By ‘DIPO ONABANJO
The hand of the giver is always on top, says a Yoruba proverb that celebrates the art of giving to others. Professor Ukandi Damachi (1942 – 2021) while alive was a giver and his hand remained on top until he departed the world late last year.
He was blessed not only because his name is Godwin but apparently because as he was being blessed, he was blessing others with the resources it had pleased God to bless him with.
A highly cerebral icon from Obudu in present day Cross River State, Damachi believed in hard work as a reward for good wealth and success. To him, labour creates wealth. Maybe that explains why as he laboured in God’s vineyard, he found himself moderating the affairs of labour and wealth creation, an aspect of knowledge that is called industrial relations where he dwelt as an indefatigable world renowned scholar.
It was a delight sitting in his office and watching him talk politics, history, economy, labour relations, etc analysing and extrapolating on complex socio-political and economic issues particularly those that concerned our dear country, Nigeria.
As a former employee in Damachi’s print media – Development Outlook magazine and National Outlook newspaper – I was privileged to work closely with him during which I drank profusely from his immense fountain of knowledge, enjoyed his good and bad moods, knew some of his friends, many of whom were (and still are) prominent players in this nation and the world at large.
It was a delight sitting in his office and watching him talk politics, history, economy, labour relations, etc analysing and extrapolating on complex socio-political and economic issues particularly those that concerned our dear country, Nigeria.
He was a moving encyclopaedia recalling names and events with dramatic ease and supersonic speed and accuracy. To journalists like this writer, Prof, as we called him, was a delight, a good source of worthy news stories that though unpublishable then were good background materials for publishable ones.
A lover of mankind, he would surround himself with his siblings, friends and many members of the upper echelon in the society cutting across ethnic, religious and professional lines and entertain them with good wines as he unwound. At the end of it all, he would splash you with gifts in cash and kind.
His birthday, November 17th of every year was always a great day particularly for staff in his numerous companies. He would summon us to the head office and ask us to rejoice with him. Of course, none of us would leave there empty handed. During some of these events, he demonstrated his expertise in planning and executing plans without any hitch. He was also not a push over even when it comes to dancing! Only a few could trump him in this regard.
He was indeed a giver, a very cheerful giver for that matter. In 2018, he once turned my 50th birthday into a public affair. A week to the event, I had hinted him of my wish to privately mark the day but he retorted: “how can you celebrate that milestone quietly and you’re a big ‘oga’ here? You can’t do that with Damachi”! And he made it big and quite memorable for me, filled my bank account with a fat cheque in addition to a big birthday cake. When you struck a harmonious chord with him, he would treat you like a father would a worthy son.
Again, he rewarded loyalty immensely. If you kept fate with him as an employee, he was ready to put you on his payroll for a long time extending the favour to your family members if he thought it necessary to keep you away from the jaws of poverty. Oftentimes, a staff that had left service would ask him for some favour and he would gladly oblige. A man of vast memory, he would real out past employee’s phone numbers and ask that the employee be summoned immediately to his office for a treat or a new job offer!
Some of us had become an ‘ogbanje’ (abiku) in his company, returning and departing like a shuttle in the loom. Thrice was I employed by him, leaving on each occasion when I felt he was not acceeding to my demands. Return trips had always been by phone calls or through trusted emissaries sent by him.
As a human being brilliant and erudite in his own right, he had his own shortcomings too. Never took him for granted or showed some level of dishonesty, incompetence or tell lies. If you did, he would deal with you sometimes so ruthlessly, striking you like a viper; and worst still sentencing you to a life of excommunication! However, to his eternal credit, regardless of the circumstances that one left his employ, he would ensure you got all your entitlements. Never would he owe you a kobo!
In all, this giver of substance and knowledge, this star from Obudu, a detribalised Nigerian who spent much of his earthly life in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, did not just pass through this world.
Sometimes – and quite inexplicably and surprisingly – while he was generous towards other people’s interests, he was a bit parsimonous to his own business interests! His publishing outfits, for example, would have been a roaring success if he had given them the much-needed financial muzzle to thrive. This much I knew and believed. And it was always our point of disagreement until he breathed his last in far-away Geneva.
In all, this giver of substance and knowledge, this star from Obudu, a detribalised Nigerian who spent much of his earthly life in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, did not just pass through this world. He came, he saw and he conquered. He lost the battle of life at a very ripe age of 79 years to the great leveler, Death. And with that, God finally won him over – Godwin indeed! He will be sorely missed by many whose lives he touched.
Adieu, my dear ‘Oga’ and cheerful giver. They die not those who live in the hearts of men.
*Onabanjo who worked as staff writer in Development Outlook magazine and Managing Editor, National Outlook newspaper, resides in Lagos. (0802 302 2205 / [email protected]).
