On Friday August 19, 2022, Maj-Gen. Hassan Umaru (rtd) boarded an Ibom Air flight from Jos to Lagos only to witness a miracle of some sort.
As an army General, he had lived a military life for decades, seldom swayed by civilian or social factors.
At different times, he had functioned as the Army Head of Training and Administration, the Commander of the Special Task Force (Operation Safe Haven) and the Theater Commander of Operation Lafiaya Dole in the North East, among other high octane responsibilities.
As he sat on that flight between Jos and Lagos, he could not help taking his memories back to his childhood friendship with Tayo Orekoya, a chartered accountant and President of Pearl Awards, with whom he had just reunited about 55 years after they lost contacts as close childhood friends.
Orekoya, then a six years old son of a police officer, had been neighbours with Umaru at Eleyele area of Ibadan where the latter resided with his parents.
Recalling how they both played together on the streets of Eleyele as childhood friends, Orekoya said: “We were best of friends, playing together, rolling worn tyres around and about the neighbourhood and playing on the sand.
“There was no kind of play that we did not indulge in as little children. We ate in each other’s houses and his house was home to me.”
But in keeping with the adage that says 20 children cannot all play together for 20 years, Orekoya woke up one morning and found that his bosom friend and other family members were gone.
He said: “We parted ways in Primary 1 when I was six years old and we were in the same school and class.
“It was a tough one for me. Hassan was gone never to be seen again. There was no trace or mailing address left behind by his family.”
For 55 years, Orekoya battled in vain to wipe off Umaru’s image from his memory but it just would not vanish.
“In all those years, I tried to trace him, but no door opened,” he said.
Then last year, Orekoya made up his mind to do something about it. He resolved to explore the social and combed through the pile of Hassans that popped up on Facebook until he located the one he was sure was Umaru.
He said: “Immediately I saw his picture, I knew it was him. It was still the same face, though he had added more flesh with age and good life!
“A new excitement welled up in my whole body. Finally, I had found him.”
But there was yet another hurdle: Orekoya had
found Umaru on the social media, but meeting him in flesh and blood was a different kettle of fish. His position in the army did not make him accessible.
“But, again, I did not give up. I put calls through to different people in government and in the army but there was no success. No one I knew could reach him.
“After many months, I found one who could, but for his own reasons, he was worried about reaching out to Hassan for me.
“But like people say, when it is time, then it is time. I found another friend with whom I shared my dream of meeting my lost friend, and behold, within an hour, he got me Hassan’s direct phone number.
“He, however, warned that Hassan does not pick calls.
“As luck would have it, I called on that day and Hassan picked the call; not because he wanted to, but because he was expecting a different call from someone whose number he didn’t have and was told to call him.
“On the phone, I told him who I am and explained how we had been childhood friends at Eleyele in Ibadan, and all the memories flooded back to him.
“He said he was amazed and that this must be a miracle. I asked after his sister, he said she had passed on. I also asked about other members of his family.
“Then he said, ‘Orekoya, you must be a magician.’ He said he usually does not pick calls from strange numbers but only picked mine because he was anticipating a call from someone who was refered to him.
“From that day early this year, we spent hours on the phone almost daily until we planned this weekend get together in Lagos.
“We knew that for just one day was never going to be enough, so we agreed to have a whole weekend at my home.
General Umaru (rtd) landed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja that Friday afternoon into the warm embrace of Orekoya 55 years after parting ways.
The reporter posed the following questions to the two friends and got their responses as follows:
What was the feeling like, meeting again for the first time after 55 years?
Umaru: “It was a deep feeling of nostalgia. I felt I had seen my twin brother again. Aristotle once said a true friend is a single soul in two bodies. God made us to see that day and we are grateful.
Orekoya: Same here. It was indeed a nostalgic feeling. I was there at the airport fiddling with my phone when he called and we were in a warm embrace. So emotional. Everyone was watching and wondering that this must be a great moment. A dream come true for me.”
Did you wonder about the lost years upon meeting your friend?
