AfriPulse
By
Wale Ojo-Lanre, Esq.
Haa! I still do not know why Chief Mrs Kemi Alao-Akala decided to curse a journalist in public today.
Yes, you heard me right.
A journalist was cursed openly at the super mega empowerment event of Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari in Ogbomoso.
And that journalist was me.
But before anybody begins to bind and cast, let me quickly confess: it was not the kind of curse that sends one into panic. It was a beautiful curse. A sweet curse. A curse soaked in affection, memory, goodwill and gratitude.
I mean the graceful wife of the former Governor of Oyo State, the late Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala — the woman many of us respectfully call Aunty Kemi Akala.
Chief Mrs Kemi Akala has always been a pleasant, warm and respectful woman of grace. Whether in government or outside government, she carries herself with dignity, calmness and a disarming smile. She is one of those rare public figures whose simplicity does not diminish her status, and whose humility does not reduce her nobility.
I remember vividly the first Oyo NUJ Press Week held during my tenure as Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Oyo State Council. She played a remarkable role, especially during our church service in Ogbomoso. She did not treat the event as a casual assignment. She gave it weight, colour, presence and warmth.
That was Chief Mrs Kemi Akala for you — a First Lady who employed smiles to solve issues, soften tensions and touch people’s hearts.
So, when I saw her again in Ogbomoso at the super mega empowerment programme launched by Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari of Oyo North, it was more than a casual encounter. It was a reunion of memory, respect and affection, wrapped inside a massive people-centred political event.
As soon as she sighted me, she beckoned.
“Barrister Wale Ojo-Lanre, here you are!”
I stood up immediately and moved towards her.
“Aunty Kemi Alao-Akala!” I greeted her with excitement.
Then she looked at my cap, the famous Visit Ekiti cap, and smiled.
“No, Ojo-Lanre, you too should visit LAUTECH Teaching Hospital,” she said jokingly, referring to one of the great prides of Ogbomoso and one of the enduring legacies associated with the Akala era.
Honestly, I laughed.
I replied, “Ma, I will specially invite you to Ekiti, where cold and warm water flow side by side at Ikogosi. You must come and experience the wonder.”
She was delighted.
As we exchanged pleasantries, I reminded her of the good old days — the warmth, the support, the kindness, and the great deeds of her and Bra Bayo, as I fondly called the late Governor when he was alive.
She smiled. Then she looked at me with that motherly seriousness that carries both affection and authority, and she cursed me.
“Wale Ojo-Lanre, you will never cease to be a good soul. And I know you will never.”
I opened my mouth.
“A curse, ma?” I asked jokingly.
She laughed and replied, “Yes. The spell of goodness shall never depart from you. You are not an ingrate.”
Imagine that kind of curse.
A curse of goodness.
A curse of remembrance.
A curse of gratitude.
A curse that one should pray never to escape.
In a world where many easily forget kindness, where yesterday’s benefactor is often erased by today’s convenience, those words touched me deeply. They reminded me that gratitude is not weakness. Memory is not foolishness. Loyalty to good deeds is not politics. It is character.
And perhaps that was the beauty of the day. At an event where Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari was empowering people in grand style, another form of empowerment came to me quietly through the words of Aunty Kemi Akala — the empowerment of the spirit, the empowerment of memory, the empowerment of being reminded that goodness still matters.
I have just arrived in Ado Ekiti after participating in and witnessing that noble act by Senator Buhari of Oyo North. What I saw in Ogbomoso was not ordinary. It was massive. It was practical. It was people-centred.
Over 42 vehicles, more than 250 deep freezers, over 250 generators, more than 200 grinding machines, and over 200 motorcycles were presented to beneficiaries.
I was dazzled.
I was dazed.
I was flustered.
That Senator understands the true meaning of responsible and responsive legislation. He understands that representation is not noise. It is impact. It is service. It is the ability to touch lives directly and create opportunities for people to stand on their own.
May God bless Chief Mrs Kemi Akala for her warmth, grace and motherly affection.
May God continue to bless the soul of Bra Bayo, Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, whose name remains written in the history of Oyo State and in the hearts of many who encountered his humanity.
And may God continue to strengthen Senator Abdulfatai Omotayo Buhari in service to his people.
As for the curse of Chief Mrs Kemi Akala, I accept it wholeheartedly.
May the spell of goodness never depart from me — and from you too.
Source: FirstWeeklyMagazine | Read the Full Story…
