We used to live in Shomolu together, precisely Modupe Street off Fola Agoro
Never met him; didn’t dare, he was a blue blood. The house was brown, and I used to walk past and stare
Who was I to dare? This was Chief Awolowo’s grandson, the Chief Awolowo oooo not just anybody, Chief Awolowooooo
So I would mind my business and go home to my mother and say, ‘Mummy, Awo pikin dey live for our street,’ and she would say, ‘You see why you need to wear slippers before you go out.’
That was that, and that chapter ended. He moved out, we stayed put, and he continued in a very rich career trajectory which saw him play a role in the most brilliant civilian Government till date – Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration
Then, as I walked out of Chief Obasanjo’s bedroom after my play on him, I decided to do Awo
My play on his illustrious grandfather, and tapped the great Makinde Adeniran to write and direct the play
Then I called my sister Elvina Ibru, and she said – ohhh, I grew up with the Awolowos in Apapa, I’ll link you to Ladi Soyode
Ladi is a grandson just like Segun. His mother was an Awolowo
He said. You would have to talk to Segun, he is the oldest grandson, and I said oya
It was a three-way call and as the phone rang, my heart beat
Segun was no ordinary Segun. He was Awo’s grandson, and remember, Awo was a giant
But in his own stride, Segun had played a significant part in Nigeria’s entertainment space. Leading his friends to inspire a new wave in juju music called Afro Juju, as espoused by the iconic Sir Shina Peters
They were the first to echo – asiko awa youths re and Nigerians hearkened to the clarion call
Then he went serious and started working for the Government, and later emerged as one of the longest-serving directors at the Export Promotion Council
It is at this export council that he tried to sneak a peek out of Chief Awolowo’s very huge Agbada
His work as a Trade Czar finally allowed us to see his genius and passion for Nigeria
He carried himself with so much dignity and passion that he earned the respect of Nigerians while building powerful alliances with some of our most prominent businessmen, like Aliko Dangote and Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank
Hello, his gravy voice came on the call, and Ladi made the introductions and asked me to speak
My name is Edgar, and I used to know you in Shomolu, and he said – ohhh, that was years ago
I am doing a play for your grandfather-ohhh, say no more, you have my support, and that was the beginning of a beautiful friendship, which also opened me up to the influential Otunba Bimbo Ashiru
Segun threw every kind of support into the play, from financial to everything
He opened doors and would be calling me, Duke-Shey eti ro wo yen
And I will say oku dere, and he will say mo nbo, and he will make calls and calls
He brought the then VP Prof Osibajo, his wife, who is his cousin, Femi Gbaja, the Chief of Staff and Gov SANWO-OLU to the epic performance at the Glover Hall
He even brought Collins Chikeluba, the blue-blood second-generation wealthy man and that one was vexed with me for letting Segun invite me and not you directly
The Play was beautiful, and Segun made me an aburo
Duke, how are you? He would reach out intermittently, and I’ll say Egbon mo wa
Then he invited me to his mother’s birthday, and that was the ultimate pull in
His mother is the eternally beautiful Princess Abah Folawiyo, nee Adesanya
You cannot count 10 Legendary beauties in the land without calling her
She has played a vital role in Nigerian fashion and has been part of high society forever
I walked in and met another eternal beauty, my mum, Senator Florence Ita Giwa, and she called me ‘Eyen mi’ as she usually does.
Then he invited me again to his own birthday at his sumptuous house on Ikoyi, where he held my hand and introduced me to all in the house, including his very beautiful wife
He said, This is the Duke of Shomolu, and he was the one who did the Play on Papa, and he is taking the play to London
Then he calls me one day and says – Duke, send me the data page of your International passport and your dom account
He had put my name as part of the Nigerian delegation to a trade thing under Art and culture to Dubai
This was the first and only Institutional support so far that I have received from the Federal Government for all that we do for the Arts
I called him to thank him very profusely, and he said – ko to pe
London was mad. Segun came with his bosom friend, Otunba Ashiru.
He hosted Emir Sanusi, whom I had invited as the keynote speaker, and he also gave a resounding speech on trade
After it all, he went in to see the Play-Awo and went on stage to proclaim me Andrew Lloyd Weber of Nigeria – Note Bianca Ojukwu had also called ne that much recently – abeg who is the man
He was my friend and an egbon. We spoke intermittently, and I used to call him to rant, and he would always speak Yoruba to me, refusing to speak English, saying that shebi you are Duke of Shomolu, oya speak Yoruba na
Then I stopped hearing from him for a while and didn’t think much about it till I mentioned to Otunba Ashiru, who confirmed that he had been ill but was getting better
So I put in a call and he picked up and I said Egbon, I never hear from you ooo, make I bring Afang and he laughed
No bring am, when I strong we go go chop am for Senator restaurant, and we both laughed
That was the last we spoke, till people started flooding my dp with news of his demise
You see, Segun was born with privilege; he had the closest kind of birth to being born into the British Royal Family for a Nigerian
He was not only born an Awolowo, he also was a Folawiyo, later becoming a stepson to Alhaji Folawiyo, one of Nigeria’s most iconic men of business
This allowed him to straddle the peak of both politics and business, which could have turned lesser beings mad
His humane approach to life. His humility and desire to work for mankind were not congruent with his social stature
He genuinely loved people, and he showed it with the kinds of friendships he built over the years across different strata of society
I reached out to both Senator Ita Giwa, who is a very close friend of his mother and Otunba Ashiru last night, and they both confirmed that they were with his mother as I called
How do you console an old woman who has just lost her only child, or is it her only son?
What do you say?
Segun was my egbon, and I can only thank the almighty for taking him when he did, abi?
God bless his unique, handsome soul.
Adieu egbon mi
Duke of Shomolu
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