A restless dreamer who built a legacy, …

It was sometimes in 1984. I was sitting at my desk as a sunday tribune editor when an unusual visitor broke into my office. He had a small frame, wore a large safari dress and seemed visibly restless. He hadn’t booked an appointment: he just stormed. But behind the hasty ways, I perceived the vision and guide.

Without offering him a place, I asked him to see my secretary first, in part to calm him down. A few minutes later, my secretary did it again.

“Gentleman, what are you looking for?” I asked.

Without hesitation, he replied: “My name is Seye Kehinde. I want to be a journalist and writer.”

“Your qualification?” I asked.

“Now I’m finishing at the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University), specializing in history,” he replied confidently.

I have not lost time. I gave him a topic and asked him to deliver a piece in 30 minutes. It returned to 25. While the piece was missing from the Polish of professional journalism, grammar and syntax were excellent. I saw the promise: a teacher teacher and a laborious spirit. I immediately knew that it would be a resource for Sunday tribune, then evaluated by the ABC as the second largest circulating card in Nigeria after the Daily Times.

The next day, I had an appointment with the head of Obafemi Awolowo in his home of Ikenne. I needed someone to accompany me and help to transcribe the interview. I didn’t look far away, I called Seye.

What I didn’t know was that God was using me to fulfill the dream of a young man’s life. Meeting Pope Awo was a goal for him. Back in the office, I asked Seye to summarize the interview. With my great surprise, he produced a masterpiece.

He worked with me for a few months before telling me that he had to go on: his family was in Lagos. I wanted it to remain as a correspondent of our Lagos, but unfortunately there was no vacant place at the moment. Seye was always restless, always bringing forward. The same restlessness gave birth to the people of the city, a brand that will turn 30 next year.

Once he wrote: “I am 60 years old, and the brand of the people of the city became adult. Hmmm! It was by grace of the highest god. I still can’t explain as a simple idea that I conceived as a graduate in the history of the second year at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) has evolved in the great brand that is today.”

From the art of the art of the historical house of the oldest surviving private newspaper of Nigeria-Seye, the young man once rough and restless, has nourished his dream beyond expectations.

Seye, I am proud to be part of your journey. While you will turn 60, that you can live many other years to grow your seed in the most powerful oak.

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