WAKE UP: Tribute to Idris Katib at 50
By BASHIR ADEFAKA
Idris Katib, a brother, friend and professional colleague, can be appreciated at no better time than now. He is simply fantastic.
Pardon my little digression. Wikipedia, on parallelogram, defines the mainly mathematical term as “Opposite angles of equal measure”. Maths is Fun (mathsisfun.com) in its own contribution, however, defines parallelogram as a flat shape with opposite sides parallel and equal in length.
Coming from the angle of these contributions, I can import the mathematical term into a journalistic expression to say that Mr. Idris Katib and I have worked at parallelogram for many years, serving the same principal although based on different assignments.
He is spokesman for Crescent University Abeokuta, Nigeria, owned by His Excellency Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN) and I serve as media and publicity consultant to the same principal although working, first from Vanguard Media Limited that time and now from Defender Media Limited. If this appears to be “opposite angles of equal measure” or “a flat shape with opposite sides parallel and equal in length”, I can therefore be correct with my postulation that this journalist cum public relations personality, Idris Katib, and I work at parallelogram, for same good and that our results are glaringly a resounding success.
At this point, I can better describe our relationship – made possible by Baba Bola Ajibola – as one with healthy fruits. But beyond our own area of calling, Katib is also now an academia, published author and writer with major specifics. He is also a father that has produced a little poet in his eldest child (daughter), whose literary work has won her a UNESCO award, whereas I have managed to produce in my own eldest child (daughter) a brand new Journalist with specialisation in broadcasting. Are we not truly at parallelogram?
The occasion celebrating this enigma in his own right at 50 provides me the opportunity to be part of tributes to him to say that, “We have been good and great together and we, still, are”. We can only keep getting better. The one thing I now long for is that he, his wife my wife and I should perform Hajj together and make a major request from Allah in Raodah of the Prophet’s mosque of Madinah and Haram Makkah that “We get to the best of our heart desires here in life and, after our times here, be part of his favoured servants in the next world”.
There is one thing Idris Katib has that I do not have. He is blessed to be under the mentorship of Dr. Kola Adesina, the quintessential administrator that is Head of Department Mass Communications, Crescent University Abeokuta but I am not and want to be. Maybe the occasion of Idris’ 50th birthday anniversary, which is remarkable, will provide an open window for a peep into that.
In a nutshell, I am one of the happiest to see my brother, friend and professional colleague being celebrated at 50. May Allah, hazawajalla, continue to strengthen him and make him live more prosperous years and in the service to Allah and with spirit to continue to better the lot of humanity. Amiin.
Please accept my congratulations!
*WAKE UP is opinion article column of Lagos-based Journalist and Media and Publicity Consultant, Alhaji (Prince) Bashir Adefaka. Reach him via his email: omope72@gmail.com
