MESSAGE FROM BEYOND…CHOOSE LOVE

"Now stop imagining! That was the setting at Anchor Events Place, on Lateef Jakande Way, Agidingbi, Ikeja  on Thursday May 2, 2013 when “Me Football and More”, a selection of the media writings of ex-football international, Segun Odegbami was launched.  The audio book I have been talking about is in fact a version of an A4-sized, 368-page, matt-laminated hard-cover book published by KP Books."

 

“My angels (for that's what you all are), this is another of my messages to you. Many of you have been wondering where I have been or why l allowed all the 'terrible' events going on around you take place, particularly, the recent events in America and Nigeria. It may shock you to know that I have been with you all the time. I have always been with you; it is you who never remembers. Most of you profess to know me, yet you do allow the worries and concerns of life, distractions all, to take you from me. You have also failed to recognize and receive several messages I have been sending you through Messengers who are amongst you. So, here I am sending you another one…” (Message From Beyond, MFM Page 340).

Jimi Solanke, in case there are babies reading this page today, is the ageless actor, singer, keyboardist and storyteller, who might be credited for bringing the one-man band phenomenon to these parts. Dejumo Lewis was Kabiyesi, Oloja of Oja in the famous sit-com Village Headmaster. Joke Silva Jacob has been on stage and on screen for several decades and is not about to give up. Ronke Ayuba was one of the most glamorous newsreaders on Nigerian Television. She wasn’t just excellent  in her presentation, the media loved to call her Ronke ‘Darling”, not just as a play on her maiden name, but also to reflect how the TV viewing world liked to see her.

Bimbo (Roberts) Oloyede was also a superlative newsreader; she still is! Throw into that her incursion into acting and you’ll get the picture – she’s versatile! Patrick Oke? Wow, newsreader per excellence too then and still very active in the production of documentaries, his unmistakable voice featuring in narrations of perhaps hundreds of them. Soni Irabor is another of the veterans who just won’t go away. From his days on radio at Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria through to his Soni Irabor Live television show on African Independent Television, AIT and his current assignment as CEO at Inspiration FM the only thing that competes with his excellence is his zeal.

Femi Sowoolu may not have gone as way back as all of the others on this list, but he is no less a respected on-air personality. Then there is Taiwo Solanke, whose place on this least has nothing to do with the fact that he is Jimi’s son. He’s earned a place in this roll of honour by dint of hardwork and creativity. Yinka Davies, always in your face, reminding you of that dynamite comes in small packages whether singing or dancing (remember her in that celebrity dance competition) or serving as a judge in singing competitions.

Imagine an event where all of these accomplished ladies and gentlemen are seated on the same table! Imagine the camaraderie. Imagine what glitter their presence would add to such an event.

Let’s take it a bit further. Imagine an audio book in which all of these “voices” are readers. Imagine that as they read the book, sound effects come in to transport you to the scenes they are reading about, ranging from the magic of old Oshodi to the Eden of our Time, Lagos, to a letter from God, manifesting as Love.

Now imagine that the event at which this unique audio book is presented had corporate icon and one-time presidential aspirant, the impeccable (in integrity, language and appearance) Mr Gamaliel Onosode as chairman.  And then to cap it all, imagine that Babatunde Raji Fashola, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria who runs, possibly, the most accountable, most efficient and very successful state government in Nigeria is also the Special Guest of Honour at that event.

Now stop imagining! That was the setting at Anchor Events Place, on Lateef Jakande Way, Agidingbi, Ikeja  on Thursday May 2, 2013 when “Me Football and More”, a selection of the media writings of ex-football international, Segun Odegbami was launched.  The audio book I have been talking about is in fact a version of an A4-sized, 368-page, matt-laminated hard-cover book published by KP Books.

The opening quote of this piece is extracted from “Message from Beyond”, the epilogue to the book and it testifies to the large swathe of areas covered in the book. That piece climaxes this way:

“My name is Love. So, my only instructions to you were to love me and to love one another (that is to only do to another what you want for yourself). Period!

“My love is free, limitless and unconditional. Were it not so, who amongst you would survive? My standards are not your standards so you ignorantly underestimate the capacity of my love.

“You have to understand that I am always with you and in you, that's why your holy books describe your body as my temple. You are all special and unique, yet you are all the same. That is a divine mystery that you can understand if you examine it closely.”