The sad story of Jesse Tabansi’s death moves his family and friends to tears as you read. But Anslem Tabansi, his father and founder of Fahrenheit Hotel, draws solace from the fact that Jesse was older than the days he lived and the breaths he drew.
The deceased effortlessly combined the wisdom of old age with exuberance of youth thus manifesting as an inspiring bridge between, young and old, past and present. While alive, the past throbbed through him in a mighty rhythm and the future pounded the drums of eternity to which he swayed as the tides and seasons swayed.
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Pity he had to depart the world so soon. He was in his mid-20s. He died in car accident in Lekki, Lagos. He was handsome, gregarious and had a good head on his shoulders; every parent’s pride and hope for grey days.
In fact, he was already being groomed by his father to take over his business conglomerate.
Were an outpouring of attributes, eulogies and tears potent enough to rouse a dead man, Jesse would have reconsidered spending a few more days before plunging into his eternal sleep. But as family and friends converged at his parents’ house yesterday for a condolence visit, albeit sadly, the young and fun-loving dude would never resurrect for a brief parting repartee.
If Anselm and his wife, Wendy, indeed, had one chance to make a wish, they would probably seek an immediate reversal of the death of their son into a dream, or better still, just mere nightmare. Watching her bemoan her fate, you could feel and touch her grief and like someone who has signed out on laughter, the sounds and melody of tumbrels and harps for her have stopped making any meaning for now.
