Monday, 29 August 2016
Whenever I'm having a bad day. I take a trip to Bose's canteen, just to see if more food can drown my stress. Most times,there's this tall man, standing over 6 feet above the ground. His presence never goes unnoticed. Always smiling. And being very friendly and sweet.Good vibes around him.
I'm a very introverted person and seeing someone this outgoing usually gets me wondering. Once he spots me, he usually goes 'Where have you been? You are so scarce'. I'd smile back knowing fully well how busy he is and how he is the scarce one. He reminds me everytime that I have a beaming smile. And I always look natural. I loved hearing those words from him because many times, it was all I needed to make my day brighter.
He usually did this so casually, so effortlessly and with everyone he met. I heard of his passing today. He died while flying his glider plane and the first thing that came to mind was how pleasant he was. How he had no airs around him. Unknowingly making others happier. It made me realise that every little habit you develop to make someone else smile is a permanent impression.
Today and always, I would make more efforts into making people feel better about themselves, loving humans while they are around, just because the world needs more happy people like Monu Ogbe.
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I knew Monu many years ago and only recently heard of his death. EVERY word you have written about him is so true. Thankyou for your note. From An old friend.
ReplyDeleteI stumbled on Monu’s blog in my search for more information about his death, likewise this one too. Monu and l, attended primary school together and l remember, quite vividly, the last time l saw him was when he whizzed into town on a Yamaha 1000 Z to visit with his cousins. This was way back in 1979, and Monu was a sight to behold on that bike!
ReplyDeleteMonu had ridden that bike all the way from Germany, across the Sahara unaccompanied. I remember everyone thinking how crazy he must have been to go on such a daring adventure, but that was the Monu I’d always known; inquisitive, curious and infinitely daring. He was a brave heart in every true sense. It’d be decades later before the proprietor of Didi museum would go on a bike adventure across the Sahara. I can now only sigh and bury my head between my palms in sorrow and lamentation at the realization that his adventurous spirit finally took him home. I don’t know how to consider this, but for good or bad, we’re all who we are, and Monu lived his life’s dream as who he was.
Reading through his blog, l couldn’t stop dripping tears. Every bit of it, is classical Monu; witty, exhilarating, definitive, reassuring and warm. It hurts so bad that it took me one long year to catch up with the news of his death. Yet, I’m so glad, really thankful, memories of him left this space for me to pen this tribute to him. Monu was a great guy, never did find one like him. He just loved people, and Lord knows, how he loved to listen and observe.
Monu didn’t care about how rich or powerful anybody was, but he’d be happy for them. It was the substance of the man/woman that caught and held his attention. For him, it was of no consequence that such a man/woman was clad in rags or bedecked in gold. It was always the roots in the soil that he sought, never the vegetation that flowered above.
I tell you, indeed, l lost a great and dear friend… and he was gone without saying goodbye. I’ll miss you Monu, always.
To his dearest wife and family, l say take heart and even as you continue to mourn, remember, there are multitudes that mourn with you, for Monu watered a lot of gardens from which goodness sprung.
May the force be with you.
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DeleteFor the quintessential Monu, visit his blog at www.ogbe.me
DeleteGod bless.