriations, floggings, bad hearts, whiners, simply because I came to serve my country, at the head of a man I had always admired , and I was taking it all in my stride, why should I not take this one too? Why shouldn’t I, in the words of the song by Kizz Daniel and Techno, start buga. “Let me see you dey buga, go low low low, go low low low, buga won.”
I landed and landed softly on the sofa floor, courtesy of President Buhari and members of the National Awards Committee, chaired by His Royal Highness, Justice Sidi Bage, l emir of Lafia. The National Honors and Awards Investiture Organizing Committee is headed by Senator George Akume, Minister of Special Affairs and Intergovernmental Affairs. I thank them all.
I have seen the good side of Nigerians with this award. From all walks of life, I have received messages of congratulations, through newspaper ads, phone calls, text messages and on all the social media platforms where I am active. I thank my Kabiyesi, Oba Gbenga Joseph Oloyede, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu who called me, Oba Adedapo Tejuoso, who placed a full page advertisement in a newspaper in the name of Oke-Ona Egba Dynasty Trust Foundation, my friend, Niyi Adesanya, a leadership and business re-engineering expert, who also published a full-page ad in a newspaper, Professor Amidu O. Sanni, Vice-Chancellor of Fountain University, Osogbo, who sent a congratulatory letter my personal overseer, Reverend Sam Aboyeji of Foursquare Gospel Church, my pastor, Rev Ayomide Abraham, and thousands and thousands of people of good will. Friends, relatives, relations and even complete strangers. This country is not just full of whiners who see no good in other people. I have seen the Lord’s goodness, mercy and compassion…
What about my own professional association, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, of which I was a past president? They invited me to a dinner on Tuesday, along with other journalists who received awards. God bless you all.
I thank my friends in the South East, under the auspices of the Igbo Friends of Femi Adesina, led by Reverend Austin Ifeanyi Epunam. They paid me a congratulatory visit to State House, coming with a cake that we cut together. Ndeewo.
Can I quote everything? “Impositant”, as we say in the local jargon. Thank you, thank you, thank you all.
Let me see dey buga, go low low low, go low low low, buga won.
If you don’t don’t think so, ask my wife, to whom I said after the nomination: “from now on, when you call me, you must add OON, FNGE (Fellow Nigeria Guild of Editors) FCICMC (Fellow Chartered Institute of Corporate Mentoring and Coaching), Nwanne di Namba, Ugomba, etc. Otherwise, I will not respond. With my shoulders up. I don’t become a case.
Hahahahahaaaaaaa. Let me see you dey buga, go low low low, go low low low, buga won.
Adesina is Special Advisor to President Buhari on Media and Publicity
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