|
When Tunde Komolafe, now a naturalised Hungarian, and cultural counsellor for Gambia, gave me the invitation for this CEO business party, I felt reluctant to honour the invitation. Oh, not because I don’t have suit or a pair of shoes to wear (In fact, I am addicted to Italian shoes). Rather, business parties always bore me. It is usually where affluent professionals display what makes them tick in the society. They have almost everything that they think makes a woman or man. They have brain and well-cut suits, ostentatious cars and well-polished black shoes etc. They also like to be pampered like a baby, as I watched some of them being dressed and undressed by their butlers/bodyguards. Surely the world of the CEOs is as smooth as their ties and skirts. No stress or suffering of any kind. Suave is the only word for them.
Before and during meal, I listened with the help of a friendly woman, who had volunteered to be my interpreter because of my poor Hungarian. She must have seen the agony on my face saying, “this one does not speak Magyarul enough.” She was so helpful. She changed her seat to sit next to me. Some men started eyeing me. “That’s their wahala,” I thought. My interpreter introduced those on our table to me one by one. Chief Editors, multi-national executive officers, powerful secretaries (whatever she meant by that). When I inquired about what they were speaking about, she waved her hand down, explaining to me “it’s business as usual,” implying they are individuals who have almost the seven intelligences to make things work – in terms of money and beyond. Ah, these CEOs really know how to mix business with pleasure, although most of them appear to have appetite for business than food.
Bongo Man, a group of Nigerian trios, sang Nigerian songs. Ayo Bello, lead drummer/singer, Moshood Adeniyi, back up singer, and Saeed performed acrobatic dances to the delight of the guests. Believe me CEOs know how to enjoy themselves as much as they know their trades. Some of them were even shaking their bodies, playing to the prank of Ayo who had earlier told them to do so – wherever they may be – that is, if they wanted to enjoy the show. The guy really knows how to tease, and take Hungarian CEO’s along with him. He made them clap and laugh and laugh as he spoke pidgin Hungarian.
Although the atmosphere was friendly, very impressive and involving rich and successful people, I did not feel any admiration until I saw one man. He was brought to the arena on wheelchair. Since I got the invitation, I had been thinking on what to write about. So immediately I saw him, I knew my focus would be on him. I prayed to heaven in silence: Let him speak English, God.” And he speaks Queen Elisabeth Language fluently.
His name is Szekeres Pál. He had a car accident in 1991, which resulted to his legs being amputated. He thought his life had collapsed before him. He lost every hope – at the beginning. “No matter how strong you are,” he says, “you are bound to feel apprehension and sadness when one day you found your legs had gone.” However, he listened to the genuine voices of loved ones, and especially his pretty wife, Aniko, who wheeled him to the occasion.
Many people would term his circumstances as misfortune but not Pál. He showed fortitude, and constantly asked himself what possibility available to him despite the accident. He worked vigorously, and his dedication paid off when he won double gold medals in 1996 Atlanta Para Olympic Games. Since then he has not relented on his efforts. He won bronze medal Wheelchair fencing B category on his 40th birthday. “Whatever your circumstances,” he quips, “Please make the best out of it.” He has been Deputy Secretary of State under two different governments – the Right and the Left. He is now the President of Hungarian Federation for Physically Disabled, and one of the owners of the biggest rehabilitation equipment company. “The door is open to everybody,” he says. “I think it is the same in each country where people have heart.”
And there seems to be one man who has the heart Pál is talking about. He is Janos Elek, 47, the organiser of the yearly CEO business ball here in Hungary. János’ humility and simplicity struck me. He appears to have removed undue focus and attention from himself to the extent of begging me not to use his picture. “Please,” he says, “talk about the event and not me. I am not important but the event.” According to Janos, the main purpose of the night is to help the handicapped. “The money realised goes to young physical disabled like amputee, autistic children and other impairment,” adding that the problem at hand is much bigger than money realised so far. He even called himself “crazy for organizing this event because people don’t give if they are not touched”.
Whether the money being realised is big or not, Pál, 42 and father of two boys and a girl, believes there are many great possibilities in this life. One has to look for it, he says. “Think about what you can do, not what you can’t do.” He happily cited his inspiration on other handicapped, “now happier than many able bodied people”. He specifically told the story of a girl who also had a terrible accident fourteen years ago. “We helped her find herself again. Now she is married and happy.” Pál then thanked the organisers for the deep feelings they have for the disabled.
Angola ambassador to Hungary, Joao Miguel Vahekeni used the occasion to offer business opportunity to the gathering. I understand the man never missed such opportunity to woo Hungarian business executives to his country, which he described as “second oil producer in Africa South Sahara after Nigeria.”
|
RSS Feeds | Podcasts
Posted by Robot| 23.02.2006 23:23