I spoke to Sam yesterday. It was the eve of his birthday and I wanted to be sure the man was still around and kicking. And to the disappointment of those who thought otherwise, he was…and sounded ever so cheerful.
“Jabso, you still dey?,” the familiar slender voice came through with a chuckle. I knew he was bracing up for more onslaught. “Donald Trump has not kicked you out?,” he fired a salvo, reeling with loud laughter.
“I’m still very much around, Sam. Trump has no hold on me….,” I was saying under my breath, trying to suppress some protesting hiccups. He busted my blocks and forced me into the defence. He fired on: “You know, Donald Trump respects nobody. Ask Elon Musk..”
The conversation switched to his wellbeing. He was good. I reminded him of the man who, when commended for his good looks, sighed and answered: “You’re looking at the body; you’ve not asked after the engine.” I got him into a fit of laughter. “Jibade, the engine and the body don’t mean much when you’re 90. What we used to do all night, we now stare at it all day.”
More trouble as he delved into morbid matters. “So when are you leaving?” he asked unkindly. If you know him as well as I do, the import of that question would be clearly understood. “Leave for where?” I charged back, adding, “I’m waiting for you to leave first.” The old man replied: “It’s not by age…” I cut in: “I know; but I’ve been waiting for you to board the plane first.” My wife, who is also familiar with his biting humor, quipped: “Uncle Sam, it’s turn by turn according to age, now.” He laughed hilariously, unfazed by morbid thoughts. Old age has not mellowed the humor merchant.
The man I met at the defunct Daily Times at Kakawa Street, Lagos in 1961 is still as witty and as humane as he was in those terrific days he first wrote the OFFBEAT SAM column which eventually morphed into the SAD SAM column.
My friend. My senior colleague. My boss, who shunned any honorific status in his impecunious days, @ now wears a new garb of honor: he is hereinafter to be known and addressed as:
Chief Samson Oruru Amuka-Pemu, FNGE; Comander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
For a man who does not like being put on a pedestal, I cant wait to see how ‘Chief Sam Amuka-Pemu, CON’ will fly.
Congratulations, Uncle Sam, may God keep you till you hit the century mark.
We love you.
A special one for Uncle Sam by: *Ajibade Fasina-thomas*
