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Should I say egbon DB was a clown? That will be too expensive because his comedy was never like that of Late Baba Sala or Moladun Kenken Lewu, but Dare Best had some hillarious statements he entertained his audience with anytime he anchored events.
I was not really closed to him, so I find it difficult to describe his real person behind the close doors but my encounter with him at several events gave me an hint about his real person.
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I got to know Olorioko Dare Best when I was still a reporter at City People magazine. Then, he was one of our best event anchors who always handled some of the movie premieres from the Yoruba Movie industry packaged by City People.
As a showbiz reporter hardly would I do without talking to the MC even though I always put in my best to hide my identity anytime I show up at a social gathering. Being a free minded person, Dare Best would find his way to talk to you no matter how young you may be to him. Years after, the City People drama became history.
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Here comes the Yoruba Movie Gist Awards 2019, a few weeks to the annual event, my mobile phone rang and immediately after I picked up, a soft voice sounded and what followed it was “good morning Mr Gbolahan Adetayo, my name is Dare Best, I am interested in your event, YMGA 2019, how do I come in?” As at that moment, I was short of words because hearing his voice alone got me overwhelmed. In a nutshell, he started creating awareness about the event on his Radio programmes without getting a dime from me..
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Two days to the event, I placed a call to him just to let him know that he will anchor the prestigious awards’ ceremony, with joy and gladness, he made it a done deal and saved the date for me.
October 20th 2019 was the date and the whole Lagos State was flooded with the heavy down pour but Olorioko was never discouraged, he showed up at exactly 1pm. He came to the hall, he couldn’t find me but he was gentlemanly at a corner where he choosed to sit. The rain was not ready to stop until 4pm, then, I was already getting discouraged but when he saw me and studied my mood, he rebuilt the confidence in me and believe me, seconds after 4pm, he mounted the stage to do what he knows how to do best, before we knew it, the hall already filled up with not just people but important personalities in the society.
Another memory that the event left behind through Dare Best was the way he related with the Face of Yoruba Movie Gist Awards 2019, Tayo Sobola aka Sotayo Gaga, who was on the podium to receive her award.
Olorioko was uttering out some hillarious statements with Sotayo that arrested people’s attention. “Small body big account balance” was part of his statements with Sotayo and this segment added colour to the already colourful event. At exactly 9pm of the day, he waved at me saying “good night, I have to go now because my place is still far”. I never knew he was stylishly tell me we won’t see again.
After the award night, we weren’t fortunate to see again but we communicated via WhatsApp. It is so disheartening last week to hear that a man with such a great heart bowed out so soon.
Rest on Olorioko Dare Best….. You have laid a legacy that won’t make me forget about you in haste, especially during the annual Yoruba Movie Gist Awards….. As the mc of the event In 2019, you added colour to the already lovely event…….![😭]()
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The entire broadcasting industry will forever miss you….. A rare gem of our time. Sun re o!