We have this monthly rendezvous in Surulere. Called ‘The Amala Group’, it is a small gathering of largely media veterans and their close friends. It has been a part of our lives for about 17 years now. About two years ago, I was there seated by Uncle Sam when a relatively new member and an alumnus of Vanguard who had made good in the business and political world, offered to host a small birthday get-together in honor of Uncle Sam. I knew a small, chummy private party was down Uncle Sam’s alley. I was therefore not surprised that he accepted the offer after asking for some clarifications.
What surprised me was that he thereafter, leaned into my ear and whispered ‘Who is he?’ ‘How can you not know him?’ I whispered back. ‘We were at Punch together. We were at Vanguard together during the early stages’ I continued in a low tone to avoid being heard. His response was a defensive ‘that’s a long time ago, man. Do you know how many people I have worked with’? I smiled indulgently at that response because I understood. Old age was at its usual tricks and my boss was giving the kind of defensive reactions old people give. Ordinarily, this person should have been remembered by Uncle Sam because of the impact he made at both Punch and Vanguard since he was not just a faceless former staff who came and went with the crowd.
