Segun OdejimiBY ‘SEGUN ODEJIMI
So, today is Uncle Jahman Anikulapo‘s birthday.
Good man, great man.
Let me bore you for about a minute.
I had been hearing (a LOT) about him, seeing him at Freedom Park and sometimes getting close enough to say a brief “Good day sir” for over five years until we had our first serious interaction late last year.
He needed someone to write a piece on Nollywood. My boss said I could write it. We exchanged several emails in which he referred to me as “sir”, used the words “please” and “thank you” multiple times. When I sent him the piece, he thought it wasn’t poor enough to need editing.
I introduced myself to him at last year’s AFRIFF, he bought me a drink and told me all about what he was working on as if he had known me for decades – evidence of the humility and greatness I had heard about and observed from afar.
Like the late Amaka Igwe, I had been influenced by people he had influenced before I met him.
Some great people don’t live in Banana Island – partly because of how twisted Nigeria has turned out and partly because of the kinds of people they are.
Jahman Anikulapo is a great man. Happy birthday Jahman!
