December 17th, 2010 saw the passing of my oldest client and dear brother-in-law, Jeye Okorodudu, Chairman of the Adata Group of companies. He died in a London hospital after a long battle with cancer. 
Jeye was one of those people who are often described as a ‘force of nature.’ A handsome bear of a man, he had an unusual combination of great warmth and charisma, and almost laser-like business insight. An eternal optimist, he had a boundless belief in the essential goodness of other human beings. It was a trait that both helped and hindered him as he sought to bring his entrepreneurial vision to life. He reposed a level of trust in people that was seldom reciprocated. Despite this sad fact of life, he never complained and indeed I never heard him utter a bad word or negative opinion about another person.
Jeye was a serial entrepreneur whose adventurous nature took him around the world in search of business opportunities. Beginning with Liberia and Sierra Leone in West Africa, he built a global network of business interests and contacts that eventually stretched all the way to China and the Far East. To make sure that he would have the human resources to support his initiatives, he invested heavily in the training and development of his employees and he consumed large numbers of business books, in both written and audio formats, every year. I still recall many late night conversations in which he eagerly explained some new concept which he had come across and wanted my advice about how he could apply it to his business activities as soon as possible.
Most of all, Jeye loved his family and his friends. On December 17, 2011 – a year after his passing, the newspapers were once again full of tributes from people whose lives he had touched and who still missed him dearly. I know I do and it’s taken over a year to finally be able to write these few words about him. He always seemed to be in a hurry, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky. Now, perhaps I know why.
I’m going to close this post with a tribute from his son-in-law, Wohabiko Owhondah. I think it sums up the kind of person Jeye was.
In Tribute
“Dad had an enduring zest for life, and he approached each day as a gift and lived it to its fullest. Every moment I spent with him, he reenforced my belief that life is an unending stream of opportunities waiting to be grasped. He loved unconditionally with his beautiful, open, and giving nature.
Anyone with the good fortune to have met Dad would attest to his genuineness, warmth, generosity and good humor. He brought so much laughter and happiness into the lives he touched. He always looked out for others and often put their needs before his own. He had a rare quality that drew people to him and allowed him to find the goodness in others. There was never any pretension or prejudice about his feelings toward anyone.
His love and friendship were very real to me. He continued to put everyone before himself in his struggle against cancer with the utmost gratitude, appreciation and trust. Even as he battled the disease, he never lost his outstanding sense of humor. His courage, spirit and iron will during this difficult time were indomitable.
We miss men this good terribly when they leave us, but we can all keep the memories we hold dearly alive in our hearts. I deeply admire his fine qualities and I’m so proud that this gem of a man was my father-in-law.”
Wohabiko Owhondah
So say we all. Rest in peace, brother.
