Sometimes, life gently reminds us that true friendship is not measured by grand speeches, but by thoughtful and deliberate acts of kindness.
It all began with a warm invitation:
Date: Friday, 13th February
Venue: Ilesa Residence
Time: 6pm till late
Occasion: To “wash” and celebrate the arrival of a new grandson into the family
Hosts: Asiwaju & Yeye Asiwaju Fasuyi
That evening, I had the privilege of sharing beautiful moments with Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi. We parted warmly, agreeing to reconnect by Sunday. I assumed he had returned to his Ibadan base. Little did I know that his message that Sunday would leave a lasting imprint on my heart.
On my birthday, Saturday, 22nd February, I received a congratulatory message from the Ijesaland Communities Development Assembly (ICDA), where he serves as Chairman. That gesture alone was thoughtful. But what followed the next day was extraordinary.
Later next Sunday evening, my phone buzzed:
“A very beautiful evening, Lasore. In the course of my adventure tour of the world, having passed through Liberia and Burkina Faso in the last five days, I am now in my 111th country under the global discovery mission.
The 111th country is the home of your better half and darling wife — Conakry, Guinea.
I will be in your in-law country soon. Any message for the family?”
I was stunned.
Here was a man on a global expedition, visiting his 111th country, yet he paused to remember me — and more importantly, my family. He was not merely travelling; he was carrying relationships along with him.
Soon after, he shared photographs from his courtesy visit to the Nigerian Embassy in Conakry, where he met with Ambassador Alhaji Ibrahim Haladu, Charge d’Affaires and Head of Mission at the Nigerian Embassy in the Republic of Guinea, on February 25, 2026. He also informed me that he was lodging at Hotel Kaloum.
Without hesitation, I reached out to Djibril Bangoura, my brother-in-law with a modest grasp of English, and Marie Felicitè — my former student in Conakry who is also a sister-in-law. Contacts were exchanged. Conversations flowed. Bridges were strengthened.
What followed touched me even more deeply.
After speaking with them, Asiwaju graciously invited them to lunch at his hotel — extending warmth and honour in my name.
In Guinea, I am fondly called “Teacher.” I once had the privilege of appearing on national television with my students. Marie Felicitè — sister to Lucy (wife), one of them, whom he had spoken with — was also among those I taught. Though we have not visited Conakry recently due to the academic commitments of Dele (son) and Hannah (daughter), my bond with that land remains strong and emotional.
The Republic of Guinea is predominantly Muslim, and I consider myself blessed to have married into the minority Christian Baga community — among the earliest in the country to encounter Western influence. Guinea is not just my wife’s homeland; it is family.
To see Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi step into that space in my absence — to represent me, connect with my in-laws, and share a meal with them — is a gesture I will never forget.
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Later, he sent another photograph: himself and Marie Felicitè at the Guinea International Airport as he departed Conakry for Dakar, Senegal, continuing his remarkable global journey.
What kind of man does this?
A man who understands loyalty.
A man who values relationships beyond convenience.
A man who carries people along, even while conquering the world.
Thank you, Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi, for the honour, the kindness, and the priceless connection you restored across borders.
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