Umaru: I would say no. Everything just flowed as arranged by God.
Orekoya: We tried to catch up with that. But surprisingly, we could only catch up on three years out of the 55. We talked into the nights about eating tin foods, corn beef at their house and going to buy kulikuli and dankwa, and how we used to play at the polo ground at Eleyele and rolled tyres.
Did you ever think that you could see your friend again?
Umaru: I never thought of that in my wildest imagination. But then it happened in a big way!
Orekoya: instinctively, I don’t know where that conviction came from, but I knew one day we would meet again.
Now that you have met again, do you think you can have the time for each other?
Umaru: Well, we have already rekindled our relationship. Presently we are mapping out strategies for each other, taking into consideration our major schedules and priorities in order to sustain this record of 55 years of friendship.
Orekoya: It is interesting to know that the feeling has been mutual. We are trying to see how we can regain all those years.
How do you feel knowing that both of you managed to get to the heights of your career and are now retired?
Umaru: Yes, I feel happy. The determination has been inbuilt. In 1967, we went our different ways as a result of parents’ transfer and compelling national issues. We have reunited. This shows that our parents did well for us.
Orekoya: All glory to God. I’m happy my longing for him has not been disappointing, because even the good heart he had then is still manifesting today. He told me how at 13 he was handed over to a driver to be taken to school all alone in Okene, Kogi State. Nigeria was safe. And then to Kwara, then NDA. How he played football, got scholarship and so on. I told him how I struggled with ICAN and eventually became a chartered accountant, president of Pearl Awards and today a chieftain of All Progressive Congress.
How about your family?
Umaru: Our families are doing well. Phone calls were made with members of our families on both sides with resounding comments. As time goes on, we shall establish more contacts as this is just the beginning.
Orekoya: We have spoken to each other’s family members and now we are one big family. His daughter came around, my son in law came around, we spoke to each other’s wives and bonded with each other’s friends across the country. I’m proud of him.
What lessons can one learn from your reunion?
Umaru: There are life lessons here. Tayo has taught me that one can keep quality friends at any age, because the world does not end in one place. Therefore we must learn to live with ourselves. He has taught me that I am not alone in this world; that in fact I have a twin brother. This reunion has taught me to be a better person, to respect everyone regardless of their status. That some secrets are better shared only with a bosom friend. It is making me to trust someone affectionately, and that person is Tayo Orekoya. I’ve also learnt that a quality friend does not change regardless of tribe, religion, culture or race. I hope we can see people who can beat this 55 years record of separation and reunion.
Orekoya: The lesson here is that of unity of Nigeria. We were young. That is the way Nigeria was: no ethnic bias. We were all free with one another, he a Muslim and I a Christian.
I invited him to my home. He came and stayed with us for four days. That is how Nigeria should be. I have also learnt that relationships are important. Our meeting has brought large numbers of people together. Indeed old wine tastes better. Young people should build good relationships.
You spent the weekend together. How did you celebrate the reunion?
Umaru: I arrived in Lagos at 5:30pm and Tayo was on ground to receive me. We were excited and people at the airport could see it and wondered. Tayo took me to his house and we had dinner and discussion into the night. The next day, we went around the estate where he lives for a lawn tennis practice, where I met a number of his friends. We had breakfast and later attended a wedding ceremony. We went back home, had long hours of discussion. Later in the evening, some of my friends based in Lagos came around before dinner. Sunday was filled with more discussions from breakfast table. He had time for church and that was okay by me. Some of his friends came for lunch after church. We took a walk around the estate and later watched movies into the night. It was a good experience to rekindle our relationship, meeting good and quality friends on both sides. I was at home throughout in Lagos.
Orekoya: It was a marvelous weekend. We attended Owambe party like Hassan called it. The wedding of Justice Olubunmi Oyewole’s son, the Vice President’s representative was there, the Governor of Lagos was there. We played lawn tennis, had dinner out, took several photographs and talked into the night. We had a great time, indeed, a great weekend.