Baba was my friend. He was 70 years old and he was calling me frantically
Duke, I need you to intervene, as I’m having problems with Lagos State
How can I intervene, I’m not from Lagos, I’m not APC and I don’t have juju
He said, ” You are influential and you know everybody that matters in Lagos.
Baba was having a running battle with the Lagos State environmental people.
About three agencies were on his matter and I once took him to brilliant and hardworking Adegbite who was then a Director in the Ministry of Environment who took his time to explain to me the issue
This bought Baba some time and when the time elapsed, the system moved in again
This time, Baba had damaged public property and the system didn’t take this kindly
He was arrested. So he needed a pound of flesh and who else but me, a pounder did he turn to
Tokunbo Wahab is someone whose profile I saw rising. Hadn’t met him, did not know him, was not interested in him
Then I noticed that he was getting more than a fair share of publicity
I said to myself, this one is positioning himself o. Small thing, he will tweet, small thing, he will show on TV, small thing he will be mentioned on Radio and I will just look and hiss not showing any real interest in him or his wellbeing
As far as I was concerned he was just one of them – Johnny just came.
Baba sends me a pic of him under arrest, displayed like those people they display on crime fighters
Mbok who will do this to a mini statesman, a fmr Commisoner and a media titan who bought his first car just when Awolowo came back from England by boat
I was livid. Baba sent me this Tokunbo person’s number, I will abuse him, release his nude and warn the Governor that he would be losing the support of all the sex workers in Shomolu if he did not give me Tokunbo’s head on a platter with Ugwu leaves surrounding it.
I sent a message – Mr Tokunbo, Hon Commissioner, I would like to discuss the Baba matter and you had better return my text otherwise….
He had better not joke with me. I am a friend of two Lagos State Governors. Me, miracle worker, Ambode’s best friend who was there when that one was abusing Sanwoolu and SANWO-OLU’s best friend long before SANWO-OLU invited Ambode for lunch where he served him Ewedu and Gbegiri that year
He called o. Aghhh this man called me oooo. He didn’t reply he called me oooo
I was shocked. Aghhh Hon Commissioner, how are you? How is the family, mbok, don’t vex at the tone of my message o, it is the network that is messing up
His call disarmed me o and that was just the beginning
Edgar,… Mbok you know he is a lawyer. Very brilliant one o and he took me from step to step on the matter
Four hours into the talk, I had pissed three times, watched small porn, counted my number of shoes and he was still talking
By the time he finished, he had converted me and I didn’t know how to go back to Baba to say – kai, they were correct to have arrested you o
He didn’t stop at that, he got two heads of parastatals who were involved, to call me and they too spoke for three hours each by the time they too finished, I retired from activism work. My ear don full.
I started dodging Baba. Tokunbo in this episode had changed my mindset on how public servants relate to the public, I had become a fan.
But Baba did not rest. Edgar, arrange for me to go and see him.
Tokunbo said we should come
That day, I wore my tattered jeans, Baba came in his full Langbodo Hunter attire and he was ready for battle and I pretended to be ready for battle with Baba not knowing that I had shifted sides
Baba carried plenty of files like Kanmi Osobu, Fela’s long-suffering lawyer and a carry-on, and we entered
Aghhjj Tokunbo was ready. Three DGs’, Adegbite now Perm Sec, some staff of his Ministry, and Media
I say ‘mo da ran’ . Tokunbo is not taking this fight easily o.
Baba opened the file had all the documents like 600 in triplicaten andd as he spoke, he handed them to Tokunbo and me
headache start to catch me, sleep start to do me and boredom set in.
Tokunbo listened through the most boring speech of his career diligently without flinching
Took all the papers and went through them meticulously and didn’t flinch for a sec
Me had slept halfway through and only woke up when Tokunbo was ready to speak and speak he did.
Kai, if you have not heard him speak, just come let me take you to his office so you lcan listen.
He chooses his words, speaks with a barely audible voice and in measured tones maintaining eye contact and slamming you very strategically while still smiling and making you warm and happy all over.
By the time. He finished we were all friends and Baba was smiling and I was thanking him for everything and hugging him and asking where Lagos state dey always get these kind brilliant people give position unlike that neighbouring state where the Media Adviser in response to my attack on his Eleyi called me beer parlour columnists
Mbok since that day, I had becomeTo okunbo friend o.
I didn’t let Baba know before he asks for a refund of the N30k fee he had paid me for my activism on the matter
Every little opportunity I have, I will go to Tokunbos office at the Environment ministry to listen
I am a very brilliant and combative man, but when I see superior intellect, I bow and just listen
When you see me argue with you, know that I don’t respect your arguments or your intellectualism but when you see me quiet and listening know that I am respecting you
So you see why I always argue with Aloba and Uwem Whyte whose stammer makes it easy for me to bully him and run away
But with people like Obasanjo and this Tokunbo, I just listen and ask relevant questions
A sit down with Tokunbo will take you through life Politics and its intrigues, law, society and the environment and finally strategy
The man is not only tall, but e get sense and I like him
The other day, I went to see him and he gave me a bottle of water something that used to make me angry as its only Ayo Subair at LIRS that had the power to give me Pure Water and go scot free
Tokunbo had earned that privilege cos he truly has earned it.
Very philanthropic man as I have heard stories on his impact on peoples lives and more
He has also impacted my life o, let me just confrss here o as he keeps supporting all of my plays since I met him – na one phone call unlike that Sean Penn that I will call six times and use LASTMA to pursue him
So here is wishing my aburo the Hon Tokunbo Wahab The Honourable Commisoner of Environment and the People s lawyer abd friend a happy birthday, long life and Gods blessing
My prayer is for God to give Nigeria in the nearest future the blessing of his leadership, I tell you guys, this Tokunbo is the kind of leader that would retire people like me from political activisim
Welldone my aburo and God will continue to bless you.
Please dont dare do party today without inviting me, dont try it, I am warning you ooo, dont try it oooo 😡
Hmmmm
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: May 17, 2026
