It has been 7 days and today is your birthday!
As I reflect on the many memories made over the years you walked on earth as my father, I have been replaying thoughts, videos and looking at photographs collected through the years. Today, I paused on one of the pictures, a picture taken years ago on your birthday. It was a very special birthday, celebrated while we lived in Lomé, Togo.
I remember the flurry of activities that led up to this birthday. We had been living away from Nigeria for some years, and my mother wanted you to feel special on that day. She had spent a lot of time in the market selecting the freshest ingredients to prepare the perfect meal for you.
She had painstakingly gone through every detail for the day, wanting to make sure that you had the perfect birthday. She had taken us to multiple stores and markets in Lomé, in search of an ideal birthday gift for you from us…and then we found it… the vintage beefeater yeoman ornament!
For weeks, Yani and I had practiced a special dance for you – the Merry Christmas Polka– a dance Yani had learned in school. She took so much time to teach me the steps to the Christmas Polka, as she wanted to make sure that I got all the steps right! Kitoye was in charge of the drinks and music – and we felt that he was brave enough to pop the champagne and ensure the music transitioned with the right degree of precision through the night of your birthday party.
You were so impressed that we had managed to totally surprise you, with the dance, the gifts, food and the great company that had joined us to celebrate you! It had been a major production!
This picture captures a sliver of the joy you felt on that day.
May you continue to rest without the pains of this world.