U must envy me, I swear and the reason is straightforward
Elder Statesmen love me. From Chief Obasanjo thru Chief Emeka Anyaoku and my bestie Gen Nwachukwu and now my favourite Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi, they all just smile when they see me.
I think they’re just curious and mostly just find me amusing
I see it in Cheif Obasanjos eyes when he grabs me and says – Duke whose trouble are u looking for now.
Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi is my favourite statesman.
He is debonoir, good looking and very philosophical. He speaks like a member of the British Royal Family and puts together his ideas and thoughts in beautifully delivered words that makes you listen.
Duke, I like your writings – he says to me. U bury your thoughts beyond the surface and only very wise people can dig below the surface to see what you are saying
Then you use humour to wrap your sting and that serves as a protective cover as you hit very aggressively
I met Prince Juluis Adelusi Adeluyi of the famous Juli Pharmacy thru my sister Nonny Ugboma
Prince was Chairman of giant MTN Foundation when Nonny was the brilliant and earth moving Executive Secretary
It was during Nonnys time that the Foundation strengthened the pillars of Nigerian theatre
Nonny has told me so much abt you, he says as i walk towards him in his expansive office located at the ever bustling Ikeja Roundabout.
Juli Pharmacy is an iconic brand. The first indegenous brand on the Stock exchange and its building an influential landmark in Ikeja
Duke, you must come and see me and I went.
His beautiful wife welcomes me to his exquisite living room and then he descends in a tube like elevator that reminds me of Captain Kirk in the Star wars trilogy
But instead of Captain Kirk in the famous uniform, its Prince in a beautiful up and down.
I meet his professor daughter and her professor husband and discussions about history go deep and varied
But it is the discussion around life that captures me
Pa Juli is a vessel of wisdom and his elocution makes listening to him a refreshing excercise
When you hold a hammer, everything about you looks like a nail he says to me as i seep from a bottle of Coca Cola
He talks about humility in a self depreciating fashion and pleades with you not to make a lot of noise about ‘little me’.
I look around and see no little anybody except me cos the person infront of me is a giant
A man who as a young student was already representing students world wide on a global body cannot be said to be little.
In that capacity, he met Gen Gowon at the heat of the civil war and from there built one of the most respected careers ever.
It is no wonder, that he was made the Minister of Health, the first Pharmacist to be so appointed and from there he was named into the Ernest Shonekan Interin Governent.
As I rounded up to go, he pulled me closer and showed me a report on the COVID committee that he chaired and when I looked in, I saw so many big and prominent names delineating his stature in that state
On my way home, I ask myself what exactly I would have to do in my life to get to this level of fulfilment
I’ll have to look up to God for guidance, to have a prayer
Thanks
Duke of Shomolu