TRIBUTE TO CHIEF MOLADE OKOYA THOMAS ;AND THE KING'S ENVOY GOES HOME

I cannot remember the year, but I recall the event vividly. Some high ranking board members of the CFAO group had come in from France, and the management of the company wanted the picture used on the front page of major national newspapers, including The Punch.

Unfortunately, there was a major political event and the front page slot was taken, so they settled for page 2, which was a spill over page.
I was not in the picture at this point until the MD, who was, and still is, the Editor-in- Chief sent for me. His question was direct and unambiguous.He asked about the status of our business relationship with the CFAO, which at that point was none existent, and I answered in the negative, and I left.
About an hour later, I got a call on the land phone from the Chief Molade Okoya Thomas himself, who said I should come over to his then Marina office and open a business channel between his company and the Punch, and the picture was published.
Thus began years of business and fatherly relationship, because the Chief had an uncanny ability to remember faces, and to link the face to an event, like he did with the above story a couple of years ago when Steve Ayorinde, then MD of National Mirror, led me and Bolaji Tunji, then editor, Sunday Mirror on a courtesy/ business visit to the Chief at his Victoria island office.
The Asoju Oba of Lagos, Odofin of The Source, Bobagunwa of Remoland, Chief Molade Okoya Thomas was a giant of a man. His humility is infectious, and despite being an international businessman, he find time to enjoy life to the fullest. An avid sportsman, a multi lingual and multi talented individual, he was at home in the boardroom as well as on a tennis court, and to start listing his acts of philanthropy as well as charities would require another write up.
My sympathies goes my brother, Odion Oscar Odiboh, who not only lost a father, but a mentor, an inspiration and a rock.
Omolade okin, asoju Oba eleko,Odofin Ule Ife..
Eni bi eni, ni omode ka owo
Eji bi eji, ni agba ta ayo,
Biro n biro, biro n bata o
Onimole gbe, ofe, onimole gbe, ofe

Goodbye forever, now we can only meet by accident, or in dreams.
Don't eat insects, don't eat worms, whatever they eat in heaven is what you should eat.
Goodnigh,.Baba.