MY BOSS, MY BUDDIE, MY BUNMI, BEST MD/CEO TASTEE NEVER HAD!
Please…thank you
The phrase I wrote above? Anyone who worked and walked with you will understand your exceptional humility, humanness, urbane and courteous hallmark.
To think that just the month “December” split us from being in our forties, I used to tell you and some few others that we will sit at the boardroom when the current directors become old and need us to take the great brand Chairman and MD , your parent’s as well as others had struggled to build to the next level. We dreamt of a great enterprise expanding and utilizing the brand name in other ventures like entertainment, leisure and hospitality.
You were just too far sighted, I remembered how you wanted us to thrill our Tastee customers and thus we became and still “is” the only restaurant chain to single handedly reward patronage by great entertaining nights. How you told me to feature then upcoming Wizkid through his then manager Osagie who had just one single “Don’t Dull” (will not disclose the fee paid then, LOL) same for Davido through his then manager too Asa Asika who had just a major single too “Dami Duro.” Guess what? The two have become larger than life and you said it back then, what an eye for discovering talent. You were always behind me all the way in concepts people in our team thought was either outright crazy or not achievable…I guess you got that spirit from your lovely mum, our MD. I remember the sponsorship for an entire season on the then popular Teju Baby Face Show where we fed thousands week in week out, same for Nigeria’s Got Talent franchise aired nationwide. Too many to mention, “you too much bro.” These and so many initiatives strengthened the Tastee brand and have steeped it in good stead to survive tougher years that have come.
Chairman (your dad) had once asked me in Yoruba, in his office, “did you know Bunmi before coming to work here at Tastee?” I said No, “did you go to school together?” No! How come he talks about you and believes in you? I know why, he believed in minds that thought big, never feared things were unachievable and loved hard work. Did he reward people? Don’t even think about it! He not only will give an arm and a leg but his eyes and heart. Is it the surprise polo Ralph Lauren apparels? The appliances, the cheques, the $100 bills? Abeg! My guy na person! Could I have ever repaid the all out Five Star Dinners or the endless gift coupons? Well I gave my little tokens in a while, “a la Dom Perignon and Prada vodka.”
You never bothered about others taking the shine, for you, it was about the team, the task and achieving the goal. You always said, “let’s not be distracted, let’s keep focus.” With the exception of when I escorted you to receive the award from Cherrie Blair on MDs behalf as one of the most distinguished women in Nigeria’s 100 years history from Thisday Newspapers, you always asked me to go collect the honours and give the speeches. You never wanted self glory. Funny some thought during meetings before the Client project where we led catering for over 15,000 in one single morning that I was you, you never sought attention, MAN!
Too many things to pen down about “Okun rin meta.” I thought downing half a bottle Absolute vodka on that night will down the sorrows of a man whom even after we had to part because I erred on ethical grounds will relieve me but “for where?” Yes, we split but shortly after he had a large heart and my final entitlement was one of the swiftest. Only that? We started working on a project, he wanted me to still go on the radio interviews to talk passionately about the brand but I did remind him once, we needed time so feathers are not ruffled.
Can I ever have a boss like you again?
“Solus Deus scit, quoniam virum non cognosco opibus et sic tamen laboriosae, et humiles omnibus inclusis paratus audire de afflictis “(google it).
Wherever each person holds a belief you are, I will never forget the short time spent together and the impact you had in my life and absolute belief and confidence in me.
Still looks like yesterday bro!
lanre
5th January 2017