Yes, there’s always a way. All we need, however, is to constantly open our eyes wider, dig deeper and then knock harder.
Back then at Encomium Weekly, which the Almighty God enabled me to edit for eight straight and solid years, and also worked for 14 years, I had wanted to interview Mr. Udeme Ufot, one of Nigeria’s most respected advertising practitioners and Group Managing Director of SO&U Advertising. But tried as I did, the finicky dresser just wouldn’t budge.
Well, I also vehemently refused to give up until one day when he invited me to his office in Ikeja, Lagos to explain why he wasn’t favourably disposed to the interview at that point. And reluctantly I acquiesced to his explanation.
On my way back to the office, however, my creative juice began to flow ceaselessly. So much so that it occurred to me that not getting an interview shouldn’t debar and militate me from also capturing our encounter in a prose format.
Mr. Ufot, obviously, enjoyed how meticulously I narrated all that transpired between us in the next edition of Encomium Weekly. He sent for me again and on arrival, spent a few minutes commending my high level of professionalism and creativity.
Done with that, he asked when I wanted the interview and I shouted ‘now’. He burst into laughter, before finally adding ‘I love your dedication to work’.
Anyway, we eventually did the interview, which further cemented our relationship. And to quote him, it was ‘one of my best interviews’.
And thus began a father-son relationship which has been waxing strong now for almost 20 years. Permitting me unfettered access to him, a mentorship session whenever I wanted it and above all, his esteemed presence at all my events. In fact, two years ago when I launched my book, The CEO’s Bible 1 & 2, my chairman ran into trouble the previous day and sent me a message around 4 AM that he won’t be able to make it again and with tears in my eyes, I woke up Mr. Ufot around 6 AM and he was at the venue before 10 AM to ‘chair’ the event. He later told the audience, in the course of the programme, that his wife, Mrs. Dorothy Ufot, SAN, who was beside him in bed was eavesdropping on our phone conversation and that as soon as we were through, she hurried him up to get ready for the book launch.
Mr. Ufot, MFR, by the way, had graciously introduced me to his wife after our first encounter and as our father-son relationship continued to grow. Now making me a ‘quasi-member’ of the family.
My dear friends, what is my message this morning? Simple. We must be very, very creative. And always remember that popular saying about no market having just one entrance. There are indeed multiple ways of doing anything. But we must always put on our thinking cap to decode them. While at it, we must equally give a good account of ourselves.
Always put your best foot forward. Hang in there. No matter how long it takes. Believe that it must surely happen, and for as long as you don’t surrender.
Never surrender! God, like Don Moen sang in that his popular number, will always make a way where there seems to be no way. But only if we believe.
Thanks so much for keeping a date with me again and see you next Saturday.
NB: One of our interviews: https://theyesng.com/2015/07/31/so-u-advertising-boss-udeme-ufot-tutors-us-on-how-to-escape-failure-in-business-marriage-and-partnership/
– Azuh is a journalist, bestselling author and publisher of YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine