I Just Wish Things Were Different I Wish I Did Not Have To Put This Down . Oh Dear God!!!. A TRIBUTE TO FASHIKUN OLAJIDE

What was to become a lifetime of friendship began when as Secretary of NUJ FCT council, I got an SOS call from a woman informing me that her husband- a journalist,  was arrested on a Friday afternoon, hurriedly arraigned and then bundled to prison in Nasarawa state. Over that weekend we had fruitful engagements ahead of the court hearing his bail application scheduled to take place on a Monday. Our lawyer the very erudite Barrister Esther Uzoma was in court on the appointed date and we secured his bail. Fortunately, I met all the criteria set for his bail, and after providing the necessary document, his wife took him home. When we met in court that morning, it turned out I had known him but did not match the name with the face. Well, it was a good reunion and we began a very close relationship.

Olajide Fashikun was perhaps one of only two male journalists who could come to my house unannounced, without an appointment. On his first visit to my house when I hosted a few journalists to IFTAR during Ramadan, he was the first to arrive. I was in the kitchen so when I stepped out after some time to say hello to him, my son was firmly settled by his side, his arm on his legs and they were telling stories and giggling. I asked my son to get me a cup from the kitchen then I quickly tried to let him know the boy has special needs should he exhibit behaviours not consistent with his age. Fash laughed and said he already knew just through the first conversation. That was when he told me he had a degree in Child psychology/psychiatry. I was impressed and wowed. From then on, he made it a duty to visit him, holds sessions with him and he generally would keep a tab on him with me.  Just last year,  he gave my son branded sports wear as we were discussing our planned intervention for my son and other children at the centre where he receives care. As he was about to leave, he asked for the number of children at the centre and he provided sports wear for all of them. The gentleman I went with got two for his children, in all we got 10 sports wears. After I delivered the wears to my son and his mates, I was told that sports time became interesting to them because they liked their wears, they felt special and the proprietor of the centre was so appreciative she looked forward to meeting the person who kitted her children. That meeting has not taken place and it never will. 

Moving on, Fash agreed to periodically come the centre once we began the sporting activities for the children. That is not going to happen again, because Fash died before we even concluded plans for the children’s sports intervention.

Beyond my son, through his support, we sustained a WhatsApp group Journalists’ Roundtable for 4years now. In that group, we provided support for journalists in distress and he has always been the highest donor to such interventions. He usually provided the seed funds upon which every other person added something enabling us to deliver help. We also periodically held sit-outs and social gatherings and again, he was the backbone. Too many times. Too many memories.

During the last NUJ election when friendship and loyalty were tested, he stood firm and unwavering. I called him a couple of times when I knew there were pressure on him to withdraw his support for me. In one of the occasions, he asked if I was still in the race to which I answered in the affirmative and his response was that as long as I was in the race, he would be right behind me. It was a tough period for me and I am grateful for his support.

The only gratifying thing here is that I had the privilege of telling him exactly how I felt about him and how grateful I was to him. I once over phone conversation told him that I could trust him with my life , on that occasion he was pensive and quiet -unusually so for him and asked if he was still on the other side of the phone. He laughed and asked me to give thanks to God.

I recall again an instance someone was in distress and needed help, the nature of help I could not provide. While chatting over other matters, I mentioned to Fash that I wished I could help someone who ran to me for help. He asked for the details of what I wanted for him, after I told him he said consider it done. Overwhelmed by his immediate response I tried to volunteer more information regarding the person and why I needed to help him. He cut me short and said it was not important to him. He said what was important was that I needed to help someone and it did not matter what my reasons were.

How many will I recount of a great man?

Fash was someone who made very deep friendships and equally managed to acquire enough enemies through his blunt approach to journalism.. no story was too hot for him to report especially if it hinged on corruption and revealing what was hidden. He never minced words when there was need to tell truth to power and authority. Just as he focused his attention on political office holders, journalists and unionists were not also spared. If there was an infringement, trust Jide to write about it. For that, not many people liked him,  but is journalism about being liked? 

Today, I mourn the departure of a great man with whom I planned great things for children with special needs;  today, I mourn the passing of a man who cared for others more than he allowed us to care for him.; today, my head is bowed in respect for the man who provided so much hope for young children across the country through his sports programme designed to help under privileged children; today, I wonder what will happen to the future of the many projects we were both pursuing?

Life is a relay. From here we should pick up the baton and continue the race. That is what he would have wanted. Fash would not want us to back down. He rather would want us to double up the efforts. He impacted on many lives. The testimonies on facebook and other social media platforms speaks volume to his greatness. May his good works count for him with his creator as we pray to God to forgive his sins.

With a heavy heart, all of us on the Journalists Roundtable shall host a candlelight vigil and night of tributes in honour of one of the pillars of the group. This shall hold on Tuesday 29th , at 4pm, at the NUJ press centre in Abuja.

Hajia Rafat Salami
News Editor
Voice of Nigeria