Bob Oseni

By Moses Olafare

Wale Bob Oseni! Where are you?

Exactly two weeks ago, Sunday 24th October 2021 precisely, we were together at the Iya Adura’s Love of Christ Church, Victoria Island, Lagos for Mr Dele Momodu’s Thanksgiving Service.

As I walked alongside the Iyalaje Oodua Worldwide Princess Dr Toyin Kolade into the reception arena on the 2nd floor of the church, I heard a call of my name “Moses!” I looked towards the direction of the call and I saw you, already leaving your seat to meet us(humility).

Of course, I was surprised to see you, because I never knew you were still in the country since our last meeting earlier this year( February) when you visited my office at the palace in Ile-Ife. “Paddy mi! O wo’lu, oo je ki n mo; My friend! So, you came into the country and you didn’t let me know” I said.
‘No no no! I’ve not gone back to the US since the last time we saw.” You swiftly replied me and you continued by reminding me of how you had in February intimated me of your plan to remain in Naija for a possible long stay as you were being or might be involved in a huge project and that you’ve only concluded plans to travel in November to meet your family after close to a year and to return to Nigeria as soon possible.

You, in a friendly way, lambasted me to have not picked your several calls, I disagreed with you “Aaaah Wale! You didn’t call me ooooo”. Both of us brought out our phones to confirm through call logs for pieces of evidence and counter pieces of evidence. It ended in a ‘No Victor No Vanquished’ manner.

I also still recall how we gisted for about 30 minutes and we had to adjourn till any time soon upon returning from your planned journey to America……….
– Your 50th birthday
– Ile-Ife
– State of Osun
– Oodua Race
– Nigeria
– Politics
– Economy……..
“Moses! Why are the roads in Ile-Ife so terribly deplorable?” “There is so much hunger in the country” “Where are the rich Ife indigenes? and ” blablabla….

The late Bob Oseni and members of his family
Photo credit:@nikkyworldblog

“Wale! We certainly can’t be discussing these issues here. We shall fully discuss when next you come to Ife.” I simply replied. We sat and continued with why we were at the event till we left for our separate destinations.

“Safe flight Wale as you fly to the US next month and regards to your family especially your daughter that I hosted two years ago at the palace,” I said. “Thanks, friend! See you soon by God’s grace and I will deliver your message. My regards to your family too”. He replied.

You are so compassionate
You are so good a friend
You love Ile-Ife so much
You are so hardworking
You are so super smart
You wanted success
You worked for it
And you got it
But……………..
Hmmmmmm
Really sad!
Wale! You had committed no crime to have returned home to join in the development of your fatherland.

You had committed no crime to have decided to visit your darling wife and precious children in the US after almost one year without them physically.

And you had committed no crime to have branched to see your friend Late Femi Osibona who I heard was equally a business partner (even in the project in question) on that fateful day either as invited or not

The news that you are gone is thus like a dream.
I can only pray for your gentle soul and the family you left behind to be able to bear the irreparable loss your very sad untimely death may cause.

We were together two weeks ago in very high spirit and hoped to meet again in another one month, only to read this sad news nine days later. Aaaah!

My wife screamed “God! Why?” when she heard that my friend who two years ago sent a free Ankara(Aso ebi) to her for his mother in law’s burials was the same Wale Bob Oseni trapped alongside his friend as widely reported.

Idowu Salami, the Ooni’s Traditional Secretary, broke down when I reminded him of Wale Bob Oseni, my friend who took us in his Red Color Range Rover from our hotel; Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center National Harbor, Washington DC to Walmart National Harbor Blvd, Fort Washington, MD when we needed to do shopping in 2016. Jumoke Precious Princess Anike too was with us.

Hmmm So, you would never make the US trip?

Goodnight my dear Wale Bob Oseni

May I also pray for the gentle souls of all other people(including your friend Femi) who lost their lives in the ill-fated building collapse while I congratulate the miraculous survivors and those who had earlier before the fateful day visited the same penthouse my senior St. Jonhnian Mr Dele Momodu of Ovation Magazine and My good brother and friend, Alhaji Rotimi Osobemekun

Ojo A Jina Si’ra o!
A Ko Ni Si N’ile L’ojo T’ebi N’pa Ile
A Ko Ni Rin L’onaL’ojo T’ebi N’p’ona
Gbogbo Omo Ile-lfe A ku Ara Fe’ra Ku o

Wale, I once again pray the Almighty Olodumare will give your family and relatives home and abroad the fortitude needed to bear the loss your death may have come to cause.

AMIN! ASE! AMEN!

Yera Moses Olafare, Ooni of Ife’s Spokesman),
Lowa Ada’s Compound,
Okerewe,
Ile-ife.