THE MAN MOM

 

‘World Chillis'. That's MOM for me. I 'christened' him MOM but you know him as Mike Obiajulu Meze. 

The gangling gentleman with an unabashedly unassuming persona with the cerebral dimensions of philosophers of yore. 

A consummate professional image laundry man and Media guru who was a stickler for excellence.

An easy- going man with a great heart but steel nerves when it comes to principles and professional ethics.

His face, like a defensive facade, masked a lot of emotional and professional wear and tear. Anytime you asked how he was doing, his answer was always, 'all is fine no problem'... but problem fit dey. He never liked disturbing people and took whatever challenges, he encountered, with philosophical calmness.

The day I took to his immense generosity was the day I was waiting at the filling station, in Lagos, and I got an MTN 6,000 airtime from Mike!! That was in 2001! Even now in 2023, N6, 000 airtime is a massive gift!!! That was Mike. I never expected it and yet it came.

MOM lived a very active media life and was a very lively social machine that was seen at all major event in Anambra State. His passion, for the social ubiquitousness, was borne out of the dictates of his profession and his innate adventurous trait.

His tutelage years in UAC, the largest conglomerate in Nigeria at that time, watered the ground for his fertile mind to grow wings and was made manifest in his professional attitude to work and his advertising and public relations priming. 

MOM was very accommodating in his joviality, but don't step on the perimeter of his ego or he will sting you like a lethal scorpion.

I will miss him greatly. If not for the passion we have for writing but for his willingness to always assist in any professional task you ask of him.

MOM was a gentleman. Yes, he indeed was.