The second gentleman I had privilege of accompanying was Hon.Dauda Adegbenro, who was the Minister of Local Government in the old Western Region. The West, having obtained self-government in 1957 insisted on a reform of the local government system. Chief Adegbenro was asked to take a look at what the local government system was like in Canada.
We travelled to Montreal in the Quebec region, and the Chief needed a rest since he had travelled a long journey through London. We checked into Queen Elizabeth Hotel, the most prestigious hotel in Montreal at that time. I had advised Chief Adegbenro that we should try and dine in the restaurant in the hotel and avoid room service at all cost. Unfortunately, Chief Adegbenro said he was tired and would dine in his room.
I went down to the dinning room of the hotel because the arrangement would enable me to save a few dollars from estacode and returned later to see how the Chief was doing. I was astonished when I saw him surrounded by a cook and two waiters. Since he asked for sirloin steak they decided to let him have the delight of having room service at Queen Elizabeth Hotel. The steak was cooked in his presence and seasoned to his taste. All the food was in a warmer so the food was warm throughout the meal. The Chief topped up the food with strawberry delight. Then the bill came, and the Chief almost collapsed. The bill came to about two hundred and four US dollars and with tip, the bill came to a total of two hundred and fourteen dollars.
It was at this stage that I walked into the Chief's room and found him sweating profusely. He kept waiving the bill at me. "Young man, do you know what I have done? I have had dinner of two hundred dollars! Can you imagine people in Abeokuta hearing that I have spent that much for dinner! Of course, the leader must never know that I spent that much for an evening meal. Young man, you must promise me that the Premier must never hear about this." And then the well -known Egba exclamation followed Are! Are!! Are!!!. I calmed the Chief down. I said I was a very junior officer; I didn't think I would be in a position to see the leader, let alone discuss his trip to Canada.
-Olusola Sanu, Audacity of the Bound: A Diplomatic Odyssey
We give all for Benefits...
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your comments is personal and therefore does not in anyway portray the opinion or stand of the writer, Lordricharmond or administrator of this blog