Ode To Harriman Oyofo, A Friend, Brother, An Original Warri Boy
October 31, 2023 | News
-By Zik Gbemre
Ode To Harriman Oyofo, A Friend, Brother, An Original Warri Boy
He was a pleasant man and took life very easy. Chief Joel Okandeji had called at 2:32 pm Friday 27th October 2023. When I picked up he said, "something bad has happened".
I asked the expected question under the circumstance, "what is the problem?" Joel's response was something bad indeed. "Oyofo eeeh", he exclaimed.
"What about Oyofo", I pushed Joel further. He dropped the bombshell. "He died after being seen with friends yesterday (Thursday) evening at Ogunu Warri Shell Golf Club and didn't show any sign of illness".
Few days ago Harriman Oyofo had called in the night when he read my reflection, "BLACKMAILING NIGERIA'S JUDICIARY BEFORE THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS VERY UNPATRIOTIC." Over the call, he engaged me on Nigerian's Judiciary, economic crises and need for good governance.
Oyofo was a patriotic Nigerian.
After retirement from Shell, Oyofo settled in his Warri duplex in the popular Bendel Estate also known DDPA Ugborikoko-Effurun.
Working extensively in community relations around then Shell West fields, he had become an original Warri Boy, lived to love the town through its positives and negatives.
He lived with his wife, Mrs Folake Oyofo, in the once very popular Oil City, till she passed in April 2022. Friday 27th October 2023, turned out to be Oyofo's day of passage.
He was intelligent, a no-nonsense man. Blunt in airing his opinion on burning public issues no matter who was involved. He was a Warri man to the core.
His relationship with me as Shell Public and Government Affairs Manager-West and then Corporate External Relations Major Projects was cordial. Then I was one of the regular contributing writers to SHELL MAJOR PROJECTS WORLD MAGAZINE.
It is indeed a great lost that this great intelligent man is no more. Though an indigene of Edo state, Oyofo was more of a Warri man. He didn't look down on people. He was misunderstood by many people due to his blunt opinions on national and South South matters.
Harriman Isa Oyofo was a Muslim and related with people of all religions and class. He had zero tolerance for corruption and a radical thinker of this 21st century.
He was a proud black African. The last time we met was when I visited Oyofo to console him on death of his wife, Folake in 2022.
Harriman Oyofo wrote on his Facebook wall on losing his dear wife, "The thrill is GONE FOREVER.....Good night girl....for the last time!
You were some rare gem and a real lady. Only one of a kind. We love you.
Vaya con dios!"
Today, over this painful moment of his passing, I say:
Harriman Isa Oyofo, you were a rare gem, one of a kind. From Me, Tonia & the Children, our hearts and thoughts to the family you have left behind.
Adieu!
Zik Gbemre
October 28, 2023
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
Ode To Harriman Oyofo, A Friend, Brother, An Original Warri Boy
He was a pleasant man and took life very easy. Chief Joel Okandeji had called at 2:32 pm Friday 27th October 2023. When I picked up he said, "something bad has happened".
I asked the expected question under the circumstance, "what is the problem?" Joel's response was something bad indeed. "Oyofo eeeh", he exclaimed.
"What about Oyofo", I pushed Joel further. He dropped the bombshell. "He died after being seen with friends yesterday (Thursday) evening at Ogunu Warri Shell Golf Club and didn't show any sign of illness".
Few days ago Harriman Oyofo had called in the night when he read my reflection, "BLACKMAILING NIGERIA'S JUDICIARY BEFORE THE OUTSIDE WORLD IS VERY UNPATRIOTIC." Over the call, he engaged me on Nigerian's Judiciary, economic crises and need for good governance.
Oyofo was a patriotic Nigerian.
After retirement from Shell, Oyofo settled in his Warri duplex in the popular Bendel Estate also known DDPA Ugborikoko-Effurun.
Working extensively in community relations around then Shell West fields, he had become an original Warri Boy, lived to love the town through its positives and negatives.
He lived with his wife, Mrs Folake Oyofo, in the once very popular Oil City, till she passed in April 2022. Friday 27th October 2023, turned out to be Oyofo's day of passage.
He was intelligent, a no-nonsense man. Blunt in airing his opinion on burning public issues no matter who was involved. He was a Warri man to the core.
His relationship with me as Shell Public and Government Affairs Manager-West and then Corporate External Relations Major Projects was cordial. Then I was one of the regular contributing writers to SHELL MAJOR PROJECTS WORLD MAGAZINE.
It is indeed a great lost that this great intelligent man is no more. Though an indigene of Edo state, Oyofo was more of a Warri man. He didn't look down on people. He was misunderstood by many people due to his blunt opinions on national and South South matters.
Harriman Isa Oyofo was a Muslim and related with people of all religions and class. He had zero tolerance for corruption and a radical thinker of this 21st century.
He was a proud black African. The last time we met was when I visited Oyofo to console him on death of his wife, Folake in 2022.
Harriman Oyofo wrote on his Facebook wall on losing his dear wife, "The thrill is GONE FOREVER.....Good night girl....for the last time!
You were some rare gem and a real lady. Only one of a kind. We love you.
Vaya con dios!"
Today, over this painful moment of his passing, I say:
Harriman Isa Oyofo, you were a rare gem, one of a kind. From Me, Tonia & the Children, our hearts and thoughts to the family you have left behind.
Adieu!
Zik Gbemre
October 28, 2023
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes