My encounter with Fani-Kayode

Someone once told me that those who live by the sword cannot stand a knife come near them. My egbon Chief Fani Kayode has built a career in verbally assaulting and throwing some very hot and demeaning words on perceived opponents.

I still remember an interview he granted where he took Rotimi Amaechi to the dogs. It was no holds barred and no name was too big or too insulting for Amaechi to be called that day.

Our dear lanky president has suffered immensely as we all know, maybe that is why he remained unsmiling and ram shot looking like he’d rather be somewhere else than standing beside this man who had called him all sorts of names barely ‘3 days ago’ during his unveiling.

Chief Kayode’s cross carpet has elicited all sorts of reactions, not because he comes to his new friends with any sort of political weight but because of the brazen show of a lack of integrity in this decision.

The decision has been met with a large howl from the people, reminiscent of the famous missed goal by the hapless Yakubu Aiyegbeni in one of our international matches where he missed a howler.

So my engagement in my column this Sunday was a very tepid response to the mass outcry on his recent dance.

Very unlike me, I tip-toed along the essay, trying very hard not to annoy his sensibility because I consider him a friend who had engaged me in hours of discussions on the nation. Discussions that have been thrown into the dustbin by his sudden move to the APC.

By my standard, this was no article. It was my own way of saying ever so gently, ‘bro, you miss am’ and I even said in the write-up that I know very well that bros would take a toothpick and comb the article looking for where he will yab me.

As expected, he called. He was upset with the write-up and had an issue with the mention of his father. That he never mentioned his father in the Channels interview I quoted.

I tried to explain that the mention of his father in that write up wasn’t pinpointed to the interview but that I only used the interview as a point of contact to engage his overall public persona which is preponderantly leveraged on his oft proclaimed pedigree, hence the ‘father, father, father’.

Egbon would hear none of this. “I had given you some level of intelligence,” he thundered. Me oo, I kept quiet.

“I had hoped you would be different because we had discussions,” he followed up.

“I hope you are happy. Your column is for jest and nobody takes you seriously. Go ahead and enjoy the temporary adulation because you will never know why some of these decisions are taken.”

He was also very upset that I said in 6 months he would come back, showing a clear lack of understanding of a satirical intent in that statement. When the time comes, you will know.

I said “thank you sir” and he said “have a good day” and I dropped the phone.

Then I got a call that he had also called some other people in authority to lay his complaint about my write-up.

My people, I did not use the words, vulture, devil, or some of the very colourful words that have been used to describe opponents, even our president.

I only, in very mellow but deliberate penetrative words, made my point very clearly

Using my oft humorous vehicle, I intoned that this was one dance too many and as such we were weary.

So this attempt at bullying me is totally uncalled for as one would expect a political player of his experience to expect reactions from all divides on actions taken.

So today, I do not know if Chief Fani Kayode remains my friend but truth be said, I’d rather look at the bigger picture.

Where does the totality of right-thinking Nigerians stand on this matter? I suspect they will be standing on the path of integrity and honour.

There, my egbon, I stand. And there, my egbon, I will remain.

Thank you and God bless.