OPINION: Relationship Between Sane & Insane Graduates -A Frank Ikoro Experience
My Mindset, See How It Works. Tears of sorrow rolled down my cheeks after reading the heart rending story involving those who studied in University of Jos and one of their mates this past Valentine. The story has it that after they discovered that one of them whose name I have just forgotten suddenly became mentally ill and unstable that Valentine eve, their association went on a rescue mission of him, tracing him to his Bakana country home in Bayelsa to do the needful.
In it according to the story, they cleaned him up, handed him to a psychiatric facility, paid the necessary bills but above all, each of them embraced and hugged him with godly hugging enough to make him feel love and loved in practical terms and not theory.
You can compare the same scenario to this pix where ,I Frank Fyne Ebere Ikoro in the full glare of Aba public who wondered the relationship that exists between me and a supposedly lunatic when the two of us closely posed for the camera recently.
The “Lunatic” in question is no other than my musical boss, friend, colleague, confidant, a master guitarist, a masters degree holder (Statistics) sourced from one of America’s best Universities and unto me, a destiny helper of sorts when I needed it most in 1970 as I struggled to transform from being a shoe shine boy into what I am today.
His name is Chidi Iko. Comrade Chidi Iko was in his musical/stable era member of The Hard Nuts one of Nigeria’s pioneer pop groups based in Port Harcourt. I ran into him after the war in our Akwette Street neighborhood where he stared grooming me having discovered me a talent begging to be developed. Chidi Iko it was, who took me to Portharcourt for my first musical baptism at Land of Cannan Hotel 222 Niger street, where we formed The Gaskins.
However and like many others, his parents were never in support of his musical pursuits hence they mounted pressure and succeeded at stopping him. Chidi traveled abroad pursuant of academic excellence and can be said to have succeeded. Whereas the rest is history, whatever happened to Chidi Iko is highly regrettable. I wish I have the wherewithal yet I found it difficulty to despise him, his present condition notwithstanding more so as I make new friends Frank Fyne can not like the fowl forget in a hurry those I consider my destiny helpers including Chidi Iko.
Can you do the same?
Frank Fyne Ebere Ikoro