A Tribute to Victor Olanrewaju Kayode
By Frank Meke
Like all men, I am not perfect. No man is, and there is no prevaricating about it.
However, I won’t trade truth for butter and won’t look away from oppression and injustice. I can eat with the devil with a long spoon, but I won’t buy any of his wares: malice, bitterness, divisiveness, unforgiveness, lies, destructive tendencies, and mongering.
All my life as a journalist, I have devoted myself to helping people and our country. I have made friends, some genuine and sincere, others who walk on their heads and turncoats, betrayers of truth who, in due course, revealed the rot inside them.
Victor Olanrewaju Kayode was a good friend, consistent, yet not perfect. Truth connected us, and we fought many battles against industry oppressors.
His weapon was knowledge and patriotism. My not-too-often visits to the Nigerian Hotel and Catering Institute secretariat office in Oregun, Lagos, to see him were usually to marshal plans to help interrogate government policies on the tourism and hospitality sector.
We usually spent hours foraging through various documentaries and regulatory ecosystems. He was detailed like a legal mind and a general to go to war with.
“He saw tomorrow in our relationship and called a truce. I fell in line but didn’t know he would leave us so soon.”_
Our friendship was tested during the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria elections last year. We held different views and positions, exposing our imperfections. While the war raged, we didn’t lose our humanity and friendship.
We didn’t underestimate our capacity to hold tenaciously to our different positions, but kept our friendship and respect for each other in view. Differently and deeply hurt, we engaged in conversations behind those who wanted to see us divided and torn apart. We gave them different faces but remained loyal to ourselves and to what had kept us away from charlatans for long.
His WhatsApp message, which formed part of the headline to this piece, truly revealed Victor’s love and personality. He saw tomorrow in our relationship and called a truce. I didn’t hesitate to respond to his love and respect. I fell in line but didn’t know he would leave us so soon.
At the service of songs, I saw many people who were still pretending they can define tomorrow, truce breakers and backstabbers. I cringed, not knowing why, but Victor Olanrewaju Kayode’s death mobilised men, once friends but torn apart by ego and vindictiveness.
Good night, dear brother and friend. I speak and write that I will miss your candour, commitment, and dedication to our industry.
On February 6th, Victor had written, “Franko, let us stop the fights, it’s early in the year. We are aging and should take things easy. We shall talk.” And I had replied, “Jesus is Lord and Truth Is Constant.” He replied again, “Well said.”
May God rest your soul in Jesus’ name.
