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The “Gregorian” (Chief Bode Emanuel) Is Gone!!
For well over a decade, Chief Bode Emanuel and Professor Theo Ogunbiyi, the eminent surgeon (both of them were old boys of St. Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos) and I would converge on Monday evenings at the Basilica Lounge of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos which is at a tangent to the Chief J.K. Randle Memorial Hall).
Tuesday afternoon we would reconvene at the Metropolitan Club, Victoria Island for lunch. Come Friday evening, we would savour our marathon session at the Lagos Motor Boat Club, Awolowo Road, Lagos. This would last until well after midnight.
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On Sunday afternoon, we would be back at the Lagos Motor Boat Club.
Not in my wildest imagination did it occur to me that the leisurely routine of heated and long argument between the two “Gregorians” and myself (an old boy of King’s College, Lagos) could be summarily punctured by the abrupt and fatal defection of Chief Bode Emanuel.
Late Emanuel Olabode
Even our lunches or dinners in London followed the same pattern of jousting and vigorous disputations over which of the two colleges had provided enduring service and commitment to excellence in the interest of our beloved nation. Matters did not end there.
Rather, we would stray into history, economics, governance, public policy, religion etc. Eventually, we would revert to the eternal rivalry between St. Gregory’s College and King’s College – in athletics, cricket, football, patriotism, academics etc.
Chief Bode Emanuel and Professor Theo Ogunbiyi were childhood friends and are separated in age by only ten days. Perhaps, it was inevitable that they were allies. Regardless, no matter how robustly they stood their ground I would never concede or surrender. I thoroughly enjoyed those encounters and I suspect they did too.
On virtually every subject under the sun, Chief Bode Emanuel and I had divergent views. It made no difference that both of us are Chartered Accountants. He quit the profession early to venture into business – Oil and gas; insurance; construction; publishing, telecommunications and property development, etc.
He made a huge success of them all – as an entrepreneur and Board Room guru. The long list of companies of which he was the chairman is only matched by those in which he was a Director or significant shareholder. His business interests vaulted beyond the borders of Nigeria into Europe – UK; France; Italy etc.
He worked hard and played even harder. His hospitality was legendary, but COVID-19 derailed his superlative annual Christmas party where guests readily succumbed to excellent food, fine wines and the best of champagne in a soporific and convivial environment combined with a huge dose of classical music.
Even moslem guests joined merrily in singing Christmas Carols.
Late Mr Bode Emanuel
He loved to go on cruises and savour exotic musical adventures in London, Paris, Milan, Vienna, etc. Nothing but the best of the best was good enough. He lived his life to the fullest. Indeed, he was a man of the world. Critics and admirers alike could not but agree on a point of convergence – he was larger than life !
His taste in choice of restaurants in any part of the world was matchless and flawless.
Over the years, he had amassed a huge collection of rare artworks – paintings and sculptures by Ben Enwowu, Yusuf Grillo and other masters. I shall not be surprised if he owned one or two Pablo Picasso.
Also, he was an avid reader and his vast library attests to his cerebral and eclectic disposition and intellectual curiosity. He was until his death the Chairman of Macmillan – publishers of mostly textbooks for schools and universities, as well as plays and novels.
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There are of course aspects of his life which are strictly his private affair and judgment. In his early life he carried the sobriquet “White Charger” with wry humour and bravado. That was a long time ago.
In recent years, he clung firmly to his catholic faith and was undoubtedly a pillar of CFS (Catholic Friendly Society) and numerous other societies which are far too many to be mentioned. However, at the top of the list was St. Gregory’s College Old Boys’ Association !!
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