• About
  • Contact Us
Friday, March 24, 2023
The Gist Day
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • News
    • All
    • National
    Appeal court upholds Adeleke’s candidacy in Osun governorship election

    BREAKING: Adeleke Wins As Appeal Court Reinstates Him as Osun governor

    NNPC Ltd. Is Not Recruiting - Spokesman

    Fuel Subsidy: Nigeria loses enormous infrastructure development worth trillions of Naira — NNPCL

    Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, addresses the press at his hometown in Agulu, Anambra state {PHOTOS}

    Ramadan: Atiku urges Muslims to seek spiritual guidance, peace

    Gov Yahaya mourns ex-Gombe Speaker Nasiru Nono

    Gov Yahaya mourns ex-Gombe Speaker Nasiru Nono

    Ike Ekweremadu

    Ekweremadu, Wife, Doctor Found Guilty Of Organ Trafficking

    Wike Issues AIT Quit Notice, Orders Media House to Vacate Premises in 48 Hours

    Wike Issues AIT Quit Notice, Orders Media House to Vacate Premises in 48 Hours

    Trending Tags

    • Commentary
    • Featured
    • Event
    • Editorial
  • Business
  • National
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Tech
  • Gist & Jabs
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Travel
  • News
    • All
    • National
    Appeal court upholds Adeleke’s candidacy in Osun governorship election

    BREAKING: Adeleke Wins As Appeal Court Reinstates Him as Osun governor

    NNPC Ltd. Is Not Recruiting - Spokesman

    Fuel Subsidy: Nigeria loses enormous infrastructure development worth trillions of Naira — NNPCL

    Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, addresses the press at his hometown in Agulu, Anambra state {PHOTOS}

    Ramadan: Atiku urges Muslims to seek spiritual guidance, peace

    Gov Yahaya mourns ex-Gombe Speaker Nasiru Nono

    Gov Yahaya mourns ex-Gombe Speaker Nasiru Nono

    Ike Ekweremadu

    Ekweremadu, Wife, Doctor Found Guilty Of Organ Trafficking

    Wike Issues AIT Quit Notice, Orders Media House to Vacate Premises in 48 Hours

    Wike Issues AIT Quit Notice, Orders Media House to Vacate Premises in 48 Hours

    Trending Tags

    • Commentary
    • Featured
    • Event
    • Editorial
  • Business
  • National
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Tech
  • Gist & Jabs
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Travel
No Result
View All Result
Morning News
No Result
View All Result
Home Business Opinion

AIG Chris Olakpe: A Loss So Deep And Painful.

Christian Pulisic by Christian Pulisic
March 31, 2020
in Opinion
0
AIG Chris Olakpe: A Loss So Deep And Painful.
0
SHARES
139
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Numbness has taken over my entire being. In the last twenty four hours, reality and disbelief have been at war in my brain. It is practically impossible to process the shocking news and accept the reality now staring me at the face. God what is happening? Can somebody wake me up to tell me this is just a dream, a nightmare? Less than three months a go, I lost a man who inspired me on the path of self discovery and fulfillment. We have not even buried him. Now this? What is going on?

Please pardon me if you’re not making sense of all I’m saying. There are certain things that happen to you and cause your brain to shut down. What the journalists call the “writer’s block”; when your creative and writing abilities simply refuse to function.

READ ALSO

Polls are over, healing process must begin, by Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Sanwo-Olu: Running On Experience And Track Record- Gboyega Akosile

 

The news of the death of Chief Christain Olakpe, retired Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police, the Afituwou of Irri Kingdom, former Chairman and CEO of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA), former Police Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police and most importantly my elder cousin and benefactor has shut down my entire being.

How do I start to write about the death of a man who has been a constant in my life’s journey. God used him to set me on my career path and whatever I have been able to achieve today. From that fateful day in August of 1990 when I met him for the first time at the Police Officers Mess at the GRA Benin till two days before his death when we spoke on the telephone; he never showed any sign of illness, AIG Chris Olakpe, was a senior brother in every sense of the word. He will call to rebuke me if he has not heard from me for a long time – like he did last Thursday. He will send words of prayers and praise when he heard of an act of kindness or support showed to any member of the family or the Idheze community, as he taught me to always do. He accepted and took my wife like his own daughter, calling her “my daughter, the original woman of God”. In return, my wife called him “My Original Idheze Daddy” on account of their affinity. She has been inconsolable since I broke the news to her.

My life odyssey with Uncle Chris started in August 1990 when a mutual Uncle of ours Mr. Friday Ogwegha, took me to see him at the Police Officers Mess in Benin. He was a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) then and I had just graduated from the University of Benin. After the courtesies and Uncle Friday told him I just graduated from UNIBEN, he first bragged about his alma mata, the University of Nigeria Nsukka and asked why I chose to attend an “inferior” University. This resulted in general laughter amongst us. But after the initial “gragra” he got serious and asked what my result was. On hearing that I came out with a second class upper degree, he jumped up in excitement and immediately decreed that I must join the Nigeria Police, explaining how he was going to get the Form for me to commence the process of getting into the Nigeria Police College for a Cadet ASP course.

