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MESSAGETOATEDOPETERSIDEAT70UDOMALetmejoininwelcomingyoutotheageofthreescoreandten!EventhoughIamslightlyolderthanyou,havingattainedthatmilestonelastyear,wearecontemporariesineveryotherway.WebothenteredKingsCollegein1966;inKingsCollegewewerebothinHarmansHouse;wewerebothadmittedtouniversityin1973;securedourfirstjobsinLagos;pioneeredandbuilt-upinstitutionsinourchosenprofessionalcareers%u2013yoursinbankingandmineinthelegalprofession;andlivedtogetherinthePinkHouseatNo1WalterCarringtonCrescent!Youhavebeenakindredspirit,andItrulyvalueourfriendship!IfirstnoticedyouattheinitiationceremonyforFormOneboysinKingsCollegeinJanuary1966.Inintroducingourselveswewererequiredtoindicatewherewecamefrom.AtthattimeIkotAbasi,whereIamfrom,wasstillreferredtoasOpobomainland.So,whenIheardyouintroducingyourselfasalsocomingfromOpoboIwascurioustofindoutabitmoreaboutyou.Thatmeetingwasthebeginningofareallygreatfriendship!Youhavebeenasupportivefriend.Inuniversity,whenIwasstrandedoccasionallyinLondon,onmyfrequenttripsdownfromOxfordUniversity,youallowedmetosleeponyourfloorinyourroomattheInternationalStudentsHouse,GreatPortlandStreetinLondon.OnoneofourfrequentroadtripstoAccraandLomeyouhelpedmetopushmyLadaJeepwhenIranoutofpetrol!YouencouragedmewhenIdecidedtorunfortheSenatein1999.AndwhenyoudecidedatIBTCtoembarkonthebuildingoftheresidentialblockatNo1,WalterCarringtonCrescent,VictoriaIsland,youofferedmeoneoftheonlytwopenthouseapartmentsintheblock.MyfamilyandIenjoyedlivingintheblock.Overtheyearsourtwofamilieshavebecomeveryclose.Mywife,SallyisclosetoDundunandourchildren,Eme,MayenandAyanamareclosetoTokini,AtowariandTariye.Infact,sometimesEmeandTokinibehave,notjustassisters,butastwins!Ourrelationshipactuallyspansthreegenerationsbecausemyfatherwasalsogoodfriendswithyourfather,andyourmotherandmymotherwereinQueensCollege,Yaba,atthesametime.94
