The immediate past Vice Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, Comrade (Dcn) Patrick Ochei, has congratulated the State Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs. Olutayo Samuel, on her birthday.
Deacon Ochei, revealed they knew each other 14 years ago while he was a Corp member serving under her in Abeokuta south local government area of Ogun state.
According to Ochei, “Our path crossed first on the 14th February, 2006, at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Sagamu, Ogun State. I was later posted for my PPA at Abeokuta South LGA where she held sway as the Local Government Inspector and later Zonal Inspector. Under her watch, I was appointed the pioneer Secretary of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC CDS. And until 31st January, 2007, when I passed out of service, we worked as mother and son”.
Ochei, a successful journalist, publisher of Anioma Trust newspaper with reach in the United States, Canada and currently the Managing Editor, Integrity Watch Dog Magazine, disclosed that once awhile, he remembers her whenever he go memory lane as a Corp member.
Hear him: “Since then, I only remembered her in the passing, may be when my mind flashed through my service year and the memories that it holds. Never was I envisaging our path to cross again. But fate did it!
“Mrs. Olutayo Omopariola-Samuel was this year posted to Delta State as the NYSC State Coordinator. She had called for a Press Conference through our able National Vice President Zone F, Comrade Akpati Ogude. Being a leader, he detailed us in the State Council to handle it. When we were ushered into her office that day, the person I was to meet happened to be the one I knew as my NYSC mummy for life.
“I screamed Mrs. Samuel and she was shocked but she wouldn’t recognize me until I introduced myself. The memory came back and it was a sweet reunion. The State NYSC Coordinator meeting with her Corper son as the then State Vice Chairman of NUJ.
“This background is necessary to paint a picture of a relationship that was struck in a fading visit to a regimented NYSC camp in 2006. However, good conduct and progressive manner reignited that old relationship into something better, bigger and long lasting.
“I am proud to call Mrs. Samuel my mummy. So if you love me as a friend and believe in my brief piece, kindly join me to celebrate my mummy. Her birthday was Saturday 22nd August. If you noticed I had been offline for sometime. But it’s better late than never as I call on you to join me celebrate Mrs. Olutayo Samuel.
“Happy Birthday ma. May your stay in Delta witness tremendous progress of NYSC. Congratulations”, Ochei, who is presently vying for the Secretary position of Delta NUJ, added.
