"Believe in what you do and do what you believe in, Chris Kehinde Nwandu
I met this man by 'accident', as they say. But he is an incurable optimist, given the circumstances of our acquaintance. He was in prison custody, on account of the exercise of his profession, as a blogger.
All the times that I met him, at the federal high court, he was full of hope, and never for once daunted by the circumstance of his incarceration and temporary impairment. I kept telling him that all great people of old passed through the same route. His wife was awesome, ever supportive and never wavering. And in no time, he was out of the woods and firing from all sides, again. I little knew I was sowing a seed, as it were.
So I sat down to appraise him. Who is CKN? One very courageous fellow, determined to make his mark, in the nation, by dint of hard work and good conscience. A man of great faith, always praying, but also working. Unarguably humble, very passionate and yet with a heart of steel. He was ready to go the whole hog of the trial, as a sacrifice for the freedom of the Fourth Estate. But God set him, totally free, as free can be.
Then came my own travail. He was all over the place, to disseminate my own side of the whole story. He never once believed the lie. So when he met my wife and lawyers from the law firm and got hold of the real truth, he went to town. He was in court live, reporting the proceedings, as they unfold, especially when it was the 'enemy' that was helping to tell the true story of my innocence.
But my regard for him became fully accomplished on the day of trial. He would rally round me in the court, urging me to smile, to be bold, to be courageous and to hold on to the truth of my faith and convictions. That I will surely overcome.
I was shocked! Where are my Aluta 'comrades', I kept asking myself as he held me closely, prompting me to wave to the media and cameramen, positioned all over the court. He said I should remember Pa Awolowo, who was always raising the victory sign in all the times of his trials. Aaah! Who is this CKN? Couldn't he see the EFCC operatives swarming all around me? He never cared! Then I remembered our first meeting, when he was kept at the "cell", in the court premises.
I can go on and on. But this is your day, CKN. A man of courage, a true and loyal friend, a worthy patriot and an accomplished journalist. Congratulations to you, my dear brother. Fifty is a mark of Jubilee, so expect jubilations all around you from now.
It is a time of harvest, of restoration and total Liberty. So go ahead and excel, CKN, in every department of your life, in the mighty name of Jesus.
So I pray for a fulfilling life and career, ahead of you, for a Nigeria free from oppression and deceit, for a profession filled with men and women of courage, rid totally of hypocrites, who eat from all sides and dine with all powers, for a nation blessed with leaders and followers, that will truly work for the common good, in Jesus name.
Happy birthday to you, man of the people!"
Barr Ebun Olu Adegboruwa is a Human Right Lawyer based in Lagos
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