You could feel the agony of disappointment all over him when I quietly but calmly told him that I was not interested in joining the Police Force. After regaining his composure, he asked me what career I wanted to pursue. I told him I wanted to be a journalist. That seemed to excite him as he gave a proud endorsement of my choice of career. He said apart from joining the Police Force, the other thing he would advise me to be is a journalist. He said Journalism was his second choice of career apart from being a Police man. And he immediately swung into action. He brought out his complimentary card and scribbled a message on it, signed it and handed it over to me.“Go to Concord Newspapers in Lagos, ask for Mr. Mike Awoyinfa, give this card to him. He will give you a job”, he said, signaling the end of the meeting and asking Uncle Friday and myself to join him at the Bar to have a drink.

That was how my journey into journalism started. I did meet Editor Mike Awoyinfa and he did give me a job. Ever since then, Uncle Chris has been my alter ego. You can now understand when I said I have lost a senior brother.
Rest In Peace Uncle Chris Olakpe and may the good Lord comfort everyone that is grieving, especially your immediate family, as a result of this painful and untimely death.

 

Tribute written by Mr Blessyn Okpowo from Lagos

Tags: AIG Chris OlakpeChris OlakpeLASTMALASTMA Chairman

Related Posts

Tinubu Risked His Life For Nigeria In The Past — Campaign Group
Opinion

Polls are over, healing process must begin, by Bola Ahmed Tinubu

March 22, 2023
Lagos State Halts Academic Activities for Secondary School
Opinion

Sanwo-Olu: Running On Experience And Track Record- Gboyega Akosile

March 14, 2023
National Broadcast: Buhari Has Been Wrongly Advised — Keyamo
News

National Broadcast: Buhari Has Been Wrongly Advised — Keyamo

February 18, 2023
The Trouble With Obasanjo’s Wish
Opinion

The Trouble With Obasanjo’s Wish

January 6, 2023
Veteran Musician, King Sunny Ade Finally Agrees To Meet Alleged Daughter
Celebrities

Veteran Musician, King Sunny Ade Finally Agrees To Meet Alleged Daughter

September 22, 2022
Pastor Enoch Adeboye
Opinion

Pastor Enoch Adeboye @80: Celebrating A Quintessential Christian Leader

March 2, 2022

glo
app




app
GTBank ADs GTBank ADs GTBank ADs

LATEST NEWS

Let Lagos State Be by Femi Okunnu, SAN

Let Lagos State Be by Femi Okunnu, SAN

March 23, 2023
Broda Shaggi say he makes over ₦‎20 million a month from creating contents

Broda Shaggi say he makes over ₦‎20 million a month from creating contents

March 24, 2023
Neo Reacts After Man Threatens To Beat Up His Girlfriend, Vee

“I didn’t expect to be hurt” BBNaija’s Vee Iye opens up on her break-up with Neo Akpofure (Video)

March 23, 2023
Estonia ranks as easiest European country to obtain a work visa; apply for jobs via official website

Estonia ranks as easiest European country to obtain a work visa; apply for jobs via official website

March 24, 2023
Oluwo of Iwo and his wife, Olori Firdaus, welcome first child

Oluwo of Iwo unveil daughter, names her after Olofin Adimula

March 24, 2023

EDITOR'S PICK

Cubana Chief Priest Blasted Over Demeaning Look He Gave Fan That Wanted Selfie (Video)

Cubana Chief Priest Blasted Over Demeaning Look He Gave Fan That Wanted Selfie (Video)

August 2, 2022
Osinbajo Nigeria 2023 Election Zuby Michael Samsung

FG Considers Tackling Malnutrition With “Operation Feed Yourself”

November 9, 2021
Aisha Buhari

First Lady, Aisha Buhari, Flown To Dubai Over Persistent Ailment

August 8, 2020
60 Percent Of Primary School Teachers In Borno Not Qualified

60 Percent Of Primary School Teachers In Borno Not Qualified – Committee

December 24, 2020

About

We bring you the stories that perfect for news, finance, politics etc. Check our landing page for details.

Follow us

Categories

  • A Call to Prayer
  • Agriculture
  • Appointments
  • Business
  • Celebrities
  • Coronavirus
  • Corporate Amazon
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Fashion
  • Financial Literacy
  • From the Kaaba
  • From the Pulpit
  • Gist & Jabs
  • Health
  • Jobmart
  • Lifestyle
  • Living
  • Metro Gist
  • National
  • News
  • Op-Ed
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Religion
  • Sport
  • State News
  • Tech
  • Tourism
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • World News

Recent Posts

  • BREAKING: Adeleke Wins As Appeal Court Reinstates Him as Osun governor
  • Cops swarm Rihanna’s house as man shows up to propose
  • Oluwo of Iwo unveil daughter, names her after Olofin Adimula
  • Broda Shaggi say he makes over ₦‎20 million a month from creating contents
  • Disclaimer
  • Google Adsense
  • Home 2
  • Ikoyi building collapse: Corper who redeployed from Borno to Lagos, confirmed dead
  • Leaked Conversation: There Will Know Peace Until Hope Uzodimma Leaves Government House – Emeka Ihedioha
  • MAN Condemns Invasion Of Dangote Cement Plant By Kogi State Govt
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sample Page
  • TheGistDay
  • Whitemoney And New Lady Spotted Stepping Out Of Hotel Together (Video)

© 2022 TheGistDay.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Business
  • National
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Tech
  • Gist & Jabs
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
  • Health
  • Travel

© 2022 TheGistDay.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In