SATURDAY BREAKFAST with TONY OKOROJI
My oh my! As I left MUSON Centre, Lagos, very early this morning, I was spent like I have never been.
After the final lights went down at the Shell Hall, and I had seen off the galaxy of VIP guests, I sat down outside the hall all alone, trying to understand where I got the energy to get through an unforgettable night of many demands and many sparkling stars.
A few hours earlier, I had begged Abey, my guy and driver, to urgently get me some Panadol as I was feverish and shaking. In fact, I nearly collapsed at the Ebute Metta Central Mosque where I had gone earlier with my colleagues to pray at “COSON in the Mosque”.
In front of the Shell Hall, I watched, all alone, as the COSON Green Ball back-drops in front of which thousands of photographs had been taken a few hours earlier, were struck down. I looked on with some tears in my eyes, as the immigration and boarding booths for “Fly COSON”, Flight FC 101, which took months to conceive, design and construct, were dismantled in minutes. It was at these cubicles that all passengers on Flight FC 101, presented their passports, got their visas and boarding passes and went on to experience the cocktail on the Green Carpet, the sizzling violin music of Emmaolin before the boarding announcements for the historic trip to Pleasure Land.
The lesson for me? How tough it is to build and how easy it is to destroy.
The last guest I saw off at the Shell Hall was the beautiful Mrs. Alice Onyema, Vice President of Air Peace and wife of Dr Allen Onyema, the Air Peace Supremo. In our conversation, I found her truly enchanting and could not but notice her effervescent response when my co-pilot, Captain Sir Shina Peters, exploded on stage, with “Ijo Shina”.
Before seeing off Mrs. Onyema, I had to see off the galaxy of Nigerian beautiful women who boarded “Fly COSON”, Flight FC 101 to Pleasure Land, with the ageless and ever beautiful Senator Florence Ita Giwa. There was Princess Abah Folawiyo, the mother of Segun Awolowo, grandson of the unforgettable Obafemi Awolowo, whose face is printed in the hearts of many Nigerians and on our 100 Naira notes.
Among these glorious Nigerian women, dressed to finish, were Dr. Emana Ambrose Amawhe, Mrs. Ireti Asemota, Chief Elizabeth Jibunoh, Barr Datta Amachree, Madam Kofo Laja, Mrs. Bose Clark, Chief Tessa Egbe Ikimi, Mrs. Datta Okorodudu, etc. They all came to the Green Ball clutching their precious special Green Ball passports.
Of course, I had to see off the representative of Vice President Kashim Shetimma, Mr. Fegho John Umunubo whom I found very likeable at first sight, and very easy to get on with. He delivered a beautiful speech on behalf of the Vice President.
Everywhere you looked on board Flight FC 101, there was a sparkling star, the likes of the great medical doctor, Sunny Kuku of Eko Hospital fame; the great innovator and owner of Novena
Majesty, Prince Sunny Aku; Legal heavyweights, like Innocent Adams Ovbagbedia SAN; City lawyer, Kola Dopamu, etc. Of course, on the Green Carpet was Arise TV star and tormentor of many politicians,, Rufai Oseni, who everybody wanted a photo with.
The Ooni of Ife sent one of his very beautiful Oloris with his staff of office to represent him and so did several governors, including, the governors of Lagos State and Osun State.
The story of Flight 101 to Pleasure Land cannot be told in one piece. The grand take of the flight is a story of its own. The presentation of the Pillar of the Creative Industry Award to Senator Florence Ita Giwa, is another story. The big celebration of the birthday of the Co-pilot, Captain Sir Shina Peters on board the luxury flight is yet another story.
These stories will be told.
Meanwhile, on Day 7, the leadership of COSON will round off the events of the Master Blaster COSON Week 2025 with visits to some Motherless Babies Homes, with some gifts.
Many thanks to everybody who made this historic week possible including my personal staff at TOPS and the staff of COSON. Nigeria will rise again!
See you next week.
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