What were you doing when you heard. Were you at work, the salon or just lounging in the huge house you guys called home?
Did you speak with them before they boarded, did you go back to your mirror to check out your new eyelashes or were you on your phone chatting with your friends
Somehow, you heard. You must have just sat down with tears cascading down your pretty face.
Then you ran downstairs to your little ones, grab them and hug them in tears but realise that leadership has just been thrust on you by wicked fate
Did you call Uncle Aig to get more information or did you just run back into your room with your siblings trying to shut out the world hoping that somehow, Herbert would work into the room and say it was a nightmare
Did you at any time in those early days pinch yourself hoping to wake up to the possibility of a mirage only to be slaped back to the reality of their passing and the new challenges of your new reality
I met you at the Muson where your uncle Aig said to me-Edgar, I now have 12 or did he say 13 children and proceeded to introduce me to all of you one after the other.
Your beauty, your calm elegance, and your superb upbringing all hit me in those first few minutes.
I watched you walk ever so sweetly towards your seat and courageously look at the larger-than-life image of your beautiful father
As the play went on, I watched to see if you would flinch. You didn’t.
The audience was in tears and a rash of goose pimples came over the hall in an epidemic of sort
But you detached from it all, kept looking at the screen, and then the stage as the actors recited very strong words of encouragement and empowerment same words your dad must have uttered a million times as he rallied the troops
After it all, you came on stage with your siblings and with your uncle Aig hovering protectively around you to admonish us to be strong.
You talked about your father with pride, you held yourself up with class showing that you were truly your mother-daughter
That night, Lagos fell in love with you. You became a beacon of hope, a symbol of strength, the Ophans poster child and a huge statue of liberty if I can be allowed to be corny
Your strength will see you through cos your destiny is not in your father’s hands.
The minions fight over your fathers labour but your destiny, your goal, and your vision will dwarf your father’s work and worth
You are a special being put on earth for a purpose hence this challenge
Your life, your loss, your refuge and your strength are all ingredients God has given you for your mission
Do you think Herbert achieved anything? Wait till you see you in future
Your worth, your world, the joy you will bring to the world, your humanity, your peace, and your glory will make Herbet cringe with envy in heaven
Tochi, do not worry, for you are a child of purpose, your mission in life has just been thrust on you, and like our Lord Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane- this will not pass you by.
Remain strong, we all look forward to your leadership and we remain quite excited that God in his infinite wisdom decided to drop you here in Nigeria in such a colourful circumstance
Worry not my child, worry not my poor little rich girl.
We love u
Duke of Shomolu