By Toye Akiyode, Second Editor

THOSE who worked or were associated with Vanguard at the beginning were Amuka lovers. Whether they were businessmen like art connoisseur Chief Taire, Hammond, Chief G.K Animashaun or they were civil servants like Alhaji Shehu Musa and Chief Awoniyi or journalists such as such Muyiwa Adetiba,Toye Akiyode, Jimi Disu and Kenny Adamson or Augustine Ehijiator, they were all Amuka lovers.

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They would at that time be wherever Sam was. They were sworn to ensure that the legend that was Uncle Sam should never be put to shame.

For myself, I had no choice. Ever since that afternoon at lunch at the Punch restaurant at Onipetesi where Mr Amuka had invited Mr Nduka Onum and I for general discussion, I had been committed to this simple man whose experience and exposure were beyond anything I could understand.

As far as I am concerned, he could do no wrong, never.

All of us Vanguardians used to hang out at one of the huts at Ajegunle in the fishing resort owned by Uncle Sam. It was our first conference room. I was a late comer there.

Earlier, during one of my visits to his flat at Anthony Village, he had hinted that when his new paper was established, he would be glad if I could be the editor.

I was then at the Concord newspaper covering goingson as State House Correspondent and was too busy to see him quite so often.

So, when he was ready to go, Muyiwa was available, and he took him. But he insisted that Muyiwa look for me and ask me to see him urgently. He insisted that I take the position of Deputy Editor. Muyiwa and I were friends from Punch, and he was Editor, Sunday Punch anyhow.

So we took off calmly.

We started to recruit. This took us all the way to Ibadan, where we got Immanuel Akapa. Among the starters were Mr Dada, Deoye Roluga, Kola Animashaun, Fola Arogundade, Agnes Otsemobor, Chris Okojie, Ikeddy Isiguzo, Doyin Omololu, Hakeem Ikandu, Mr Bisi Lawrence, Meme Lawrence, Frank Aigbogun, Medline Tador, Gloria Ogundipe, Bayo Odulana, Dupe Singer, Gbenga Adefaye, Niran Malaolu.

Now Uncle Sam will be 90 years old soon, and these set of staff (apart from the deceased) will be in their seventies, and Vanguard will be 40 years old as a going concern.

It is time to wish all of us many happy returns.

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