Had he survived the blood-sucking devilry of Liberian war lord, Charles Taylor and his notorious band of brigands, Krees Imodibie, the late former political editor of The Guardian, would have been rounding off a big event by now.It is now 21 years since he was declared missing in action in the Liberian war front as the year 1990 got on the home stretch. I had teased him just before he left on his second trip to Monrovia on when he hoped to retire from doing dangerous missions with "extraordinary courage and determination." And he had jokingly responded: "Perhaps in 21 years time. I want to retire as a five-star general." Twenty-one was a number we delighted in sharing jokes with, in the lighter mood, following a comic birthday show we experienced together.How hard it was to admit that Krees was dead when the then Information Minister, Alex Akinyele, spoke philosophically about it to journalists late 1990! Even when the then ECOMOG field commander, Maj.-Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro, broke the news mid-January 1991 that Krees, with his Champion counterpart, Tayo Awotusin, had in fact been killed, it was still difficult to believe such a time-tested human armoured tank of a warrior could die so helplessly.Accomplished warriors do not die just like that. But after Akinyele, whose sources were supposed to be unimpeachable, later announced Federal Governments compensatory gestures to the families of the two slain journalists, reason informed it was time to start persuading ones mind to stop playing Doubting Thomas. Life had indeed been snuffed out of a generalissimo who was himself no less a determined and uncompromising warrior than his assailant, Charles Taylor, and the erratic Yormie Johnson who were and are still very much around.But while those two rebels sought to wrest political power killing and maiming, Krees fought a completely different war and on an equally different battlefield. It was the war against the ravaging odds of a humble background, to access success in spite of this and carve a niche for himself in intellectual enterprise and his chosen profession. And he was winning, with as much metamorphosis in his progress as in his name.Born Christopher Alelo Imodibie on May 22, 1959, it was at the Grade Two Government Teachers College, Ikorodu (which we both attended between 1975 and 1978) that his endowment began to blossom. His partnership with me in editing the schools Press Clubs weekly, Servers Times, and quarterly, The Moon, was a most memorable experience in eagletic literary and intellectual craftsmanship. A potentially great lad, he exhibited dazzling intelligence, activist energy and intellectual drivepotential whose development was being seriously threatened by the odds of life. So he resolved to fight those odds to a standstill.After two years as "small teacher," Christopher, who had since become Chrislyn, and having cleared his GCE papers burning the midnight oil all by himself, headed, October 1980, for the University of Jos armed with only his intelligence and determination. He secured a transfer in October 1981 to the University of Lagos where his outstanding qualities came to the fore when he moved to contest the students unions post of secretary-general for the 1982/83 session. But before he recorded his marvelous landslide victory in the election, and spurred on by his activists desire to accord his person the uniqueness of character commensurate with his unusual talent and achiever disposition, Chris had become Krees.He obtained his first degree in Philosophy in 1984. But meanwhile, his articles had been dominating the pages of a number of Nigerian newspapers, especially The Guardian, such that after his youth service in 1985, he joined the giants as a matter of course. With a Masters degree in Political Science successfully completed in 1989 still at Unilag, he rose progressively at The Guardian to the post of political editor, which he promised to "wash" for us after he might have returned from Liberia. He never did; a victim of his major "weakness"his irrepressible restlessness, enveloped, surprisingly, in the extreme of harmlessness. Krees would not hurt a fly, but he must be there where a fly was being hurt. Ask "Malam Kakuri," whose personality was a harbinger of charm, warmth, friendliness and serenity, why he was not keen on covering an event and he would retort: "but action no dey there now." The import of that statement was the barometer of his life: he always wanted to be "where the action is." And so I would have been surprised if he had conceded the Liberian assignment to someone else.He did not! Like a true, fearless commander he went, and with the genius, valour, vigour, drive and ingenuity in him as his troops. Neither the commander nor any of his troops has returned 21 years after their disappearance. That was unlike the classical example of a symbolic event in which I experienced him exhibit raw courage and fearlessness, even as just a boy.It was at the teachers college in the 1977/78 session. Our Ranodu House was pitched against Ayangbunren House in an inter-house football competition. Our Houses two goalkeepers (including the school teams No. 1) were unavailable, forcing me to switch from midfield to central defence. Out of the blues, Krees, not known to be a footballer let alone a goalkeeper, volunteered to take on the dangerous duty of confronting our opponents parading virtually the school teams attack. I wondered and he countered: "No be just to block the ball with my body'" We were eventually beaten 6-0. But it was inspiring watching Krees block the whistling shots with his arms, chest, face and even groin. Even with bruises all over him, he refused to give way. His heroics in courage and fearlessness earned him the sobriquet "Goalkeeper Attouga" after Tunisias 1978 World Cup safe hands.Playing his familiar game at the highest level, Imodibie went to the Liberian war front to block the bullets with his life! That was even despite the fact that his articles then were apparently pro-Taylor and the Nigerian media did much to impress this on the war lords while he was still just "missing." This highlights the danger journalists (in the course of discharging their duties) and other men on the move face in warring nations. Recently, in spite of the Nigerian governments recognition of the Libyan rebels, it was widely reported that Nigerians were being slaughtered by Muammar Gaddafis tormentors. Yet, this was another adventure the one who believed that with courage, all missions were surmountable would have loved to do were he still here with us.Regrettably, he no longer is. And I dont envy journalists at all, no, I dont. But refreshingly, Imodibie, I feel convinced, is only right now "where the action is." So, rest on, Krees, continue to rest in peace.Akinola wrote from 54, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikorodu, Lagos, vide del.prof@writing.com
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