A Leader Indeed.

Zainab Atanda
3 min readMar 3, 2024

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In memory of Mr Peter Ogedengbe.

Death came knocking when no one expected a visitor, how cruel!

Death, denial, life

I was just a naive young lady finding her foot in the noisy world of media, when I was referred for an interview that still lingers in my memory till date. He was soft spoken, and welcoming. Seated in a corner, as I walked into the office and sat opposite him. It was a back and forth of questions and answers, I obviously wasn’t confident enough, and he could tell. Finally, he let out the words “Let’s see what you will do”, and with a warm smile, I exited his office.

Mr Peter was everything a great boss should be. He gave freely, he loved easily, he believed in everyone, he taught a lot without saying much. His decisions showed it all the time, his approach to situation spoke volumes. He was a Father, a friend, a mentor and a boss, all at the same time. A boss that had everyone’s best interest at heart, it was always easy to open up to him. He made a family out of an organization, he was a kind man.

What a heart!

I can’t talk about my career journey without mentioning Mr. Peter, he played a vital role in my path. I didn’t know how much he had poured into me until I was no longer his employee. The young naive lady became a force, he believed in my capabilities before I did, he gave me wings and allowed me fly. I learnt how to approach anyone, anyone at all, I learnt how to face my fears, how to make tough decisions, how to manage people, I had many firsts as his employee and he guided me all through.

Mr Peter always had a guy! For every impossibility, he had someone that could fix it, the gift of men! It wasn’t about what he could give them, it was about how he made everyone feel. You feel seen, you feel heard, you feel appreciated, why won’t you give your all? Why? You know, bosses are not always in the good book of their employees, but not Mr. P. On most days, he was in our good book. That kind of boss everyone prays for.

I can’t talk about my business growth without Mr. Peter, he helped me get Impact Gifts registered seamlessly. He was always interested, and helped when he could. And it wasn’t just me, both young and old, both rich and poor, Mr Peter was a boss that served.

I am sorry I get to celebrate you with just words Mr P, you deserve better. I wish I got to say goodbye. Thank you for leaving us sweet memories and a life of impact. You left us with a lot to remember you for.

I will hold unto that till we meet again.

#death #grief #loss

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