Yes! E still dey do me like film say my good friend and big brother, Prince Ifeanyi Dike don die.
Another friend of mine and colleague, Ngozi Emedolibe, it was who doled out the bad news to me. And I must confess that it took me quite some time to properly digest and assimilate it.
Prince Ifeanyi Dike dead? No, that can’t be true! I had been soliloquising and muttering that for 48 hours now. But alas, it’s true. PID, the creative genius who changed our world, touched lives and found good in everyone, has gone to be with the Lord, and those of us that enjoyed a chummy relationship with him while on this side will surely and sorely miss the extraordinarily good man.
Two things I will, however, continue to remember about him are his generosity and creativity. He never got tired of indulging almost perpetually in those two. But for now, permit me to please focus on our friendship.
Back then as the anchor person of Fame and Encomium magazines’ Nollywood columns, and much later as the editor of Reel Stars, arguably Nigeria’s first all-Nollywood magazine, you were always there for me and gave me unquantifiable support and encouragement.
Your office, back then on Eloseh Street, in Surulere, Lagos, used to be the convergence point – for us and some of today’s leading lights in Nollywood. Some even used to pass the night there, after savouring three square meals. Plus ‘abacha’, which I used to devour first before crossing over to nearby Okechukwu Ogunjiofor’s home, where his adorable wife, Gloria, will stuff me with steaming hot yellow eba and okro soup.
Visiting both of you back then was a daily occurrence. And being that I was still living on College Road, in Ogba, not far from your home, also in the same vicinity, we used to drive home together in your Mercedes Benz, flat boot. By the way, you were among the first set of actors that drove that prestigious automobile in the industry. But I digress.
Driving home nearly every night with you was fun. So much fun. And the memories are all I’m clutching as I write this. The stopover at the Lord’s Niteclub, in Maryland. You took me there first. Then, The Coliseum, in Opebi, Ikeja, which was my favourite.
Nothing was too much for you to give or share with friends. At every point in time, you wanted all those around you to be happy. To put it exactly the way it should be – you used to ‘dash’ all of us money. Most times, giving me extra. I remember that the first pressing iron I used as a bachelor was from you. Likewise many other things you blessed me with, from time to time.
The traders whom you daily promoted on your programmes, from Today’s Transport to the last set that you created, always gave you samples of their products, and most nights as we made our way home, you usually passed some to me. “Azuh, ji de nkaa”, you will say to me, smiling.
Ah! We did many other things together. But time and power of recollection should be blamed for any one I don’t mention here.
Finally, even though we drifted apart after I stopped paying undivided attention to Nollywood, my joy remains that prior to your trip to India, for the first time, I did something that even you marveled at.
As you rest in the bosom of the Lord, having fought a good fight with kidney challenges, my prayers and thoughts will continue to be with your excellent and elegant wife, Naomi, as well as your brothers and sister whom I was privileged to meet through you. But particularly your stoic and supportive wife. My prayer, specifically, is that the Lord continues to keep watch over her and everything that concerns her.
Adieu Prince!
Adieu Odogwu!
Adieu Nwokem!
Adieu Agu udo, like you enjoyed hailing me…
Till we meet to part no more…
– Azuh Arinze, Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, YES INTERNATIONAL! Magazine is also the author of bestsellers, The CEO’s Bible and Success Is Not Served A La Carte
NB: The photo here was exhumed from my archive. It was taken at the Enugu Trade Fair which he asked me to accompany him to