Efewedo

Lessons while growing up in Edo.

My maternal uncle Paul Omoruyi was a customs officer, he is now retired and a successful businessman in Lagos. He has been an inspiration to me in many ways. He was the first relative I knew to buy an expensive sports car, a Nissan ZX with retractable headlights.

Unfortunately, the car was wrecked when a goat strayed into its path on the Benin-Shagamu expressway. The car was written off. It was a miracle that he survived the accident without any injury.

I was surprised at how easily he wrote it off and bought a brand new Honda Accord EX as a replacement. I loved that car too. He taught me not to get too attached to material things as they are always disposable. It was that belief that things could always be improved, replaced, or upgraded that made him seek wealth.

His love for cars was also shared by another uncle he grew up with, his cousin and my uncle “Henry Imasekha.” Uncle Henry and Uncle Paul are jointly responsible for my craze for cars and the number of cars that I have owned. I also learned from them not to be too attached to them or material property. They are tools of happiness and not gods to be served.

Uncle Paul was the first in my mother’s immediate family to move to Lagos and he paid for my first airplane trip as a child. It was his love for music together with the same passion my father shared that made me also like music. One track they both loved is by the Edo musical legend — Osayomore Joseph, titled “Efewedo.”

Efewedo in Edo means “Wealth greets you.” The musician was providing social commentary (filled with Edo proverbs) on how people are envied because of their progress by others who haven’t yet walked in their shoes. He gave many examples starting with the wealthy man who bought a car.

He then talks about the one who has built many houses and is seen by others as a thief. He talks again about the envy of the one who loves fashion and has plenty of clothes — someone like my father.

He ends talking about himself and praising himself for his achievements and showing how hard he has worked and why he doesn’t deserve hate or envy. The chorus line — “Agbon gbowman no’se” means that the world kills people because of beauty. He wishes the same wealth, achievement, and progress on…