I do not know how many there are like me in my neck of the woods but I know it is interesting to be born on the 1st of April, why?
I always loved the second look I got from people when I told them my birthday.
Then they believe I’m kidding and they ask again, “Is first of April really your birthday?”
When I nod, they shake their head, feeling sorry for me and saying, “No wonder you act the way you do?”
I wonder how many times I have been told that… maybe a million? Maybe more.
But is that why I’m writing this piece?
No! I’m writing this piece because I was really born on the 1st day of April.
Or did my parents lie to me? Has it always been an April fool’s joke that stuck?
Now I don’t know anymore. Now I’m confused.
One man that refused to be fooled was my grandfather (God bless his soul), Cotton Acheru Amadi.
When he was told that his first son, Emmanuel Ndozi Acheru had given him his first grand son on that windy day, April 1, 1972 at the General Hospital in Port Harcourt he laughed it off as an April fool’s joke.
Legend has it that he refused to show up at the hospital.
Now my grandfather, born in 1913 was very educated… er well at least he had his Teachers Training Certificate and was a renowned teacher, head master and principal in his day.
He had heard about this trick of the white man and would let no one fool him.
Did he take it too far? Yes he did. Well, er, maybe he was just trying to be sure.
Legend again has it that when everyone around him continued to insist that there was indeed a baby born into the Acheru Amadi household he finally decided to visit the baby, two days later.
I grew up watching people play pranks on each other, and laughing when they tried them on me. If only they knew I owned the day.
I had in my day tried a few tricks on people; tricks that shocked the world; that’s what I was born to do, right?
On April 1, 2005, I announced on radio that the Confederation of African Football, CAF had disqualified Dolphins from that year’s edition of the CAF Champions League.
This announcement came just a few days after Dolphins had beaten Accra Hearts of Oak 4-1 in a 2nd round 1st leg match.
Their offence was using an ineligible player for the game.
I even used a sound clip of the then Nigeria Football Association, NFA Secretary General, Fanny Amun saying, “This is very unfortunate. I hope we will learn our lesson from this.”
Coach of Dolphins, then, Musa Abdulahi nearly got a heart attack as he listened to the news while driving.
The Rivers State sports commissioner then was almost in tears while fans all over the state were making frantic phone calls discussing the fate of their club.
I have played lots of other April fool tricks, some that had nearly put me in trouble and some I later regretted.
My ultimate April fool’s trick has always been to invite my friends over to a birthday party and they get to the address to find out its an uncompleted building with a banner hanging down the wall saying “Happy April fool’s day”
I still believe that will be done.
The next time you get a birthday invite from me just be careful and double check the address.
That’s the kick to fooling people this day.
Don’t just out of nowhere tell a person his house is on fire. Look for a situation that has actually affected him and play a trick from around that.
Like sending a broadcast on a day like this that Roberto Mancini has been sacked; or telling a Local Government chairman in Rivers State that he has just been impeached, you heard it on Wazobia news.
Try calling up the captain of Dolphins telling him to go see the accountant to pick up all match bonuses owed the team for his players.
Maybe, you tell the governor of Rivers State that one of the new bridges being constructed just collapsed, no one died though.
It really has always been fun doing this.
But it’s my birthday already, or is it really? Is it just a trick? The kind my grandfather refused to fall for? I guess you will never know and I will never know too.
Now calling my parents…
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