WOLE ADEJUMO brings you a recap of how things went at the
event held on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.
Erelu Famuyibo Had Words of Encouragement
Not only was Erelu Sumbo Famuyibo, wife of frontline lawyer
and businessman, Otunba Reuben Famuyibo, one of the early callers at the
programme, she gave the opening prayers and spoke on how she and Bola Davies
became close. Though the atmosphere was a sober one, Erelu did not leave the
podium without some words of encouragement. “I will not mourn Bola because I know
she made heaven. Before she passed on, she gave her life to Christ so I am sure
that we will meet again”. She went on to encourage everyone to do likewise.
Diran Odeyemi, the audacious mouthpiece of the Osun State
Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party too was in attendance; however, not
many people have ever seen Odeyemi that sober before. While speaking on his
relationship with Bola Davies, he said it started when he came from England to
bury his dad in Ibokun, Osun State. The next thing I read in City People was
that Diran Odeyemi was described as a “big boy who came from England to bury
his dad”.
He said on a certain occasion, we were talking and I spoke
about a certain type of car and she said “don’t you believe that in a short
while from now, you will own this car? and what she said eventually came to
pass. To me, she was not just a journalist and a sister but she prophesied into
my life”, Odeyemi said.
Mrs. Johnson-Awe’s
Confession
Over the years, Olutayo Johnson-Awe, has grown in importance
as a security expert. She is well respected both in Nigeria and the United
Kingdom. She too gave a touching tribute and rounded it off with the point that
she has decided to move closer to God and ultimately give her life to Christ.
Emotions were on full display as tributes flowed at the
programme. The Anchor Online's Cheif Correspondent had barely gone halfway into his message when he gave in to his emotions. He could simply not hold back the tears, Subomi Taiwo, one of the deceased’s best known protégés broke down
as she was delivering her tribute and had to be assisted off the podium. Same
for Tolu Adelakun, who was under Bola Davies’ tutelage when she joined City
People as a student on Industrial Training back in the mid-2000s.
With teary eyes, she narrated how Bola Davies believed in
her and stood up for her when her appointment was to be confirmed.
Why Alhaji Bashy Was
Quiet
Alhaji Bashy Kuti of the BKK Ultimo fame was quiet for a
better part of the programme. He was one of the closest friends Bola Davies had
when she was alive. No one could however convince him to mount the podium. When
some members of the Committee that put the programme together went to him to
say something, Bashy called one of them aside and said “I will break down
before I get to the front. Let me just stay here. Please, just forgive me. I
can’t say anything”.
Parrot Xtra Magazine Publisher, Olayinka Agboola became more
of a preacher when he delivered an address at the Day of Tributes. Urging
everyone to take lessons from death, Agoola said “we must continue to give God
the glory. It has happened and there is nothing we can do about it. Bola was a
good lady, journalism flowed in her blood and she was kind hearted”. He urged everyone to live ready as death is
inevitable. He also reminded those in attendance that the only way to be
remembered after death is to live a good life.
Former House of Reps member, Hon Babatunde Oduyoye though
shocked by Ms. Davies’ death, showed a great sense of composure. He recalled
how she was introduced to him in 2002 by the Chief Press Secretary to the then
Governor Lam Adesina, Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan. “Since then, she has been
like a sister to me. She was truly kind hearted and dedicated to her work”, Hon
Oduyoye disclosed. He described her demise as a pain in all senses and prayed
for strength for her friends, family and colleagues to be able to bear the
loss.
In his message, Alhaji Akeem Azeez, the current Publicity
Secretary of the Social Democratic Party in Oyo State, urged journalists to
live well and be as good as they can. Azeez, who disclosed that his path with
Ms. Davies crossed when he arrived Ibadan as a reporter for Fame Magazine in
the early 2000s.
He did not leave without giving journalists something to
ponder on, “it is not about the crowd here but the quality of people in
attendance. Here we have successful businessmen, former House of Representative
members, politicians and I want to tell you that what people do while you are
there is not a true measure of their loyalty to you but what they do when you
are gone. How many of you will die and we will have friends and associates coming
together to organize a programme of this magnitude in your honour?” Azeez
asked.
S.K’s Hitherto Unseen
Side
Not many can claim to have ever seen Dr. Seye Kehinde, the
hardworking publisher of City People Magazine betray emotions. It happened in
Ibadan. As one of the hosts of the programme gave in to his emotions on stage,
SK shook his head and dropped a tear. The people beside him patted his back and
urged him to take heart.
In Bola Davies, the City People family lost one of the best
hands. The Publisher would later give details of how she was employed in 2002
and how she asked to be transferred to Ibadan, a place she eventually opened up
to city people; making a new set of celebrities.
The Committee of Friends that organized the Day of tributes
had as members Alhaji Bashy Kuti, Dare Adeniran, Olumide Oludare, Tunde Ayanda,
Akeem Azeez, Wole Adejumo, Debola Adeyemi, Funmilayo Odeniran, Peju Alabi, Nike
Oloyede, Dr. Seye Kehinde, Adia Ukoyen, Dr. Bunmi Olukotun and Jade Eyitayo and
Bose Olaiya.
Alhaji Ologburo wore
a sober look all through
Alhaji Ologburo was there and he did a good job of managing
his emotion and with great success to. Though he did not mount the podium to
speak, he conferred with the organizers and has been praying for Bola Davies’
friends, family and colleagues since she passed on.
Describe her as the most notorious journalist around and a
vast population of people will adjudge you right. She was there to honour Bola
Davies and she was about the earliest guest to arrive.
Trust her, she had gone Live on Facebook before the
programme started and as it went on, she tweeted proceedings live.
She didn’t eventually give her tribute because of a sore
throat.
We saw a very different Lester
In and around Ibadan, Dapo Oye is fondly referred to as ‘Lester”
by his close pals and associates. He is one of those badly hit by the news of
Ms. Davies’ death; being her best friend and partner. For him, it is like a
sentence without appeal.
At the programme, he was a shadow of the bright, trendy and dandy
Dapo Oye. He simply sat quietly, conversing once in a while with
Subomi Taiwo and
Barrister Bayo Ogunsuyi, who represented Ms. Davies’ family as they sat with
him on either side.
His younger brother, Femi and his wife were there to support
him as the chief mourner.
For Wole Adejumo and Taiwo Olusanya, fondly called 'MCT Obama', who
co-hosted the programme, it was a task that had to be done. When it became
obvious that the MC that was billed to anchor the event would not show up, both
men took it upon themselves to take up the job for a woman who had touched
their lives in different ways.
Obama would later reveal that when he ventured into standup
comedy and adopted the name “MC Obama”, people asked him to change the sobriquet
even before he finished his first show. He recounted how Bola Davies commended
him for a good performance that day and urged him never to consider changing
from MC Obama.
How Bola’s Death
Reunited City People’s Ibadan Team
Back in the mid-2000s, City People had a formidable team in
Ibadan with Bola Davies as the Bureau Chief. For the first time in many years,
the likes of Tynah Olowe, Wole Adejumo, Dare Adeniran and Tolu Adelakun (formerly
Ogunmoroti) met. Sadly, it was to honor their departed Bureau Chief.
Photo Credits: Okafor Emmanuel
Icenuel Media
Ibadan City Announcer
Ibadan City Announcer
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